CHAPTER EIGHT
The drive through San Francisco's hills took them away from the gleaming towers of the Financial District and into neighborhoods where Victorian houses seemed to cling to steep slopes.
Miles watched the city transform outside the passenger window as Vic navigated the narrow streets with practiced ease.
The further they traveled from downtown, the more residential and modest the area became, until they found themselves in a neighborhood where working-class families had managed to maintain their foothold despite the city's relentless gentrification.
The house itself was an unpretentious single story with a small, covered porch that looked like it had been added decades after the original construction.
The front windows were framed by simple white shutters, and the roof showed signs of recent repair with newer shingles that didn't quite match the weathered originals.
Everything about the property suggested someone who maintained their home carefully but without excess resources.
"This is definitely not the house of someone getting rich off predatory real estate deals," Vic observed, studying the modest structure through the windshield.
Miles nodded, noting the contrast between Holloway's neighborhood and the wealthy enclaves where their victims had lived. "If he's our killer, he's certainly not motivated by personal financial gain.”
They sat in the car for a moment, both of them taking in the details of the house and surrounding area.
Miles found himself studying Vic's profile as she observed the scene, noting the way her eyes moved systematically across the property, cataloging details that might prove relevant later.
There was something almost predatory about her focus, but in a way that suggested competence rather than aggression.
She was like a craftsman examining materials before beginning an important project.
They exited the car and walked up the short pathway to the front door, their shoes clicking against concrete that was cracked but clean.
The porch held a single wooden chair and a small table with a coffee mug sitting on it, as if someone had been reading there recently.
Vic knocked on the front door with the authoritative rhythm that Miles assumed all law enforcement officers learned during training.
The door opened after a moment, revealing a man in his early fifties.
He was dressed in a blue polo shirt and khaki shorts.
He was tall and lean, with graying brown hair that looked like he cut it himself and wire-rimmed glasses that had seen better days.
His face had the weathered look of someone who spent time outdoors, but his practiced smile spoke of someone who had spent time in office and board rooms.
"Mr. Holloway?" Vic said, producing her badge and ID in a smooth motion that Miles found impressive in its efficiency. "I'm Special Agent Victoria Stone with the FBI, and this is Dr. Miles Sterling. We'd like to ask you a few questions about a case we're working on."
Holloway's eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn't seem particularly alarmed.
"FBI?” He seemed to consider the three letters for a moment before shrugging and opening the door a bit wider.
“Well, that's certainly not something I expected to hear today.
" His voice carried a slight accent that Miles couldn't quite place, maybe somewhere from the Midwest originally. "Please, come in.”
They followed him into a living room that reflected the same modest sensibilities as the exterior of the house.
The furniture was comfortable but clearly purchased for durability rather than style.
A worn leather couch faced a small television, and bookshelves lined two walls, packed with legal texts, social justice literature, and what appeared to be an extensive collection of mystery novels.
The coffee table held several newspapers folded open to different sections, and legal documents were stacked neatly on a small desk in the corner.
“Can I offer you something to drink?" Holloway asked.
"Coffee would be great, if it's not too much trouble," Vic said, settling onto the couch in a way that managed to seem both relaxed and alert.
"Not at all. Dr. Sterling?"
"Coffee sounds good, thank you," Miles replied, taking a seat beside Vic and trying to emulate her balance of casual professionalism.
Holloway disappeared into what Miles assumed was the kitchen, and they could hear the sounds of coffee preparation.
Miles took the opportunity to study the living room more carefully, noting the framed photographs on the mantelpiece that showed Holloway at various rallies and community events.
One photo showed him speaking to a crowd gathered outside what looked like a government building, his face animated with the passion of someone making an argument he believed in deeply.
He looked over to Vic, who was studying a bookshelf that included titles on housing law and tenant rights—not standard bookshelf fare.
Holloway returned with three mugs of coffee on a small tray, along with cream and sugar. He settled into an armchair across from them, wrapping his hands around his mug as if seeking warmth from it.
"So what can I help the FBI with?" he asked, his tone curious rather than defensive.
Vic took a sip of her coffee before responding.
Miles found himself admiring the way she seemed to consider her words carefully without appearing hesitant.
"We're investigating a series of murders here in San Francisco, and we've recently discovered that all the victims were involved in a real estate development deal that you filed a lawsuit against."
A look of disdain came across his face for a moment and realization settled in. He nodded and let out a sigh. "Patricia Vance's luxury condo project, right?”
“Yes, that would be the one.”
"I assume you're talking about the Morrison Building development?"
"That's right," Vic confirmed. "Along with other investors in the project."
Holloway set down his coffee mug and leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped together. "I have to say, I'm not entirely surprised to hear that people involved in that deal might have made enemies. What they were doing to those families was unconscionable."
Miles watched Vic's face as she processed this response, noting the way she seemed to file away Holloway's immediate emotional reaction while maintaining her professional demeanor.
Her ability to remain neutral while gathering information was something he was beginning to appreciate more with each exchange.
He wondered if she might have made an exceptional counselor in another life.
"Can you tell us about the nature of your lawsuit?" Vic asked.
"Well…Patricia’s company was systematically deceiving low-income families about the timeline for their displacement," Holloway explained, his voice carrying the controlled anger of someone who had rehearsed these details many times.
"They told people they had eighteen months to find new housing, then started eviction proceedings after six months.
