A Child's Garden of Death by Richard; Forrest Page A

out.”
    By early afternoon the equipment was assembled along the edge of the lake. Lyon and Rocco had gone off to a nearby diner for a large breakfast and home for a change of clothes. They returned in time to see the last traces of activity before the hoist began the raising of the vehicles.
    The automobile came up first, water and mud streaming through the windows and doorway as it swiveled across the water and was set down gently on a flatbed truck.
    â€œIf that’s not a thirty-eight Ford, I’ll eat it,” Lyon’s savior exclaimed in glee as he rushed to examine the car. He turned back to Rocco in amazement. “Hey, Chief. There’s no engine in this thing.”
    â€œAnd I’ll bet no body serial numbers either,” Rocco said.
    â€œI didn’t think he’d leave the marker plates on,” Lyon said.
    â€œScratch that one off.”
    In short order the roof of the trailer broke through the surface of the lake. Captain Norbert gave a quick, triumphant glance over his shoulder toward Rocco and Lyon, and directed his gaze forward in time to see the trailer break neatly in two.
    It hung from the guy wires for a suspended moment, each half gaping downward as silt, furniture and myriad other material slid into the lake. Then the remainder of the frame crumpled, and in seconds the trailer was in pieces, the debris falling into the water to sink almost immediately.
    Captain Norbert turned back to them. “We’ll dredge the whole lake if we have to; we’ll get every piece … eventually.”
    The office of the Murphysville police chief was next to the two detaining cells, just over the first selectman’s office and in front of the library. Lyon and Rocco sat in straight wooden chairs, their feet on the radiator, finishing the brandy and silently contemplating the erection of a hamburger palace across the street that violated the Village Green.
    The phone rang and Rocco picked it up impatiently. He listened. “Yes, Mrs. Henderson, but I’ve been out to your place three times this week already. The court says he can’t come out there except on the children’s visiting days.… I know, yes.… Well, if you let him in the bed, it’s up to you to get him out of the bed.” He hung up with a bang. “She’ll call the first selectman about that and I’ll have to go out there.”
    â€œLock them both up.”
    â€œI would, except they’d screw in the detaining cell and embarrass the drunks.”
    Rocco flipped the now empty brandy bottle into the trash can. “Couldn’t you do the dredging yourself, or with town maintenance people?” Lyon asked.
    â€œNot enough men or equipment for it. Norbert has the upper hand. It’ll take him days to get all that stuff from the bottom and sort through it, but he’ll do it; he’s very thorough. If only I could have gone down there myself, or if you could have made another dive or two instead of … thinking.”
    Lyon’s feet came off the radiator with a bang as the front legs of the chair hit the floor. He crossed to Rocco’s desk, scratched around for a pad and pencil and made a few notes.
    â€œLet’s see what we have. Probabilities, that’s all. One. Three people inhabited the trailer; two adults, man and woman, and a child. It was probably owned by our victims. No license plates on trailer or car.”
    â€œI’d be greatly surprised if any serial numbers whatsoever are found.”
    â€œI think you’re right,” Lyon said. “Let’s see what else. They were Jewish, of course.”
    Rocco’s chair came down with a thud as he turned to Lyon excitedly. “How come?”
    â€œTwo sets of dishes. Two what seemed to be complete and separate sets. I suppose you can keep a kosher trailer as well as home.”
    â€œJesus H. Christ, go on.”
    â€œPart of a book title, the only part I could read,