“I think a better way to proceed is for you to let us know why you called us in here.”
“Okay, we’ll do it your way.” Detective Lindenhurst sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. “As you know, Todd Eddington was employed before his death as sales manager at OpenSpace and your client reported to him until Mr. Eddington terminated him a few days ago.”
Mary noted he didn’t emphasize the causal connection because he didn’t have to.
“We are aware that your client has made clear he intends to sue, claiming that his termination was unlawful. His proof is certain statements he alleges were made by Mr. Eddington.”
Mary didn’t interrupt him, and he wasn’t telling anything they didn’t know already, which was the only reason he was telling it. It was way too soon for them to have made headway on their investigation.
“We are also aware that Simon was served today with the countersuit for defamation based on his alleged statements about Mr. Eddington, and that he became very upset when he was served.”
Mary hadn’t known that Simon had reacted badly, but she could’ve guessed it. Simon didn’t move, listening quietly, his hands linked in his lap.
“As you may have heard, Todd Eddington was found dead in his car at approximately seven o’clock this evening. An autopsy is being conducted and until it is complete, we will not know the official manner of death. But the cause is a mortal stab wound to the chest. We think, three wounds, but that’s not official.”
“How do you know there were three?” Mary didn’t know if he would answer, but you couldn’t blame a girl for asking. Bennie would have.
“I was at the scene. I saw the body.” Detective Lindenhurst’s upper lip curled, and Mary guessed it had been a gruesome sight.
“Do you happen to know if he had his wallet or his watch?”
“He had both.”
Mary drew the same conclusion that the police must have, that it wasn’t a robbery. But for them, it made it more likely that Simon had done it. “Is it still an active crime scene?”
“Yes, until we close it.”
“I’d like to go there, as soon as possible.”
“We can arrange that.”
“Have you found the knife that was used?” Mary took another shot. She was on a roll, probably because Detective Lindenhurst wanted to see if Simon would confess in return for a plea deal.
“No, we are actively looking for it. We expect to do better when the rain lets up.”
Mary made a mental note. If the knife was disposed of outside, the rain might contaminate any physical evidence on the knife, like blood or DNA. “So obviously, you’ve ruled out suicide?”
“Yes.” Detective Lindenhurst shook his head. “The medical examiner hasn’t officially classified the death a homicide yet, as I say, but we saw no reason to delay talking with you and your client as soon as possible after Mr. Eddington’s body was found.”
“And why my client? Why call us in, as I asked before?”
“We have spoken with officials at the Tomahawk Country Club and we have determined that security camera footage shows your client’s Ford Explorer entering the parking lot at 5:25 P.M. and leaving approximately twenty minutes later, at 5:50 P.M.”
“How can you be sure it’s his car? It’s been a torrential downpour tonight. The visibility must be terrible.”
“It’s good enough to make out the vanity plate.”
“So you have footage of the entrance and exit to the parking lot?”
“Yes.”
“How about the parking lot itself?”
“We have most of the parking lot.”
“Were there other cars in the lot?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Five.”
“Have you questioned those drivers?” Mary said, though she had just gained a bit of valuable information.
“We’re in the process of investigating.” Detective Lindenhurst straightened in the chair, crossing his legs to reveal the leathery edge of an ankle holster. “However, the corner in which Mr. Eddington parked was out of range of the camera. He seemed to have parked at the farthermost point of the lot.” The detective turned to Simon. “So where were you between five and eight o’clock today? Were you driving your car, or was somebody else?”
Mary interjected, “My client is not going to answer that or any other question.”
Detective Lindenhurst continued, still facing Simon, “And if you were driving your car, did you meet Mr. Eddington and if so, what happened?”
Mary answered for Simon, “My client is not going to answer any of those questions. So you need to stop looking at him and start looking at me.”
Detective Lindenhurst turned to her. “It would be in his benefit to talk to us,” he said, keeping his tone light.
“Why is that?” Mary asked, keeping her tone light too.
“Let me explain to you how I see it, Mary.” Detective Lindenhurst leaned over, his expression softening. “You practice civil law, and I happen to know that you tried to settle this case. I admire that. I like when lawyers try to settle civil cases. Why do they do that, would you mind telling me?”
“Because it’s easier than going to court.” Mary knew where he was going, but it didn’t make any difference. It wasn’t going to change anything she did.
“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. “You can see for yourself that my client doesn’t have any blood on his hands or clothes.”