Page 52

Story: Guilty as Sin

But she was proven wrong when she listened to the message. Her stomach lurched hard once. Reese was aware that Hayes was still studying her, but she couldn’t have hidden her reaction if she tried. When it ended, she put her cell on speakerphone and played it again so he could listen.
“Ms. Decody. This is SDPD Detective Usher from Central Division. I’d like to sit down with you to discuss Tyler Greenley’s death. Please return my call so we can set up a date and time. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll have to send a couple of officers to bring you downtown. That will be far less pleasant.”
“Friendly guy.”
She snorted at Hayes’s obvious sarcasm. So she hadn’t been imagining the note of intimidation in the detective’s voice. “Sounds like a real hard-ass. I think I’ve had my fill of SDPD’s finest this week.”
“You’ll need to call him back, but you don’t have to sit down with him right away. Monday will be soon enough. When’s your appointment with Sedgewick tomorrow?”
“Eleven. I could do it in the afternoon.”
“We need time to line up a defense attorney to be there with you.”
The thought hadn’t occurred. “What? Why?”
“It’s just good sense. He or she can make sure you don’t inadvertently waive any of your rights. And shut things down if the detective tries to coerce you.”
She felt suddenly chilled. “Monday would still be short notice.” Did she even know a defense attorney? Reese didn’t think so.
“I’ll take care of it.” Hayes picked up his cell. “You call Usher.”
She took her phone and went out to the balcony. She hadn’t expected the police to find Greenley’s killer in two days, but it would have been nice to hear that they’d eliminated her as a suspect. Nothing in the detective’s message had given an indication of that. The man had left his number and extension, so she was able to reach him directly.
“Usher.”
“This is Reese Decody, returning your call.” She leaned against the outdoor railing, her gaze on the small courtyard below with its bubbling fountain.
“Ms. Decody. I’m anxious to set up an interview with you.” Her imagination filled in a face to go with the raspy, pack-a-day smoker’s voice sounding in her ear. “I have time tomorrow morning. Or I can come to you.”
“I have a prior engagement tomorrow. How about Monday? That will give me an opportunity to engage an attorney.”
“Time is of the essence in a murder investigation. Sooner would be best.”
Reese looked through the glass door at Hayes. He was turned away, the phone pressed to his ear. It was tempting to get this over with. But he’d been adamant about the lawyer.
“Detective. Today I’ve been kidnapped and assaulted and spent some very long hours in the ER. I’ve had my fill of fun. I’m open anytime Monday.”
“Did you report that incident to the police?”
“SDPD Detective Sergeant Jennings, at the Northern Division, is handling the case. He’s already caught the assailant.” If the man caught the subtle gibe in her words, he ignored it.
“Any reason to believe today’s events were connected to your visit with Tyler Greenley?”
The question took her aback. “I don’t see how. Why would it?”
“I don’t know, Ms. Decody.” His voice was sour. “You’re the one who holds all the answers. Let’s say 1 p.m. Monday.”
“We’ll see you then.”
“We?”
“I’ll be accompanied by my attorney and Hayes Moreland. He was with me when I stopped at Greenley’s office and observed me speaking to him at breakfast.”
“I know who Moreland is.” Was it the mention of Hayes or an attorney that had turned the man so snappish? Obviously, he’d done enough research to figure out Hayes’s identity. “I was hoping we could have an open and honest discussion. Just the two of us.”
Maybe it was the attorney he objected to, after all. “I’m sure we will.” She disconnected, holding the cell as she stared blindly into the courtyard. Until Hayes had brought it up, Reese wouldn’t even have considered taking an attorney with her to the police station. But after talking to the homicide detective, she could see the wisdom of the idea. Whatever he’d discovered in the last couple of days, it apparently hadn’t lessened his suspicion of her.
But ultimately, the detective would still need evidence. And an anonymous delivery to Greenley with her name on it wouldn’t cut it. Reese had only one story, and she’d given it to Hastings and Fenton. If Usher didn’t accept that, he was going to be very unhappy to hear what she had to say next week.