Chapter 43
Bloch
‘Can you hand me that fine sandpaper?’ said Raymond.
Bloch hung up on Lake, reached down, fetched a fresh sheet of fine sandpaper from Raymond’s bag and handed it to him.
He was now in white coveralls, head to toe, and a breathing mask with a mesh dust filter.
A white sheet spread out from the base of the wall, and Raymond stood on it, lights flooding the surface of the wall as Raymond sanded it down.
‘This is criminal damage to property, you know?’ said Corbett.
He was on a kitchen stool, watching Raymond work. When he had begun to sand the wall, Corbett had begun to make threats and take pictures of Raymond.
‘Like we told you, he’s testing for dry rot,’ said Bloch.
‘I don’t care. He’s damaging the property and he’s not authorized—’
‘Eddie Flynn has a court order for an expert to undertake an examination and valuation of this property,’ said Bloch. ‘He’s examining and evaluating.’
Corbett smirked, then went back to his phone.
‘Did you call anyone and tell them what we’re doing here?’ asked Bloch.
‘You’re damn right. I called my boss, Mr. Duff, and he called the judge. Your client, or your firm, is going to pay for the damage and then some, mark my words. Do you even know whose house this is?’
Bloch told Raymond she’d be back in a second. She was just getting some equipment from the car. Stepping down onto the gravel driveway, she texted Lake.
The associate spoke to his boss at the firm.
Lake texted back straight away.
Vanderpool’s firm?
Yes.
Three dots jumped on her phone screen as Lake was typing out a message.
She popped the trunk, lifted the floor covering and removed her tactical vest and a long item wrapped in a leather cloth. She propped it up on the side of the lip of the trunk.
Lake’s text came through.
It’s probably nothing to worry about. Could be me being paranoid. Just watch your back.
Bloch looked at the vest in her hand, and the long mysterious item that sat by the trunk. If she brought these things inside, it would only inflame the situation with Corbett. He was almost at the point of calling the police.
Lake worried a lot. Too much, sometimes. It was part of his gift, thought Bloch. He could always see the worst in people, and therefore put himself in their shoes, figure out their moves, motives and how they committed the terrible acts that were so alien to others. That’s how he caught them.
Well, most of them.
She put the vest and the leather cloth item back in the Jeep and closed the trunk, made her way back to the house.
She texted him again.
Where are you now?
His reply came fast.
Waiting on Triple A. Car won’t start.
Bloch texted, Are you worried?
Yeah, but what else is new?
In the hallway, Corbett was pacing back and forth.
He was pissed and panicking. After all, the damage had happened while he was supposed to be supervising the visit.
But what was he supposed to do? Bloch knew the cops wouldn’t do anything, because the property itself legally belonged to the couple, and Raymond was engaged on behalf of Vanessa.
Even if he wasn’t a realtor, he was there on official business for a client.
The cops would say this was a civil matter, and leave it at that.
Still, Corbett was on edge. He could expect to eat a shit sandwich when he got back to the firm because this had happened on his watch.
Through the hallway, past the staircase, past the lounge and into the kitchen, Bloch saw Raymond scraping at the wall opposite the dining table with a knife.
‘You nearly done?’ she asked.
‘I need more samples, another two hours maybe.’
Bloch nodded, walked through the kitchen to the glass doors that looked out on the beach. The wind had picked up. Dark clouds had gathered over the steel-gray ocean, its surface becoming choppier.
‘A storm is coming,’ said Bloch.