'That's going to be a difficult subject to avoid.'
'I'm sorry. Robert is dead. What went on between us is over.'
'I can appreciate your reluctance, but this is a murder investigation.
How many times have you asked that question of a suspect or a witness?'
'Many times, but I won't talk about my personal relations with Robert.'
'Okay. I can accept that, for now. What about your financial relationship?'
'What do you mean?'
'Is it fair to say that a divorce would have hurt you financially.'
'Yes, but I knew that when I filed.'
'Can you tell us about your relative financial positions?'
Abbie looked from Geddes to Christenson. Their faces showed no emotion.
Then she turned to Jack Stamm. Stamm was hunched forward slightly and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was.
'I don't like the tone of this conversation, Mr. Geddes, or where it's going, so I'm going to end it. Jack is right. I should consult an attorney.'
'As you wish.'
'What is my status, Jack?' Abbie asked. 'Status?'
'Can I work? Am I suspended, fired?'
Stamm could not look Abbie in the eye.
'I think it's best if you take some time off with pay. You would have anyway, because of the funeral. I'll assign your cases to the other assistants.'
'And if I don't want to take time off?.'
Stamm looked up. He was in obvious distress. 'You can't be at the office. You're under investigation.'
'I see,' Abbie said slowly.
'This isn't what I want personally, Abbie. For what it's worth, I'm sure you're innocent. That's part of the reason I stepped aside and turned over the investigation to the Attorney General. It's what I have to do as an officer of the law.'
Abbie stood up. 'I'm sorry if I was rude, Mr. Geddes. I'm very tired.
I'll contact you after I've spoken to my attorney.'
'I understand,' Geddes said with a condescending smile.
'This is very unpleasant for me as well, Mrs. Griffen, but there is one more thing.' les Geddes held out his hand. Christenson was carrying an attach case.
He opened it and handed a legal document to Geddes. Geddes gave it to Abbie.
'This is a warrant to search your home.'
'What!'
'I obtained it from Judge Morosco this morning.'
Abbie turned on Jack Stamm. 'You bastard. I thought you were my friend. I can't believe you'd do this.'
Stamm's face flushed in anger. 'I didn't know anything about the warrant, Abbie.'
'That's true, Mrs. Griffen. I didn't inform Jack. Neil, please signal the troopers.'
Christenson walked out the front door and waved a hand toward the far end of the block. Several car engines came to life and, moments later, three Oregon State Police cars pulled up in front of the house.
'I'd like you to confine yourself to one place in the house, Mrs.
Griffen,' Geddes said. 'Or if you prefer, you can visit someone. We're going to search your car, so I can offer you a ride.'
Everything was happening so fast that Abbie had to fight to keep from being overwhelmed, but her anger gave her strength.
She looked directly at Geddes.
'I'm staying right here,' she said, 'and I'm going to watch every move you make.'
Chapter THIRTEEN
'Mrs. Griffen,' Matthew Reynolds said as he walked across his reception area, 'there was no need to meet with me so soon after your husband's funeral. Mr. Coulter's case could have waited a few more days.'
'I'm not here about the Coulter case. Can we go to your office?'
A look of curiosity and concern crossed Reynolds's face as he guided Abbie down the hall. As soon as they were seated, Abbie asked, 'What can you tell me about Chuck Geddes?'
Reynolds didn't ask why Abbie wanted this information. Instead, he studied her while he gathered his thoughts. She was beautiful in black with a single strand of pearls, but she looked exhausted and sat stiffly, her hands folded, her face tight, as if she was afraid that she might break apart if she moved.
'Chuck Geddes is intelligent and single-minded, but he is rigid. As long as a trial goes as he's foreseen, he does a good, workmanlike job, but let the slightest thing go wrong and he can't bend with it.
'About four years ago, the La Grande district attorney called in the Attorney General's office to help in the prosecution of a complex murder case I was defending. Mr. Geddes was condescending to me at first.
Then, as his case began to get away from him, he became strident, demanding and rude. I had the feeling he thought my legal motions were part of some conspiracy aimed at him.
'Two years later, we tried a case in John Day. He was offensive from the start. Paranoid about every detail. I prevailed on a motion to suppress the state's key evidence, so the case never came to trial.
Later, I learned that he violated the discovery rules by failing to notify me about a witness whose testimony would have been damning. I have the impression that when he's under pressure he'll do anything to win.'
'Is Geddes ambitious?'
'Very. And now, if I may,' Reynolds asked, sighting Abbie over his tented fingers, 'why this sudden interest in Mr. Geddes?'
An array of emotions crossed Abbie's face. She looked down and gathered herself. When she raised her head, her features showed the strain of maintaining her composure.
'I need a lawyer to represent me.'
'In what type of case?'
'Yesterday, Geddes came to my home to question me about Robert's death.
I'm a suspect.' Reynolds sat up. 'He had a warrant to search my house.
They have a witness who says I'm involved and evidence that supposedly supports the accusation.'
'Who is the witness?'
'They won't tell me. Geddes treated me like a criminal.' Abbie's heart was beating furiously and she had to breathe deeply before she could say the next sentence. 'I have the feeling that it's only a matter of time before I'm . . . arrested.'
'This is preposterous. Have you talked with Jack Stamm?'
'Jack is off the case. Geddes has been appointed a special deputy district attorney. He'll run the investigation and he'll prosecute.'
'I can give you the names of several excellent defense attorneys.'
'No. I want you to represent me.'
Reynolds looked at Abbie and she sensed that he was torn by conflicting emotions.
'I'm flattered, Mrs. Griffen, but I don't see how I can do that when you're prosecuting Jeffrey Coulter.'
'I'm not. I'm suspended. Dennis Haggard has the Coulter case.'
'Jack Stature suspended you?'
'I was angry at first. I'm still angry. I'm furious. But Jack had no choice. I'm a suspect in a murder case his office is investigating. In any event, there is no conflict.'
'Why me?' Matthew asked.
Abbie's expression was grim. 'You're the best, Matthew. If I'm charged I'll need the best. They wouldn't have gone this far if they didn't think they had a case. Searching the home of a deputy district attorney... . . .' Abbie shook her head. 'There's no way Geddes would have done that unless there was strong evidence of guilt.'
'Are you guilty?'
Abbie looked directly at Matthew. 'I did not kill my husband,' she said firmly.
Matthew studied her, then said, 'You have yourself a lawyer.'
