Chapter 7
Seven
M argot couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped at Max’s question. With wide eyes, she looked at him. “What?” Her gaze shot to Sorenson. “Is he right?”
The detective looked at Gallagher again, and she snapped.
“Stop silently talking. Answer my question. Was Tad murdered?”
“Dr. Gaultier?—”
She held up a hand. “I am here voluntarily, and as you said, I came a long way. If you want me to answer any more of your questions, you need to answer mine.” She was done with their runaround. Honestly, she should have asked for more information when Sorenson asked her to come up, but she’d been too shocked by the news of Tad’s death. The idea he’d been murdered had rumbled around in the back of her mind, considering the condition they found him in, but hearing it out loud was jarring. And it was enough to snap her out of the nervous state she’d been in.
“Yes,” Gallagher answered. “We think he was murdered.”
“Why?” Max countered.
The agent’s gaze bounced between him and Margot for several moments. “An ice fisherman found his body. Snagged his line on it.”
Sorenson took over. “When we got there, we widened the hole in the ice to get him out and it was quickly apparent he didn’t fall in and drown. He was bundled in plastic and rope. We think he was tied to something to keep him down.”
Margot felt the color drain from her face. A chill that rivaled the one outside settled into her bones. It was like watching a movie where mobsters murdered their mark and tossed him into the river. That didn’t happen in her world.
She sucked in a deep breath through her nose and looked away, covering her mouth. Her hand trembled violently, and her heart raced as jumbled thoughts tumbled through her mind. How could this have happened? Who could have done this? And why?
Max spun her chair so she faced him and put his free hand on her knee. “Hey. Margot, honey. Look at me.”
With watery blue eyes, she met his gaze.
“Are you all right? They don’t have to continue. We can leave.”
For several interminable moments, she stared at him, focusing on the furrows formed on his face by his concerned frown.
Something shifted in her as the deep concern in his expression registered. She couldn’t imagine facing this without Max. He was like an anchor for her emotions. His supportive presence was something she could yank on and strain against, but was always steady. Always there to keep her from getting completely lost. Somewhere along the line, he’d become essential to her well-being. That should scare her and make her want to back away—considering how she’d been burned by Tad—but it didn’t.
Max was built differently. Letting her down, letting anyone down, wasn’t something he would ever voluntarily do. In the last year, he’d proven time and again he’d stand by her side. That he’d give up his time and even put his health on the line to take care of her and the girls.
She shouldn’t be surprised at the connection they’d formed. Or that he was so attuned to her.
Drawing on the calmness Max exuded, she drew in another deep, steadying breath and squeezed his hands. “I’m okay,” she whispered.
Feeling stronger, she turned to the detective. “I’m sorry. It’s just a bit of a shock.”
“I understand. I’m sorry for your loss. Do you want me to continue?”
“Yes. Please. I want to know what happened.”
He nodded once. “All right. So, when we got your ex-husband’s body back to the medical examiner’s office, the M.E. noted what looked like several stab wounds to the chest area of his clothing. He was wrapped tightly enough to keep his remains together, but not tightly enough to prevent small aquatic animals from getting in. Between them and the bacteria that are responsible for decay, the M.E. couldn’t match any wounds on the body to the holes in the shirt. He did, however, find a small nick on a rib.”
Margot sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “I don’t understand. Why would someone want to stab Tad? He was a nice guy.”
“Even though he left you with no warning?”
“I didn’t say there wasn’t any warning.”
“What exactly happened between you two?” Gallagher asked.
Margot looked away, gathering her thoughts. She’d tried not to think about the end of her marriage too much. At first, it was just too painful. Later, it became something she didn’t want to dwell on because she’d rather just move on.
“Early last year, he changed.” She dabbed at the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, wiping away the moisture that had formed, then met Gallagher’s gaze. “I can’t really pinpoint a time or an event, but he just… changed. He became more withdrawn from me and the girls and spent more time away from home. I thought maybe he was cheating, you know? That’s what a woman typically thinks when her husband says he has to work late again and again, right? Particularly after you talk to his boss and discover he was barely finishing out his shifts. According to his division chief, Tad would leave as soon as humanly possible. But I wouldn’t see him at home until hours later.”
