“The occult is Nick’s passion, not mine. I don’t have any interest in the supernatural.”
“But you’re familiar with the symbol left on Mrs. Huber’s body,” Carla said.
“No. I didn’t know what the pentagram meant until Nick explained the history to me last night. Did Nick’s report to Captain Eagleton help you?”
“Ask Eagleton. I’m too busy with the investigation to read. The FBI will tell us if the dated pamphlet means anything. My theory is the killer left a symbol on the body to mislead the investigation. Until I have facts convincing me otherwise, I’m focusing on the leads I have.”
“Such as?”
“Yesterday you told me you ‘used to know’ Laycee, however, her husband told me Laycee came to Los Angeles to visit you.”
“She lied to him.”
“Yet the day before she died, you were seen with her at Game On and then again at the Dodger game.”
My throat went dry. “Chance meetings.”
“You didn’t mention either meeting to me last night,” Carla said.
“You didn’t ask.”
“And if I asked you now what really happened yesterday morning after you found Laycee asleep in your ex-husband’s bed?”
“I didn’t find Laycee or anyone else in Jarret’s house. I didn’t go past the kitchen.”
“The truth is you hated her. What were your words at the ballpark after you accused her of breaking up your marriage?” Carla flipped through pages of a small notebook. “Witnesses heard you tell Mrs. Huber she was dead to you.”
My stomach knotted. So beer-toting Kyle heard at least one part of the conversation. Great. I had finally expressed my feelings to Laycee—in front of an audience.
Carla continued, “The next morning, you walked into your old house and found Laycee in the bed. You must have been so angry, incensed even, realizing she had sex with your ex-husband while she was in town to visit you. A repeat of their fling in Atlanta. All the old feelings of betrayal returned. You went to the kitchen. Got a knife. I can understand why you couldn’t stop yourself from stabbing her while she slept. Then you realized someone might have seen you drive up to the house, so you drew a symbol on her in her blood—a witchcraft sign Mr. Garfield showed you—to make the crime appear to be a random cult killing. Where is the knife?”
The knot in my stomach tightened to a chokehold. “Your imagination is astounding. You can turn off your recorder. This conversation is over.” I stood, knees shaking, and crossed to the foyer. I opened the front door. “Get out of my house.”
“We’re not finished, Liz. You can tell me the truth now or we can talk at the station.”
Chapter Fourteen
I knew Carla couldn’t force me to respond to her accusations, answer her questions, or take me to the station without cause. Thank God I always paid my parking tickets. There weren’t any random traffic warrants on me floating around to use as an excuse to take me in.
We stared each other down. I waited, refusing to budge from my stance at the front door. She rose from the sofa and hiked the strap of her bag over her shoulder. Taking her time walking out, her eyes scanned my living room.
“Next time you want to talk to me, contact my lawyer for an appointment.” I swept my hand toward the porch, gesturing for her to leave.
“Have him or her call me. Today.”
I shut the door behind her and leaned against the panel, my heart banging inside my rib cage. Erzulie scuttled from beneath the sofa to my side, arching her back against my leg. I looked down at her and said, “We need a criminal lawyer. Fast.”
Erzulie trailed me into the den. I sat down and dialed Kitty Kirkland, our family attorney and the only lawyer I knew well enough to ask for help.
“Liz, it’s good to hear your voice, dear. Is Lucia feeling all right?” Kitty said, referring to the woman she helped Nick and I rescue from fraud and elder abuse last spring.
“Lucia is very well. I’ll tell her you asked,” I said. “Nick and I had dinner with her last week. But that’s not why I’m calling. I need a criminal defense lawyer.”
“For Jarret? I saw the news about the homicide at his home. I had a bad feeling—”
“For me.”
“Hold on.” Her phone clattered. I heard a door click shut.
Kitty listened in silence while I detailed the whole story from Laycee and Jarret’s fling in Atlanta all the way to Carla’s accusation.
“Why didn’t you call me before Pratt questioned you the first time?” she said in her drill sergeant manner.
“I didn’t think I had anything to hide.”
“The first half of your statement is true. Does your father know about this?”
“Not yet. You’re my first call.”
“Sit tight. I’ll call you right back.”
I entertained a short nervous breakdown until the phone rang.