“Perfect.”
“Excuse me?” Russell poked his head into the room from the hall.
“Yeah?”
“Looks like we’re having company.”
The words left his lips and the buzzer for the gate told them of their late-night guests. On the monitor, red and blue lights glistened off the top of the black-and-white car in the drive.
Judy hit the button. “Yes?”
“Miss Gardner? It’s Detective Perozo and Officer Greenwood. We’d like to talk to you.”
They both looked at Russell. “Might as well let them in.”
“Record them,” Judy told him. “I don’t want to miss anything they have to say.”
Where Meg would be biting her nails, Judy answered the door with a strange smile.
Nice touch, Judy thought, watching Officer Greenwood walk into the room. It’s like the police knew bringing in the guy who cuffed Rick would be a bad idea.
“What can I do for you, officers?”
“We just want to talk to you.”
“I don’t have anything more to say.” Judy folded her arms over her chest.
“Mind if we sit, Judy?” Officer Greenwood’s soft voice reminded her of her moments in the ER. She was a nice lady, even if she was currently working the wrong angle.
She moved to the table and lowered her laptop so they couldn’t see what she was working on.
Detective Perozo looked over at Russell and Meg. “Mind if we talk to you alone?”
“Yes, actually I do. Russell is my temporary bodyguard since you deemed it necessary to remove my permanent one. Anything you have to say you can say in front of Meg.”
The officers exchanged glances.
“Oh, and Russell, can you please call the attorney. Let them know I have guests.”
“Absolutely.” Russell glared as he removed his cell phone and punched in numbers.
“You don’t need an attorney, Miss Gardner. You’re not on trial.”
Instead of saying anything, she smiled and nodded.
“We know you’re confused as to why we brought Rick in.”
She’d have the smile and nod thing down in no time at this rate.
“He had opportunity, knowledge of your every move, no alibi, and motive.”
She kept her smile. “Motive, really? What might that be?” Asking questions wasn’t the same as answering them.
“Did you know that Rick was allowed to retire early from the Marines?”
No, she didn’t, but she kept her smile on her face and didn’t answer the question.
“There was some question as to the mental health of the team he worked with. Reports from a paper in Colorado said he was responsible for a civilian’s death less than two years ago.”
She didn’t know that. Not that it mattered. “He is in private security.”
“Shot a man in the back in the forest.”
Her eyes glanced to Russell.
He gave a curt nod.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“He’s capable of hurting you.”
“He didn’t.”
Officer Greenwood leaned forward. “Domestic abuse takes up four out of every ten cases of abuse. Did you know that?”
Judy bit her tongue to keep from responding.
“We know that Rick has been keeping tabs on you for months. Long before you moved to LA. Did you know that?”
Her tongue was going to bleed.
“My attacker sounded nothing like Rick.”
“Voices can be disguised. There’s no telling what the military trained Rick to do.”
Judy went back to chewing her own tongue.
A buzzer from Russell’s phone made noise.
Everyone glanced up, and he was now looking into his cell. “We have company,” he said.
Detective Perozo jumped up.
Russell clicked on the main TV and flipped the feed coming from the gate cameras.
Outside the gate were several cars pulling along the narrow drive with men carrying cameras.
“What the?”
“Paparazzi. Police cars have a way of attracting attention,” Meg said for all of them.
“Just when life was starting to get back to normal,” Judy said. “Thanks ever so much.”
“We’re trying to keep you safe, Miss Gardner,” Officer Greenwood said.
Holding her tongue wasn’t going to happen. “No. You’re trying to solve a case using the path of least resistance. Why don’t you try a little harder and put the right guy in jail?”
“Do you know where Rick was yesterday after he dropped you off at work?”
The question stopped her smile. She didn’t answer.
The buzzer from the gate sounded.
Russell answered.
“Looks like your counsel is here, Judy.”
The police looked at each other and stood. “No need. We’ll be in touch.”
The Lexus passed the police car when the gate opened. Several flashes of light caught the entire exchange.
A woman stepped from the car, her jet-black hair slicked back in a long ponytail in the back, her dark clothing suitably fitting and stylish. “Was it something I said?”
Judy liked her instantly. “If I knew lawyers were cop repellant, I would have asked that you join us earlier.”
The woman approached and extended a hand. “Kimberly March. I’m with the firm hired by Blake Harrison.”
It took a minute to recognize the name. “Thank you for coming.”
Kimberly watched the retreating car.
“C’mon inside. I suppose you’re not needed now that they’re gone.”
“I’d like to know what they said.”
Meg brewed another pot of coffee, this time decaf. “I’m starting to think this night is never going to end.”
Judy hid a yawn and tried to smile. Russell left them to update Neil.
“I won’t keep you up much longer.”
“Can I call you Kimberly?”
“Please do. I’ve been brought up on the situation. The police feel they have the right guy, and everyone else knows they have the wrong guy.”
“Yeah.” The night was catching up with her, and Judy wanted to find something shiny to place on the cloud before she went to her lonely bed. For the first time in a week, her bed wouldn’t house one amazingly warm body who made her feel protected and comfortable.
Meg sat beside them while Judy played the recording Russell had managed to capture of the conversation with the police.
“Sounds like you handled yourself well.” In true lawyer form, Kimberly wrote a few things down on a large yellow pad while she talked. “Did anything they ask or say make you question Rick?”