“Did you ever ask your husband about it?” Detective Sorenson asked.
She swung her gaze to him. “Only about the lateness. Before I talked to his chief. Tad told me it was research keeping him at work late. But his chief said he didn’t know of any projects Tad was working on. That’s when he mentioned he’d been practically running out of the hospital at the end of each shift. Tad left before I could work up the courage to ask why he lied.”
“Dr. Gaultier, could you tell us about your ex-husband?” Gallagher asked.
Tipping her head, she frowned. “That’s a broad question, Agent Gallagher. I can tell you a lot of things. Where would you like me to start?”
“What was he like? Did he have any hobbies or interests?”
“Tad is—was”— God, how could he be dead? —“on the quieter side. He was kind. Smart. A good dad. The girls adored him. As far as hobbies go, he liked to golf and play basketball.”
Gallagher glanced up from taking notes. “Did he have friends he played with regularly?”
“A few.”
“Did any of them ever notice anything was wrong? Maybe he confided in them that he planned to leave,” the agent continued.
“If he did, they didn’t say anything to me. But I haven’t had much contact with his friends since he left. A lot of them didn’t know, either. He ghosted everyone, not just me.”
The two men looked at each other, doing that silent talking thing again. This time, Margot didn’t mind as much. She could read their look. It said they were as perplexed by Tad’s behavior as she was.
“Dr. Gaultier, did your ex have any habits that others would… look down on? Like drinking or drugs? Gambling?” Gallagher asked.
Margot started to shake her head, then paused and looked at Max.
“What?” Sorenson said. “What did he say?”
It was her turn to do some silent communicating. She wasn’t sure how much info they should give the authorities about Asher’s activities.
Max understood her dilemma and answered for her.
“We have a friend who is very good at sourcing information.” He laid a hand on the table and tapped his fingers softly. “When Tad left, this friend dug into Margot’s and Tad’s finances and found that Tad had opened several credit cards and maxed them all out. The address statements went to a P.O. box in the city they lived in, so Margot never knew about any of it. Our friend also checked Margot’s credit and her daughters’. Luckily, he left all of them alone.”
“Do you know what he bought? Was there a mistress?” Sorenson asked.
“Not that we know of,” Max replied. “The running theory is he possibly had a gambling problem. He made large purchases at electronics and big box stores. We think he was pawning the items for cash to pay off debts.”
“But you have no proof of that?” Gallagher asked.
“No.”
“I asked them to stop looking,” Margot said. “I just wanted to move on. He left us, and I didn’t want to expose my daughters to his problems. If he wanted to come back into their lives, he needed to do it whole and problem-free.”
“You said he gave up custody, correct?” Sorenson asked.
“Yes.”
“Completely?” Sorenson raised a hand and made a quick cutting motion. “Not just visitation, but everything?”
“Yes. The divorce decree was very clear. He gave up any rights to them at all.”
“Did you find that unusual for a man who you said loved his children and was a good father?” Gallagher asked.
“Of course I did. But what was I supposed to do? It didn’t take long to figure out he didn’t want to be found. And honestly, I didn’t have the energy to track him down. I had two active toddlers to look after and a career to salvage.”
“What’s the name of his divorce attorney?” Sorenson asked.
“Ron Peters. He’s out of Dallas.”
The detective jotted that down. “What about the supervisor you mentioned? And the friends?”
She named them all.
“Is there anyone who would want to hurt your ex-husband?” Gallagher asked.
Margot didn’t even need to think. “No. Everyone loved him. I know now there were things about him I didn’t know, but he was a good man and well-liked.”
The two men shared another look, then Sorenson spoke. “Okay. I think those are all the questions we have for now. Will you be available if we have more?”
“Yes,” Max said. “We weren’t sure how much time you’d need, so we booked our return flight for Monday. And we can stay longer if necessary, but not too long. Margot’s never been away from the twins for more than a work shift. They’re in good hands with friends, but?—”
Gallagher waved a hand. “Say no more. I have three kids of my own, so I get it. It’s hard being away from them. I’m sure Monday will be fine. I think any follow-up questions beyond that can be asked over the phone or through Zoom. Do you have any questions for us?”
