“That’s what I thought. It saves everybody time. It saves the court’s time too. The same thing applies here. I know you’re with the Rosato firm and your combined experience in criminal defense is considerable. We can make a deal with your client and settle this matter, not unlike the deals that get made everyday in civil law, even the one you tried to make between your client and Todd Eddington.”
“Correction. The dispute, and any settlement, would not have been between my client and Mr. Eddington. It was between my client and his former employer.”
“That’s a technical difference.”
Mary thought of what Bennie had told her, borrowing the line: “I’m a lawyer, and the technicalities protect legal rights.”
“But there was clearly resentment between your client and his boss, with accusations and cross-accusations over his termination.”
“That seems argumentative, and I’m not here to argue.”
“I don’t want to argue either.” Detective Lindenhurst gestured at the closed door. “We could step outside and talk about the terms of the deal. I wouldn’t usually discuss that in front of your client.”
“We’re not interested in a deal, thank you.” Mary thought a minute. “Detective Lindenhurst, let me ask you a question. You’re telling me that you found Todd Eddington stabbed three times. That would suggest to me that whoever killed him probably got blood on their clothes and hands. Am I right?”
“Often, that’s the case.”
Mary gestured at Simon’s hands, still linked in his lap. “Youcan see for yourself that my client doesn’t have any blood on his hands or clothes.”
“He could’ve washed up and changed his clothes at the hospital. Like many parents, he keeps a change of clothes there. They even have a shower for parents. I know from my sister, from when my niece was there.”
“But he was wearing the same clothes this morning. I know because I met with him.” Mary flashed on the scene at the hospital this morning, when she had been given the locket. So much had happened since then, the world had turned upside down. But she kept her head in the game. “As his lawyer, I can’t be a fact witness, but I’m sure any nurse or doctor at the hospital could tell you that he had these clothes on, and so would their security cameras. Have you checked them?”
Detective Lindenhurst shook his head, his mouth a tight line. “Not yet, but we certainly will.”
“In fact, when we give samples later, I’d like you to photograph my client’s hands and clothes, to document that he had no blood on him.”
“We intended to do that, that’s standard operating procedure.”
“And in addition, I know that when there’s a stabbing, the killer can often wound himself, since blood can get slippery.” Mary suppressed her revulsion at the thought to make her point. “Simon, turn your hands over and show Detective Lindenhurst.”
“Okay.” Simon raised his hands and flipped the palms up, and there were no wounds or cuts.
Mary asked, “See what I mean?”
“I didn’t kill anybody, I didn’t kill him!” Simon blurted out, and Mary shot him a warning glance, though it was so spontaneous that it rang true. She could only hope that Detective Lindenhurst remembered it when incriminating physical evidence began to roll in.
“Detective, if you don’t have enough to arrest my client, and I don’t believe you do, then we will give the required samples and leave.” Mary stood up, cueing Simon to rise by touching his arm.
Detective Lindenhurst rose, with a frown. “So you’re ending the interview.”
“Yes.”
“Well, then, I hope we’ll be talking again, very soon.” Detective Lindenhurst turned to Simon. “And of course, I’m asking you not to leave the jurisdiction for the near future.”
Simon nodded, his expression shaken, but he didn’t say anything.
Detective Lindenhurst looked down at Mary. “We’ll go down the hallway to the nurse for the samples.”
“I’ll go with you,” Mary said, then she and Simon left the room with the detectives, who opened a door and led them down a back hallway to the police lab.
Mary’s thoughts raced, all the while. She worried it wouldn’t be long before Simon was arrested, and if that happened, she didn’t want to think about what would happen to Rachel. Murder wasn’t a bailable offense, so Simon would go directly to jail, leaving Rachel without her one and only parent. Mary could only imagine the heartbreak it would cause Feet, Simon’s cousins, and her own family.
Mary realized she had her work cut out for her. She had to find out who killed Todd, and the clock was ticking. While Simon was in the lab, she heard a text alert from her phone, so she reached into her purse and checked the screen. It was from Bennie:
at the office if you need me
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
