Chapter 40
We didn't have enough probable cause to arrest David, and he wasn't about to talk to us.
Blair had been processed and put into an interrogation room. JD and I paid her a visit. I didn't expect her to talk, but it was worth a shot.
She laughed at us and shook her head when we entered the room.
"I don't know what you think you've got, but it's not going to stick.
So you found my prints on a thermos. I've already admitted to you that I was having an affair with Liam.
He took that thermos with him everywhere.
I touched it on multiple occasions. Oh, you found antifreeze in my car," she mocked.
"Like no one in the world puts antifreeze in their car. Please. This is ridiculous."
“When the lab examines it, it's going to match the residue found in Liam's thermos," I said.
"That antifreeze is sold in every automotive shop on the island. Good luck with that."
She just knew she wasn't going to go to jail.
"The only reason Liam slept with you was to get information about your husband's company. About the drug that killed his mother. When you realized he had evidence that could destroy your husband's pharmaceutical company, you killed him. You wanted to preserve your lifestyle."
Blair just stared at me. "You think you're so clever, don't you?”
"I think sometimes we get lucky. I think sometimes criminals make mistakes.”
Blair leaned in and stared me in the eye. "I’m not a criminal. I didn't make a mistake. I didn't do anything.”
I took a deep breath and shrugged. "That's not what your husband says."
She blinked, then her eyes narrowed at me. "My husband’s not stupid enough to talk to you.”
"Are you sure about that?”
She considered it a moment and lifted an eyebrow.
"Maybe this is an opportunity for a little payback. He obviously knows about your affair with Liam. I'm guessing he doesn't like it. Maybe he has decided to throw you under the bus.”
I wanted to sew enough doubt that she would say something stupid and turn on him. But Blair was a tough cookie. She kept her mouth shut. "I want an attorney.”
That was it. The end of the interview. And she was right. The case was circumstantial. But courts had convicted on less evidence.
Paris accosted us when we left the station. She had questions about Blair’s arrest, and I gave her limited answers.
JD and I left and headed back to Diver Down to grab dinner. We shot the breeze with Teagan and stuffed our faces with lobster macchiato and seared scallops.
All in all, we felt reasonably accomplished. With any luck, Blair had a tough legal battle ahead of her. Ed Van Austen was a top-notch attorney, and Duval had enough money to pull together a dream team. But he was about to have problems of his own.
We enjoyed a few glasses of whiskey, then called it an early night.
I took Buddy out for a walk, keeping a lookout for trouble.
I could never stop looking over my shoulder.
Just part of the job. But this was intense, and it started to take its toll after a while.
That heightened state of awareness spiked cortisol and made it hard to ever truly relax.
Back at the boat, I settled in for the evening, watched a little TV, then dozed off.
The sheriff buzzed my phone bright and early the next morning. "I don't think Riley Reynolds is missing anymore."
"Where is she? I talked to someone who claimed to see her in Miami.”
"I don't think she’s in Miami. A couple fishermen pulled a body out of the water. Could be her.”
I groaned and said, "We are on our way.”