down and meet him at the office?”
Amy’s face drained of color. “Oh, my god.”
28
“You got a message from Frank Fletcher?”
“Yes.
“On your answering machine?”
“Uh huh.”
“That’s why you went down there?”
“Yeah.”
Steve took a breath, looked at Amy Dearborn. The one word answers were irritating. On the other hand, it had taken her several minutes to be able to talk at all. “Was this right when you got home?”
“Yes.”
“What time was that?”
“I don’t know.”
“Take a guess.”
Amy looked up sharply. “Hey.”
“Come on, give me some help here. You held out on me, you held out on the cops. They tumbled first and now I’m trying to catch up. I know you’re upset and you feel like shit, but for the moment stay focused and zero in. The answers to these questions count. Now what time was it when you got home?”
“I don’t know. Seven thirty-five, seven-forty. Somewhere in there.”
“You played the answering machine as soon as you got home?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I could see it blinking when I came in the door.”
“You went over and switched it on?”
“That’s right.”
“And there was a message from Fletcher?”
“Yes.”
“What did it say?”
“What you said. To meet him at the office.”
“I’d like the exact words.”
“I don’t
“Give it to me as close as you can. The cops have that tape. I’d like to know what they know.”
“He said…Oh, gee…He said, ‘It’s Frank. We need to talk. I’m at the office, come on down.’”
“Frank, is it?”
“Yeah, Frank. What, he’s going to call himself Mr. Fletcher just because he had me fired?”
“That’s all there was to the message?”
“Isn’t that enough?”
“It sure is,” Steve said. “Jesus Christ, what a mess.”
“It’s not my fault.”
Steve cocked his head, looked at her. “Fault? What are you, in high school? I didn’t do the homework, but it’s not my fault? I got news for you. In a murder, no one gives a shit. They send you to jail, the fact it’s not your fault is gonna be small consolation.”
“Stop it!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sure,” Steve said. “I take it back. When you go to jail, you can tell everyone it’s
Amy stared at him. “How could you?”
“Oh, it’s easy,” Steve said. “My job is to defend you on a murder rap. I spent twenty-four hours doing everything wrong because you held out on me. I got myself in bad, I got Tracy in bad, and I damn near convicted you. I took a chance on you, sending you home and letting you come back and find the body again, and it’s blown up in my face. And you know why? Because you lied to me to begin with. I’m way behind and playing catch up ball. So snap out of it and stop talking about what’s fair and whose fault it is and just answer the damn questions.”
Amy stuck out her chin. “Fine,” she said. “What
“About Frank Fletcher’s message. I was trying to pin down exactly what he said.”
“I’ve given it to you the best I can.”
“All he said was he needed to talk, he was at the office and come on down?”
“That’s right.”
“Did he say
“He didn’t say the time he left the message. I think he said he was working there tonight. Catching up on work, I think, is what he said.”
“Uh huh,” Steve said. “Is that all there was to the message?”
“Sure. What else would there be?”
“I don’t know. But you just remembered one thing you hadn’t before. I’m wondering if you remember anything else.”
“No, that’s all.”
“Uh huh,” Steve said. “And you say you got this message around seven thirty-five, seven-forty, as soon as you got home?”
“That’s right.”
“You went right down to the office?”
“Pretty much.”
“What do you mean, pretty much?”
Amy stuck out her chin again. “I think I went to the bathroom first. Is that all right with you?”
“Fine,” Steve said. “I only care what time you went out the door.”
“It was right away. Say a quarter to eight.”
“You got the message, went to the bathroom and went out?”
“That’s right.”
“You didn’t call him first?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“What do you mean, why not? I just didn’t.”
“Yes, but you have to have a reason.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s a murder case.”
Amy looked at him. “What the hell has that got to do with it?”
“It’s got everything to do with it,” Steve said. “Don’t you understand? Every action you took is going to be scrutinized. Particularly in this case.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve already lied to the police and they know it. Now your story-the one we’re going over now.”
“It’s no story. It’s the truth.”
“It damn well better be the truth. Now, I don’t know if anyone’s ever going to get to
