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thief is clearly established. Case in point: years ago he stole some truck batteries from a local auto repair shop, only he didn’t bother to take them out of the bed of his truck when he went to that very same auto repair shop to have his truck worked on. That little blunder cost him six months in jail and demonstrates his lack of skill in the felony business.”
    “Well, maybe he’s gotten better over the years,” said King.
    “He’s doing the best he’s ever done with his contracting business. His wife makes good money. They’re building a new house in Albemarle. Why attempt a burglary at the Battles’?”
    “Maybe with the new house they needed some extra cash. But if he didn’t do it, someone is trying hard to implicate him. Why?” said King.
    Harry was ready for that query. “He was working there, so he’d be suspected. The person could have gotten his tools, shoes, pants and gloves from the trailer home Junior and his family are living in now. It’s in the middle of nowhere, and there’s often no one there.” He added, “Although the fingerprint is the most troubling. It would take an experienced person to forge that.”
    “What’s his family like?” asked Michelle.
    “Three children, the oldest around twelve. His wife is Lulu Oxley.”
    “Lulu Oxley?” repeated Michelle.
    “She’s the manager at a gentleman’s club called the Aphrodisiac. Actually, she told me she now also owns a piece of the business.”
    “You’re kidding,” said Michelle. “The Aphrodisiac?”
    “I’ve heard it’s actually quite nice inside—you know, not just a sleazy bar with topless dancers.” Harry added quickly, “Though I’ve never been there, of course.”
    “That’s right,” said King.
    Michelle looked at him. “Please don’t tell me
you’ve
been there.”
    He hesitated, looked uncomfortable and then said, “It was just one time. A bachelor’s party for a friend.”
    “Uh-huh,” said Michelle.
    King sat forward. “Okay, maybe Junior didn’t mastermind the thing, but what if someone else did? That person knew Junior had access to the Battles’ mansion and enlists him to do it. The physical evidence
is
pretty damning, Harry.”
    Harry was not deterred. “There
is
evidence against him.
Too
much, in fact!”
    King didn’t look convinced. “Okay, what do you want us to do?”
    “Talk to Junior. Get his story. Visit the Battles.”
    “All right, suppose we check it all out and nothing pops?”
    “Then I’ll talk to Junior. If he still maintains his innocence, I really have no choice but to move forward. However, if the commonwealth offers a reasonable plea deal, well, I’ll have to address it with Junior. He’s been in jail before; he has no desire to return.”
    He handed King a file with all the particulars. They shook on it, and Harry turned to Michelle and took her hand. “And I have to say that finally meeting this charming young woman was well worth any price you might charge.”
    “You’re going to make me blush, Harry.”
    “I’ll take that as quite a compliment.”
    As they left Harry and walked outside, Michelle said, “I love that man.”
    “Good, because meeting him may be the only positive thing that comes out of this.” His cell phone rang. A minute later he clicked off. “That was Todd. Let’s go,” he said.
    “Where to?” asked Michelle.
    “A real fun place called the morgue.”

CHAPTER
    8
    T HE PALE BLUE 1969 VW PUTTERED DOWN ONE OF THE feeder roads leading to downtown Wrightsburg. The man driving was dressed in jeans and a white button-down shirt with loafers on his feet. He also wore a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead, and heavily tinted sunglasses covered his eyes. It was probably overkill, he knew. Most people were so self-absorbed they couldn’t describe anything about anyone they’d seen in passing ten seconds before.
    Coming in the opposite direction was a Lexus convertible. As Sean King and Michelle Maxwell passed by on their way to the