by Gina LaManna
I nodded toward her phone. “Mr. Schneider or Malone, please?”
“Right.” She leapt to work, but as her finger reached to press a button, she hesitated as a new thought seemed to strike her. “You don’t think they had anything to do with his death, do you? I mean, I know they didn’t really like him, but I don’t think they’d kill him.”
I felt Chloe stiffen next to me. “Mr. Schneider and Mr. Malone didn’t like Travis?” I asked. “Why do you say that?”
“I shouldn’t say.” Julie shook her head. “Forget I mentioned anything.”
“I changed my mind,” I said. “I’d like to talk to you first. Is there a conference room we can sit in somewhere?”
“I really don’t have anything more to say.”
I gave her a smile. “You sure do. You wouldn’t want to be in danger of impeding an ongoing investigation, would you?”
Julie glanced behind her. “There’s a coffee shop down the street. Can we take a walk?”
“I can always use a coffee.”
Julie rose and grabbed a small clutch from behind the desk. She was slender and pretty, but she moved efficiently toward the door. I got the impression she didn’t want to be seen talking to cops about her colleagues.
The second we got outside, Julie reached into her purse for a cigarette.
“Do you mind?” she asked, pulling out a lighter. When I shook my head, she lit up and took a deep breath. “Sorry. I gave up smoking a couple of years ago mostly. But I guess this makes me nervous.”
“This?” I asked, following Julie’s lead as she turned left and began making her way down the busy University Avenue. “You mean Travis’s death.”
“I mean, yeah. He’s dead. That’s wild. Wouldn’t it make you nervous?” She peered up at me through blue eyes. “I guess that’s a dumb question. You see this stuff every day. Not me. I’m more of an—I don’t know—regular sort of person. I’ve never known anyone to be murdered before. Only in books and movies and stuff.”
“How well did you know Travis?”
Julie let out a wisp of smoke that had my stomach churning, but I was willing to suck up the smell of a little smoke if it made Julie feel more at home. She seemed to be sinking into a little more comfortable routine, walking along a familiar road, grabbing a coffee, smoking a cigarette. I wanted her to feel like she was talking to a friend, not a cop.
“I didn’t know him very well,” Julie said. “About as well as I know any of the other guys in the business. There are five main lawyers. Greg, Joey, and Travis, who you already know. The partners are Kirk Herman and Jack Jones. Then there’s a slew of paralegals and a couple of assistants.”
“You mentioned you were an assistant of sorts?”
“Well, I started about a year ago as a receptionist. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly excited about the job, but I needed something after getting laid off at my last company. But over the course of the last year, I realized the work wasn’t as bad as I thought and neither was the pay. Kirk and Jack have their own paralegals and secretaries, but the other three don’t have dedicated assistants. They sort of started using me as a joint assistant.”
“So you track their schedules and such?”
“Not exactly,” she said. “I do have access to their calendars, but they’re three people, and I’m only one. Plus, my job title is receptionist.” Julie flicked a gaze in my direction. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but they’re only paying me to be a receptionist. I don’t mind helping out a little extra, scheduling meetings for those three, but they’re not paying me to do all sorts of assistant duties too.”
“Seems like they should’ve given you a raise.”
“Right?” she remarked, then she stiffened as if she worried it sounded insensitive, considering the topic of our conversation. “I mean—”
“I know what you mean. They were asking you to do a bigger job free of charge. Doesn’t seem fair.”
“Okay, yeah. I guess when you put it like that. But Kirk and Jack were responsible for hiring, firing, and giving raises and bonuses. Travis was a good guy. He said he was going to petition them for me to get a promotion and an hourly raise at my annual review. It’s, uh, in two weeks, so I guess I don’t know if he ever got around to it, or if it was successful.”
“What about the other two? You mentioned Greg and Joey didn’t really get along with Travis.”
“It’s not that they didn’t get along with him. It’s that they’re sort of jerks. Neither Greg nor Joey had a reason to dislike Travis, but for some reason, they treated him like crap.”
