A state investigator named Cora Vane had been combing through cold cases for a new podcast. Her algorithms flagged an anomaly: a man with no digital footprint, no credit history before his arrival in Meriden, and a face that matched a sketch from an unsolved 2003 arson in Ohio. The fire had killed two people. The suspect had been described as “a quiet man with careful hands.”
Silas Meeks had been the third beneficiary on the duplex’s insurance policy. He had needed money for gambling debts. He had also, Linda discovered, once worked as a handyman. He knew how to loosen a gas fitting without leaving a mark. An Innocent Man
“No,” he said. “I haven’t.”
“Beautiful work,” she said, holding up a restored Waltham. “You must have very steady hands.” A state investigator named Cora Vane had been
“That’s what they all say,” Cora replied. The suspect had been described as “a quiet