Free Black Sun Descending by Stephen Legault Page B

sent threats to Vaughn. Maybe the FBI can help me—”
    â€œSilas, listen to yourself.” Silas closed his eyes. “Just take a moment and listen to yourself,” Ken continued. “Do you really think that if you present this information to the FBI —this list of names—they will run out and start investigating these people for the death of Jane Vaughn? Do you really think that they will start searching for your wife again? They won’t. They will take all of this as the raving of a delusional madman who leads them to bodies based on dreams of his dead wife reciting Edward Abbey!”
    There was a long silence. “She’s not dead, Ken.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Silas. I shouldn’t have said that. Your missing wife.” He paused. “I’ll get the commuter flight from Grand Junction to Flag. I can be there . . . two and a half hours. By lunch. Sit tight, Silas.”
    â€œKen, thank you, but I got this. I’m just going to go and talk with them.”
    â€œYou do that, Silas, and I can’t protect you.”
    â€œI don’t need protection, Ken. I need to find my wife.” He hung up the phone.
    THE FBI’S FLAGSTAFF Field Office was in an industrial park near the city’s airport. Silas parked, went to the front door, and stepped inside. He was greeted by a man in uniform and asked to wait while Special Agent Ortiz was paged. A moment later, Ortiz appeared. “Good morning again, Dr. Pearson, please come in.”
    They walked to a conference room and Eugene Nielsen stood and nodded at Silas. “Good morning again, Dr. Pearson. Please, have a seat.” Silas sat down. The two agents sat down across from him.
    Ortiz started. “Okay, so, you are probably wondering why you are here. It’s simple. We know that you were in Jane Vaughn’s office last night. We know that Dallas Vaughn gave you the key. There is no problem with this. We hadn’t sealed the office, so you aren’t in any trouble, Dr. Pearson.” The Flagstaff agent’s demeanor was refreshing after the treatment Silas had received from the Monticello office over the last four and a half years. Where were you when Penelope went missing? he thought.
    Ortiz continued. “We are curious about your interest in Ms. Vaughn, and what you might be able to tell us about her activities before her death. As you might imagine, we are curious about what motive her killer might have had for her murder.”
    Silas looked at Nielsen as if to say, See, this is how you people in Utah should behave. Nielsen just looked blankly back at him. Silas took a sip of water and cleared his throat.
    â€œSo you’re admitting that this was murder?”
    â€œNot admitting . The medical examiner’s office has released their report and concluded that Ms. Vaughn’s death was murder,” said Ortiz.
    â€œHow was she killed?”
    â€œWe can’t talk about that.”
    â€œBut she was dead when she went into the ground at the
Atlas Mill?”
    â€œShe didn’t die of suffocation, from being buried, if that’s what you’re asking.”
    â€œI think that’s what I’m asking.” Silas shifted uncomfortably at the thought of such a gruesome death.
    â€œAs for motive?” Agent Nielsen interrupted.
    â€œWell, to start with, I didn’t know Jane personally. Agent Nielsen here may recall me telling his boss that in Moab. But my wife knew her. And the circumstances around my finding her, well, you might know . . .”
    Ortiz smiled. “Yes, you have dreams. I understand. This isn’t a problem for me to comprehend, Dr. Pearson. The Bureau sometimes uses intermediaries and psychics to help in the resolution of crimes. It’s not so hard for me to believe.” Silas thought maybe Ortiz was taking a dig at his colleagues across the border in Utah.
    â€œI have no idea why Jane Vaughn was in that