“You don’t know why?”
“I mean, I’m ‘just the assistant,’” Julie said sardonically, adding air quotes. “They didn’t tell me anything. It was a good day if Greg and Joey greeted me when they came into the office. Travis wasn’t like that. He treated me like a real person.”
“Did you get the sense they ever had a disagreement? About work or otherwise?”
Julie paused to take another drag of her cigarette. She stopped outside of the coffee shop and turned to face the street as she finished her smoke. “Let me put it this way. They’re both sort of bros.”
“Bros?” I asked.
“Like frat guys,” Chloe jumped in as if I needed an interpreter. “You know, ‘bros.’”
I turned to Chloe. “Thanks. I was hoping Julie would clarify.”
“She’s right,” Julie said, nodding at Chloe. “Those two went to college together; they were in the same fraternity. They’ve got this old-school, buddy-buddy mentality that they’re cool and everyone else isn’t. It’s very immature. They set up a beer pong table at our Christmas party. It just seems like they’re not done living their glory days of college. It’s sad, actually.”
“Travis didn’t fit in with them?” I guessed. “So they weren’t fans of his?”
“Basically. It wasn’t that Travis didn’t try to blend in with the gang. He joined them on their stupid boys’ nights out and whatever, but it didn’t make a difference. Joey and Greg were as bad as high school girls. They’d be nice enough to Travis’s face but then talk about him behind his back. It was stupid.”
“What did Kirk and Jack think about all of this?”
“Nothing, really. I’m sure they were completely oblivious,” Julie said. “They sort of have their own boys’ club. They’re both pushing sixty. They’re old-old school and don’t really interact with the younger guys unless it’s sheer business related. I doubt they had any clue what was happening right beneath their noses.”
“You said that Travis used to go out with them for boys’ nights?” I asked. “How do you know about that?”
Julie flicked her cigarette and looked at me like I was nuts. “Because that’s the only time Joey or Greg would talk to me is when they were loudly recounting their ‘crazy’ nights out. Those types, they like to brag about where they went, who they saw, what—or who—they did.”
“Ah. Gotcha. And Travis joined them?”
“A few times. I think he stopped going to the casinos and whatnot a while ago,” Julie said. “He gave up when it became apparent that no amount of bro-bonding would get him in the fold with Greg and Joey. Travis just ended up being their designated driver, and eventually he got sick of it.”
I nodded, processing this information, wondering which storyline was true. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe Julie. On the contrary, she seemed to be telling the truth. But I also believed that Tammy had been telling the truth too.
I believed that Tammy thought her fiancée had a couple of buddies from the office and enjoyed his boys’ nights out. I also thought Julie believed Travis never really fit in with his colleagues and had stopped going out with them. But that inevitably meant Travis was lying to Tammy. I couldn’t help but think back to Chloe’s online sleuthing and her suspicions that Travis was having an affair. The signs were starting to back up her hunch.
“Did Travis’s dropping out of the boys’ club make the divide worse between
the three colleagues?”
“I think for a while, yeah,” Julie said, considering this as if it were the first time she’d thought about it. “Greg and Joey did seem to be bitter and especially nasty toward him. They’d make cracks at him about missing out or whatever. I mean, it had to be pretty bad if I picked up on it over random water-cooler conversations. Over time, I think maybe they just started ignoring him, like he was some pesky fly or something, and it faded away.”
“How long ago would you estimate Travis stopped going out with them?”
She shrugged. “Three, four months ago?”
“As his assistant, would you be able to let me know where he was supposed to be last night?”
Julie looked surprised. “Are you asking if I kept tabs on his personal life?”
“You have access to his calendar, right?”
“His work calendar.”
“Was there any overlap with personal stuff? Appointments and the like?”
“I guess there was some. Mostly when it interfered with work. Like a middle-of-the-day appointment. I can check the calendar if that’ll help. Offhand, I don’t remember anything big he had scheduled. Nothing he told me about.”
