Page 63 of Seven Deadly Sins

“Oh, dear, people came and went through that cancer treatment center with terrifying regularity. Let me think. Have you spoken to Harold Fox? He’s also a survivor. We talk about those days a lot.”

“Would you mind if we had him brought here while we speak to you?” Harper straightened as the orderly returned with their coffees.

“Billy, go get Harold, would you? We need him in this pow wow.” When the man left, she turned back to Harper. “Harold isn’t quite as sharp in the head as he once was, but he remembers enough. Perhaps with the two of us bouncing ideas off each other, we can help you.”

Harper really hoped so. The running in circles the perp had them doing started to make her dizzy.

~

Billy was quick. It didn’t take long for him to wheel Mr. Fox, the old man clutching a coffee cup between wrinkled hands, into the room. The man’s eyes lit up when he spotted Mrs. Wilson. “Hello, Mary.”

“Hello, Harold.” She held out a hand to him.

He set his cup on the table and took her hand. “What’s this about?”

“These nice people want to ask some questions about our dark days. Are you up to it?”

“As long as we’re finished before lunch. That’s in half an hour. I don’t like to miss my meals.”

“We’ll make sure of it.” Liam smiled and went through the same spiel Harper had with Mrs. Wilson.

Mr. Fox studied the photo for a few minutes. “This man had a son with two different colored eyes.”

Liam shot Harper a glance, then turned back to the old man. “This man is the son.”

“No, no, no. His eyes are wrong.” He peered closer at the photo. “Chin is a little less pointy, too, but this is definitely Richard Thompson. His son fell in the center once and broke his nose. It’s not crooked anymore, but there is still a hint of a scar. Son’s name is Robert. I’m positive. I sat next to the man most times I had treatment. Don’t you remember, Mary?”

The man jumped from father to son in every sentence, but Liam got the jest of what he meant.

“I do now that you mention him. His son came with him most of the time. The two were very close even if the boy was undisciplined in my opinion. Poor Richard didn’t get better like Harold and I did. His liver cancer had progressed too far before detection. Was in his bones and blood, but he still insisted on getting treatment. Swore he’d beat the cancer.” Mary clicked her tongue.

Since Landry was a plastic surgeon, he most likely knew several others in the profession. One of them could have worked on his chin, straightened his nose. Another long list for him and Harper to go through. “Mr. Thompson waited too long to see a doctor?”

The other two nodded. “Nice man, a bit strange minded, and very stubborn.”

“Strange how?” Harper set her cup on the table.

“Wanted to fix the world. Said he couldn’t die because he had too much work to do and didn’t want to leave the burden on his son.” Mr. Fox shook his head. “Oh, we debated over the fate of the world many times. I missed him when he died. It’s been twenty years now. That would make his son about thirty, I think.”

At least they now had a name. All they had to do was find Robert Thompson. Since Landry continued to elude their grasp, it wouldn’t be easy.

“Was Thompson married?” Harper tilted her head.

“Wife left him years ago,” Mrs. Wilson said. “Died of complications from the flu a few years after that.”

Liam stood. “Thank you both so much for your help.”

“You think he’s the Seven Deadly Sins Killer, don’t you?” Mrs. Wilson tilted her head. “I saw the boy pull the wings off a fly once that got in his soda. That’s true serial killer behavior. I saw it on a movie once.”

Liam chuckled. “I can’t divulge that information but the two of you have helped us immensely. If either of you remember anything that might help us find this man, then please give us a call.” He handed them each a business card.

“Have you tried his house?” Mr. Fox stared at the card. “His father lived in a mansion, so he said. Somewhere outside Harrington on twenty acres. I doubt the boy’s there, but you might find out something.”

Liam thanked him again and left the room with Harper. “It should be easy enough to find the Thompson place.” He called the office and put in the request for both an address and a warrant. “We should know something by the time we’ve finished lunch.”

“Feel like Mexican food?” Harper slid into the jeep.

“I never turn down Mexican food.”