Page 87 of Precise Justice

Sensing Melissa was about to say yes. Lucy quickly said, “No, thank you, Reverend. We’re fine.”

“At the gravesite…” Melissa said.

“Oh, yes. After the service at the gravesite, while everyone was leaving, I overheard Priscilla’s husband and…” he hesitated here knowing Robbie was born male. “Priscilla’s, um…”

“Trans daughter,” Lucy said.

“Yes, I suppose. Anyway, I overheard them talking. Apparently, her husband, Blake is going to come into several million dollars of insurance money. Which, of course is none of my business and normally I would think nothing of it.”

Come on, pal, get on with it,Lucy thought.

“Then I heard the trans daughter Robbie say, and I’ll try to remember verbatim, ‘You’re gonna be rich, Dad. Maybe we should have killed her years ago.’ I was only a few feet away talking to a few attendees when I heard this. I looked at Blake, he was looking at me, then he took Robbie’s arm and well, hustled themselves off.

“Now, to be honest, I thought about it and I don’t really believe they murdered Priscilla. I think Robbie was making a joke.”

“You’re probably right but we still have to look into it. Allow me a question. Is there anything in the priest-parishioner privilege that would prevent you from testifying about this?” Lucy asked.

“I’ve thought about that, too. No, I don’t believe so. I was not acting in my capacity of a minister. But then, I’m not a lawyer,” Gimble answered.

“Insurance policies? Did they say how much?” Melissa asked.

“There’s a key man policy where Priscilla was employed. I’m not sure about others. There may have been something they had themselves. I did not hear the exact amount,” Gimble replied.

“Is there anything else you would like to tell us?” Melissa asked.

“No, no, that’s all. I hope I’m doing the right thing.”

“We’ll check it out, Reverend. You’re probably right. Robbie was probably joking. Here’s my card…”

“And mine,” Lucy said. “If you think of anything else, please call.”

“Nosy old bastard. I’m surprised he didn’t ask if there would be a reward,” Melissa said as they drove away.

Lucy, who was driving, laughed, looked at her partner and said, “That’s a pretty cynical thing to say. Although probably true.”

“What do you think?” Melissa asked.

“I think we should make a stop at Crystal Cosmetics and find out about this key man insurance policy,” Lucy said.

“Agreed.”

Crystal Cosmetics was a medium sized company located in Crystal, Minnesota, a suburb west of Minneapolis, housed in a newly built two-story building. Fifteen years old, it had grown as the result of a unique fragrance developed by a chemist who had since died. His widow, now a fifty-four-year-old rich cougar was having the envious time of her life, using and discarding younger men that kept her on the society pages.

Once inside, the two detectives were immediately impressed with the lobby. Granite, marble and plant life. All it needed were a few lions, tigers and bears roaming around or swimming in the waterfall filled pool.

There was the stereotypical hot chick receptionist behind a five by ten foot granite wall to greet them.

“Hi,” Melissa politely said to her, “We’re here to see Ray Davies.”

Davies was the CEO. Melissa had found him on her phone while en route.

“Do you have an appointment?” she asked.

Melissa and Lucy looked at each other. Melissa asked, “Why do we always forget that?”

They both looked at the Minnesota blonde, held up their badges while Lucy said, “Because we are homicide detectives, we don’t make appointments.”

“I’ll see if he’s in,” she quickly replied.