They falsified environmental impact assessments to expedite the permitting process, and they failed to provide proper notification to tenants about their rights during the displacement process. "
"That must have been frustrating," Miles said, trying to contribute to the interview without overstepping his role.
"Frustrating doesn't begin to cover it," Holloway replied, his eyes flashing with genuine anger.
"These were families who had lived in that building for decades.
Elderly people, single mothers with children, disabled residents who couldn't easily relocate.
Vance's company treated them like obstacles to be removed rather than human beings with rights. "
Vic leaned forward slightly, and Miles could see her shifting into a more direct questioning mode. "Mr. Holloway, we need to ask you about some specific statements you made to the media regarding this case."
"Such as?"
"You were quoted as saying that the development deal represented 'greed that suffocates the innocent.' Do you remember making that statement?"
Holloway's expression grew more serious, as if he was beginning to understand the direction of their questioning. "I did say that, yes. I believed it then and I believe it now. Granted, I wish I’d thought it out a bit more before I actually said it in the media."
"The reason we're asking," Vic continued, her tone remaining neutral, "is that all three victims in our case were killed by suffocation. Specifically, they were coated in gold leaf that prevented them from breathing."
The color drained from Holloway's face as the implications of Vic's words sank in. Miles watched the man's reaction carefully, looking for any sign of deception or guilty knowledge. But what he saw was genuine shock and horror.
"Jesus Christ," Holloway said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Are you suggesting that I'm somehow involved in murdering people?"
"We're not suggesting anything," Vic replied quickly and calmly. "We're investigating connections between the victims and trying to understand who might have had reason to target them."
Holloway stood up abruptly and began pacing the small living room, running his hands through his graying hair.
"This is insane. It’s…yes, I was angry about that development deal.
Yes, I made public statements criticizing the people involved.
But murder? I would never, ever consider harming anyone, no matter how much I disagreed with their business practices. "
Miles found himself genuinely believing Holloway's protestations. The man's shock seemed authentic, and his body language suggested someone who was genuinely disturbed by the revelation rather than someone trying to cover up his involvement. Not once had he gotten defensive.
"Mr. Holloway," Vic said, her voice taking on a slightly more sympathetic tone, "we're not accusing you of anything. But we need to understand the full scope of your lawsuit and your knowledge of the people involved. Your help would be greatly appreciated."
Holloway stopped pacing and looked directly at her. "My lawsuit was specifically against Patricia Vance's company. I had very limited knowledge of the outside investors who were backing the project."
"Exactly how limited?" Miles asked.
"I knew there were private investors involved, but the details of their participation weren't relevant to the legal issues I was pursuing. My focus was on the company's treatment of the displaced tenants, not on the financial structure of the deal itself."
"So you wouldn't have had detailed information about other investors like Rebecca Thornfield or Nelson DeWalt?"
"I might have seen their names in passing, in some of the financial documents that were part of the discovery process, but I couldn't tell you anything specific about their involvement or their other business activities. Thornfield, though…the name does sound familiar."
Miles watched as Vic processed this information, seeing her mental evaluation of Holloway as a suspect shift in real time. His limited knowledge of the other victims undermined any theory that he had targeted them specifically for their broader business practices.
"Mr. Holloway," Vic said, "I need to ask you about your whereabouts on several specific dates."
"Of course," Holloway replied, settling back into his chair. "Whatever you need. If this…God, if people are being killed over something like that, I’d like to help however I can.”
As Vic began walking through the timeline of the murders, asking for alibis and documentation of Holloway's activities, Miles found himself studying her technique with growing appreciation.
She managed to ask probing questions without making Holloway feel accused, maintaining a professional distance while still engaging him as a cooperative witness rather than a hostile suspect.
There was an elegance to the way she gathered information, starting with broad questions and gradually narrowing down to specific details.
She confirmed Holloway's alibi for the night Patricia Vance was killed (he had been at a community meeting about affordable housing), and gathered information about his daily routine and work schedule that would allow them to verify his whereabouts during the other murders.
And Miles wasn't sure Holloway was even fully aware that she was doing it. She was that good.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about the people involved in the development deal?" Vic asked as the interview began to wind down. "Anyone who expressed particularly strong feelings about the project or the investors?"
Holloway considered the question carefully. "There were a lot of angry people, Agent Stone. The families being displaced, community activists, other attorneys working on similar cases. This kind of development project creates enemies throughout the community. It can get very heated."
"Was there anyone who stood out as particularly angry or who made statements that might be relevant?"
"Not that I can think of, no. Most of the opposition was channeled through legal and political processes. People were angry, but it was the kind of anger that leads to lawsuits and protest rallies, not violence."
Miles could see that Vic had reached the same conclusion he had about Holloway's involvement in the murders. The man was clearly passionate about housing rights and had genuine grievances against the victims, but he lacked both the technical knowledge and the psychological profile of someone who would commit elaborate murders. And based on what he’d heard, the alibis he’d provided to Vic ruled him out.
As Vic continued gathering alibi information, Miles reflected on what their interview had accomplished.
They had confirmed a connection between all three victims through the development deal, but they had also eliminated what had seemed like their most promising suspect.
Holloway was exactly what he appeared to be: a committed advocate for housing rights who had used legal channels to fight what he saw as injustice.
Which meant their killer was still out there, and they were back to searching for connections they hadn't yet discovered. The killer remained ahead of them, probably already working toward another murder.