was something in her voice and Louis had to ask, âDo you?â
âI think Jack Cade killed that girl twenty years ago. But Spencer kept Jack Cade out of the electric chair.â Her brows knitted. âWhy would you kill the man who saved your life?â
Louis was silent for a moment. âMiss Silvestri, you probably knew Spencer Duvall better than anyone on earth. If you were me, who would you talk to?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âWho else would want Spencer Duvall dead?â
Ellie trained her green eyes on Louis. âCandace?â
Louis tried not to let his disappointment show. The old thing had seen too many episodes of Matlock. âWhat makes you suspect Mr. Duvallâs wife?â
âShe wasnât very good to him,â Ellie said, her mouth pulling into a thin line. âPersonally, I think sheâs crazy.â
Oh great . Overly protective secretary secretly in love with powerful boss and hates his wife. Episode 502.
âSpencer was going to divorce her,â Ellie said.
Louis couldnât hide his surprise. âHe told you this?â
âWell, no, but I knew something was wrong between them,â Ellie said. âHe had been staying at the apartment more and more.â She paused. âShe was here that morning.â
âThe day Spencer was shot?â
Ellie nodded. âI was shocked to see her. She never came down here unless she had to. She never even called. Not like she used to when they were first married. He married her right after college, you know. I thought it was strange to get divorced after all that time.â
Louis shook his head. âBut you have no proof your boss was getting a divorce.â
Ellie was staring at the desk. âWait,â she said. âI made an appointment for him. It was with another lawyer here in town, a man named Brian Brenner. He handles a lot of divorces.â
âThey could have just been meeting for lunch,â Louis said.
Ellie looked dubious. âNo, I knew Spencer. Something was wrong at home.â
âDid Mr. Duvall keep the appointment with the other lawyer?â Louis asked.
âNo, it was for the following week. Iâd look it up for you, but the police took Spencerâs appointment book.â
Louis heard voices and turned to see Bernhardt coming down the hall, leading his client out. Bernhardtâs eyes darted between Louis and Ellie.
âI need to see you. Now,â he said to Ellie. Bernhardt went back down the hall to his office. Ellie let out a big sigh.
âAre you going to get in trouble for this?â Louis asked.
âI donât care,â she said with a shrug. âI could never work for a man like Lyle. Maybe Iâll retire. My daughter lives over in Clewiston and says she has a room ready for me.â She paused, her green eyes hopeful. âIâve never been there. Have you?â
Louis shook his head.
âClewiston,â she said softly. âI think Iâd miss the water.â She started toward Bernhardtâs door.
âThank you,â Louis said.
âFor what?â
âFor helping me. You didnât have to, and I appreciate it.â
She hesitated. âDo you believe Jack Cade killed Spencer?â
âI believe a man has a right to be believed until the evidence proves he shouldnât be.â
She gave him a small smile. âThat sounds like something Spencer would say.â
Chapter Eight
When Louis called Brian Brennerâs office, his secretary told him that Brenner had already left for the day and wasnât expected back in the office for several days. Louis quickly concocted a lie that he was an old college friend in town only for a day. The secretary obligingly offered up the information that Brian had gone to the family home on Shaddlelee Lane to meet a real estate appraiser and that Louis could still catch him there if he hurried.
Shaddlelee Lane turned out to be just south of
Jill Churchill
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Barry Hannah
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Tim Murgatroyd
John Sandford