“I have one.” Max raised a finger. “Do you know how long he’s been dead?”
“Best guess from the M.E. is early fall. The cold water really slowed down decomp, but there’s some,” Sorenson said.
“And his car.” Max sat forward, a curious frown pulling down his eyebrows. “You said it was found on federal land.” He fixed his gaze on Gallagher. “Where?”
Margot wanted to know that too.
“Out near Medora. A ranger in Theodore Roosevelt National Park found it well off the beaten path.”
“Would it be possible for us to look at it? Margot might recognize something. Was he living out of it?” Max leaned forward, folding his hands together on the table.
Gallagher tipped his head, studying Max. “Who are you? I know you said you’re her friend, but you talk like an investigator. Not just the questions, but your tone and bearing.”
Margot pressed her lips together and eyed Max, wondering what he would say. Probably some semblance of the truth.
She imagined the agent would do a search on him once they left. It wasn’t just the nature of Tad’s death that caused them to ask her to come here. They’d wanted to assess her as a suspect in his murder. Max had unknowingly put himself on their radar.
A wolfish smile graced Max’s face. “Officially? I’m just her friend. But my friends and I, we get… involved in things sometimes that turn us into investigators.”
Gallagher’s eyebrow shot up. “Are you a lawyer too? Because that was some sort of doublespeak.”
Max chuckled. “No. I’m just a business owner.”
“And?” The agent rolled a hand. “What am I going to find out about you when I run your name?”
A hardness settled over Max’s features, turning his eyes a steely blue. Margot didn’t see it often. He was usually good-humored and a bit silly. But when pushed, the warrior side of his personality peeked out. She quite liked that his seriousness lurked underneath his fun-loving personality. Life with Max around was fun, but she knew that when the tables turned, she could count on him.
“I’m former Air Force. And I have some… influential friends.”
“Such as?”
“Why does it matter?”
Agent Gallagher lifted a shoulder.
Max stared at him, staying quiet. Margot wondered why Max didn’t answer and why the agent wanted to know.
Finally, Gallagher broke the staring contest. He smiled and sat back. “Well, unless either of you have other questions, we’re done here.”
“You didn’t answer mine,” Max said. “Can we see Tad’s car and its contents?”
Gallagher exchanged another look with Sorenson.
The detective aimed a shrug at the agent. “It’s up to you. The car’s in your jurisdiction. I don’t have a problem with it. He’s right. She might find meaning in something we dismissed.”
The agent pursed his mouth, then nodded. “All right. How about this afternoon? Around three o’clock? The car’s at our facility in Bismarck. I can email directions to Dr. Gaultier.”
“That’s fine with me,” Margot said. She looked at Max, who nodded.
“Great.” Gallagher pushed away from the table to stand. “Until this afternoon, then.”
Max stood, offering him a tight smile. “Make sure you do your research on me before you come. You know, so you can pepper me with more questions that don’t have anything to do with your investigation.”
Oh my .
Margot turned away to hide her smile as a deep frown came over Gallagher’s face. It probably wasn’t wise to bait a federal agent, but Max was right. His background wouldn’t help them solve this case.
“I’ll do that.” Gallagher drummed his fingers once on the folder in front of him, his mouth tight. Picking up his notepad and pen, he spun on his heel and headed for the exit, Sorenson right behind him. They paused at the door and glanced back expectantly.
Max held out a hand to her. Margot took it, letting him help her from the chair, and didn’t let go as they walked toward the men.
With a nod, Max led her past them and into the hall. Silence reigned as they were led to the lobby.
Sorenson pushed a button on the wall, and the door buzzed, letting them out. “Have a safe trip to Bismarck.”
“Thank you,” Margot muttered.
Max pulled her through the doorway. Once outside, he glanced at her. “I guess we’re taking a road trip.”
“Apparently.” She reached for the zipper on her jacket, steeling herself against the icebox they’d walked into. “But we’re going coat shopping first.”