“That’d be great.” I gestured toward the coffee shop. “Can I buy you a latte?”
“I’m good,” Julie said, turning and starting to walk back. “I just needed some fresh air. Plus, all our conference rooms have clear walls and doors. No privacy anywhere. I wasn’t sure what the protocol was for talking to cops in a situation like this, so I just didn’t want the rest of the office to get the wrong idea that I was snitching.”
“For the record, you weren’t snitching. You were answering questions about an active murder investigation. Your colleague died last night. Cooperation with the cops is a good thing.”
“Thanks,” Julie said, looking relieved. “I can’t say they’d see it the same way, but honestly, I don’t really care. Without Travis around, I don’t know how much longer I’ll stay at the company.”
“Really?”
Julie gave me another look like I was nuts. “Greg and Joey are jerks who pretend I don’t exist unless they need me to do their dirty work. Kirk and Jack are actually oblivious to the fact that I exist. Travis was the only one rooting for me to get any sort of promotion or pay increase. I like the job fine enough, but without any sort of upward mobility, I don’t know that I’ll stick around. I can probably find something better where I’m actually appreciated.”
“Sounds like you can,” Chloe said. Then she quieted quickly as if realizing she overstepped.
When we reached the office, Julie turned to face us. “Mind if I go in first? Alone?”
“Go on ahead,” I said. “But we will need those meetings with Joey and Greg.”
“First thing,” she said with a smile. “It’s lunch hour. They’ll both be free. They also had me put in a food order from the deli down the street, so I happen to know they won’t be leaving the building to eat.”
“Perfect,” I said. “We’ll see you in a few minutes.”
The second Julie disappeared inside, Chloe turned to face me.
“What do you think?” she asked. “Was I right about the affair or was I right?”
“We don’t know anything for certain.”
“I know, but the signs are all there,” Chloe said confidently. “He was telling different stories to different people. And if he wasn’t at that guys’ night yesterday, then where was he?”
“That’s exactly what I plan to find out.”
Chapter 6
“GREG SCHNEIDER?”
I eased into a chair inside one of the conference rooms at the law practice. Chloe sat next to me, and across from me sat a thirtysomething man with a big stature, ruddy cheeks, and a bored expression. He looked like he’d stuffed himself into a suit that had fit him in college, but he hadn’t accounted for the extra pounds that followed graduation. Which resulted in his shirt looking like it might burst at any moment.
“That’s me,” he said, giving a grin. “What can I do for ya? Need a divorce?”
“Not married, thanks,” I said, flashing my badge. “I’m Detective Kate Rosetti with the TC Task Force, and this is my partner, Officer Marks. We’re investigating the murder of your colleague Travis Newton.”
Greg’s eyes narrowed, and though he didn’t look particularly nervous, I could tell he’d shifted from pure cockiness to a bit on edge. I wondered if behind the frat-boy persona Julie had detailed, was the shrewd divorce lawyer who secured favorable contracts for his clients. I had the instant feeling that I’d need to keep a close eye on him.
“Travis is dead?”
“Sure is,” I said. “Bullet to the chest. Know anything about it?”
Beside me, Chloe twitched as if surprised I was being so forthcoming. But in my experience, taking the gentle approach with men like Greg didn’t get me anywhere. I didn’t have time to waste, and I wanted to drop a few bombs early on to rattle Greg’s cage and watch for his initial reaction. I didn’t want to slow drip information to him and give him time to adjust his story accordingly. If he was shrewd, and he was the killer, it was possible he’d be able to read me almost as well as I could read him.
“Uh, no. No, I don’t know anything about that.” Greg blinked in surprise that looked real enough. He was obviously working hard to cover up shock if there was any. “Do you know why he was killed?”
“If I knew why, it’d be a lot easier to find out who did it.” I gave him a hopefully unsettling smile. “That’s why I’m here, talking to you. Where were you last night?”
