Page 43 of Fury In Death

“Gratefully.” Sitting, Mira crossed her excellent legs, took the tea Eve offered.

“He talked about how growing up, his father was often absent. Buried-in-the-work kind of thing. And roughly thirteen years ago, the son got in trouble—drinking, graffiti in the school he broke into. From all accounts, Chu was a negotiator, and he negotiated the kid out of juvie, out of expulsion. And made himself, from that point, available. Shifting priorities to family.”

“You point out in the report the family photo, facedown, undamaged.”

“Family keeps circling through. How the company’s like family. And you know, they’re not. Very structured, very tightly run, and very secretive. Sensitive, confidential projects, sure, sure, but it felt like more. It felt like what happens here stays here.

“The vic didn’t talk about his work with his family. Or only in broad generalities. I feel like if I’m working on something to, like, end hunger or extend life another couple decades, I’m going to talk about it some with my spouse, or my doctor son.”

“It sounds as though, and it wouldn’t be unusual, that in order to work there they have to sign nondisclosures.”

“Yeah, like those work in the privacy of your own home.”

“Your point,” Mira agreed. “You think his murder, and the method of it, have some connection to his work.”

“About thirteen years ago, he opened an account, under his mother’s maiden, in the Caymans with two and a half million. Another half million, listed as a bonus, went into his regular account. And allowed him to purchase the family home. He gets an annual quarter million, bonus on the books, and what looks like another hundred K—twice a year—goes straight into the Caymans. Exactly that, no deviation.”

“If blackmail, it would be surprising the payee didn’t deal with him before this.”

“Hush money’s different from blackmail, and right now that’s how I see it. He was a man who didn’t want trouble, who, by all accounts, avoided conflict and negotiated compromise.”

“All right.” Mira sipped tea, recrossed her legs with her eyes on Eve’s board. “Thirteen years ago, he realizes his son is heading down a dangerous path, and he himself needs to be more present. And at approximately the same time, he’s given a large, on-the-books bonus, and a separate, off-the-books windfall.”

“That’s right. Banner-Wyst has been involved in some shaky ethical issues. They’ve done good work, but they sure don’t do it for humanity, as I read it, so much as for profit and influence. Add profit to influence, you have power.”

Eve drank some of the coffee she’d programmed and studied the board. “Their headquarters, their labs—and not just in New York—generate pretty regular protests as well as kudos. Their policy for building company towns by absorbing or displacing the people on that land draws a lot of questions and criticism.”

“Yes, I’m aware. As a doctor, I have mixed feelings. Over the years, they have researched and developed much to improve the quality of life, to increase farmable land, to protect the environment. But they’ve acquired a great deal of that land, and though they follow the rules of the road, wherever that is, they essentially self-govern. Yes, ethically shaky.”

Mira sat back. “So your theory? Chu learned something thirteen years ago that would have damaged the company’s reputation, perhaps worse. And was paid to keep quiet about it, to continue his work.”

“Maybe on a project that, if discovered, would hurt their bottom line.”

“Yes. Your considerable task will be to find what they’ve paid him for.”

“Considerable, seeing he’s dead. But he worked with others. He worked with others thirteen years ago. I’m going to dig that up, see if I can find someone who’d like to talk about it.”

“Meanwhile, yes, this killing was personal. Obviously the killer is very strong. Rage adds to that, but I would say extremely strong. And very likely taking a substance that feeds that strength and the rage.

“To have used his hands exclusively when a weapon would be quicker, easier, says he needed that rush and satisfaction. Breaking Chu’s hands. A scientist works with his mind, with data, with facts and hypotheses, but also with his hands.”

“Huh. I hadn’t thought of that. Break the hands that do the work.”

“Correct. The focus on facial beating to beyond disfigurement. Very personal. I believe they were friends, or friendly, at one time. This is someone who very likely knew Chu’s family. So he turned their faces away from the violence. Destroy the computer, it’s again part of the work. But destroy or damage personal items, because it’s personal.”

“Chu betrayed him, or cost him something vital. Maybe betrayed his sense of what the work should be, but way more than that. I keep coming back on this one to: ‘You destroyed my life, now I’m taking yours.’ ”

“And doing so in his home,” Mira added. “Your killer is almost certainly male, extremely strong, very likely on a chemical enhancement. He respects family, he separates them from the blame he casts on his victim. He may have a family to protect, or a family he’s lost. Either could play into this level of fury. He’s smart, organized, and focused. Until the fury takes over.”

“I’m not sure he loses focus. I think the fury’s part of his focus. He could probably kill without the rage, but not in the way he wants and needs to kill.”

Mira angled her head, lifted her eyebrows. “That’s an interesting take.”

“Ever been in a serious fight? Physical hand-to-hand?”

“No, fortunately.”

“Take my word, to pound someone, another human, to this extent, to inflict this kind of damage, and keep inflicting it after death is achieved? It takes some fucking focus, and you have to be either driven by terror or rage to have it.”