Page 160 of The Bone Code
While crunching across the oyster shells, I dialed Ryan. He answered as I was unlocking my car. Without any preamble, I shared what I’d just learned from Abilene Monger.
A moment of stunned nothing came from his end. Or maybe he was distracted. Either way, I filled the silence.
“Harmony and Lena met with Sullie Huger.”
“The GeneFree guy.”
“Yes.”
“Harmony’s distant cousin?”
“According to the genetic genealogist.”
“They were asking about his DTC DNA-testing business?”
“Yes. But they also had questions about vaccines and viruses and pharmaceutical production. The school science project was obviously a cover story. Why do you suppose they were interested in those topics? Why do you suppose they were interested in Huger?”
“Lena’s mother worked for a pharmaceutical company. Maybe they were just sniffing out that lead?”
“Why go to Huger?”
“Hit up a relative?”
“Monger said a family connection was never mentioned.”
“She also said the girls had obviously done their research. Maybe they stumbled on the GeneFree website, saw that Huger operated out of Charleston, figured he’d be a good source.”
“Maybe.” I didn’t really buy it. Lot of hassle involved. Travel to Charleston in the hope of meeting him without an appointment. And there was the suspicious coincidence of Harmony and Huger being related, even if distantly.
After a brief pause, “Claudel’s been busting ass.”
“On his charm-school application?”
“He’s not that bad.”
I said nothing.
“Claudel’s been pursuing the yacht club lead. Turns out some marinas are inordinately fond of record keeping.”
I waited.
“Murray joined the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club in 2009. From then until 2012, he docked a 2006 Wellcraft Scarab Sport there.”
“That’s a boat.”
“A fast one. In 2012, he replaced the used Scarab with a spanking-new Fountain 42 Lightning.”
“Atmospheric voltage sounds faster than a bug.”
“What?”
“A scarab is a beetle. Lightning implies—”
“Your thought processes never cease to amaze me. In 2018, Murray upgraded to a 2016 Cigarette Maximus 45.”
“Buying an older boat is an upgrade?”
“That Cigarette would leave any Scarab or Fountain in the dust. Spray. Probably cost him half a mil.”