“I—what?” Greg glanced around as if looking for help. “You can’t think I killed the guy.”
“Why not?”
My nonchalant act seemed to be doing the trick. Greg was looking more and more mystified by the second. His twitchy movements signaled that he was uncomfortable in the situation, which was exactly what I’d intended.
“Why would I kill that little twerp?”
“Sorry, but what?” I gave a shake of my head as if I hadn’t heard him right. “Did you just call my victim a twerp?”
Greg’s face bloomed red as if he’d realized his misstep. It was a testament to how he obviously talked about Travis behind his back—he’d gotten so used to badmouthing him he hadn’t been able to stop it in time. The truth had already bled out into the conversation, and my tactics were working. Next to me, I could practically feel Chloe holding her breath.
“I just mean, he was a small guy...”
“Not really,” I countered. “I saw the dead body. He didn’t look particularly scrawny to me. Then again, there was a lot of blood, and he’d started to decompose.” I added a few embellishments using my artistic license. “Still, twerp isn’t a word I’d use to describe him.”
“Look, he was a little bit of a weasely guy,” Greg admitted. “I didn’t really like him, which wasn’t a huge secret. But I didn’t kill him. If I was going to kill someone, I’d need a good reason. Who in their right mind would risk going to prison over someone like Travis?”
“Thanks for the insight into your murder motivation. I’m going to need you to expand on that.”
Greg expelled a breath. Unfortunately, the shock and awe factor seemed to be wearing off. I could practically hear Greg’s thoughts whirling away as he reminded himself of his rights. He’d be telling himself he didn’t have to say anything to me without his lawyer.
He’d be guessing correctly, I might add, that we didn’t have much, or we wouldn’t be here asking these questions. I hadn’t barged in arresting him, which he’d quickly realize meant that I didn’t have enough evidence to hold him. He’d know this was a fishing expedition.
“I don’t need to tell you anything,” Greg said, proving my theory right with his next words. “I could lawyer up.”
“Look, I don’t really think you killed him,” I said. “But I do know you were with him last night. I’m just looking for some information on what time he was wit
h you. And while you’re at it, I’d like to know why you didn’t like him.”
“He wasn’t an honest guy.” Greg shrugged. “I mean, I’m a divorce lawyer. I see the ugly side of people all the time. Let’s just say I can understand why Travis was in the business.”
This interested me, not least of all because both Tammy and Julie had attested to Travis’s good qualities. Usually women wouldn’t make that sort of thing up. Not multiple women. Which left me wondering if Travis was putting on airs for the women in his life. Alternatively, this could simply be Greg’s jealousy or disdain surfacing simply because Travis didn’t fit in with his boys’ club.
“Do you have any examples of Travis being dishonest?” I looked down at the blank notebook in front of me as if studying my imaginary notes. “Or, as you put it, weasely?”
“For one, he wasn’t with me last night. I don’t know who told you that, but it’s wrong.”
“You weren’t at the casino?”
“We sure were,” Greg said. “Me and Joey and one or two of the new paralegals. Travis wasn’t with us. He hasn’t come out with us for months now.”
“Interesting. But he did go with you a few times?”
“He started here about a year and a half ago. I invited him out to get to know us, like a good colleague.” Greg ran a hand over his face as if speaking was taking a lot out of him. “He came out a couple of times but then started declining our invitations.”
“Did he say why?”
“He usually used his fiancée as an excuse,” Greg said. “For a while at least. That’s sort of when he stopped coming out—when he got engaged. After a while, we stopped asking, and he stopped making excuses.”
“Why would he tell someone that he was with you last night, then?”
“Dude, I don’t know. Because he’s a liar?” Greg leaned forward on his elbows. His gaze shifted toward the glass walls of the conference room as he lowered his voice and continued conspiratorially. “Look, he’s the sort of guy that looks nice on the outside, but if you give him an inch, he’ll take a mile.”
