“This is a rather important murder,” Gates said.
“They all are,” Jesse said.
“Touche,” Gates said. “Let me rephrase. This murder has created national attention.”
“Murders,” Jesse said.
“Of course, these murders have created national attention. Do you have the necessary resources?”
“We do,” Jesse said.
“Well, you’re confident,” Gates said. “I’ll give you that.”
8 9
R O B E R T B . P A R K E R
“Thanks,” Jesse said.
“I assume you wish to ask us some questions,” Tom Nolan said.
“I do,” Jesse said.
He looked at Lorrie.
“You arranged burial.”
“Yes.”
“Private ceremony?”
“Yes, it’s how Walton would have wished it.”
“Back here,” Jesse said.
“Yes. This was home for Walton and me,” she said. “Mr. Lutz helped me with the arrangements.”
“The girl, too?”
“It seemed only decent. No one on her side of things seemed to care.”
“So you buried her back here, too,” Jesse said.
“Yes, it seemed the simplest arrangement.”
“Lutz took care of that, too,” Jesse said.
“Yes.”
“You might have had some formal moment,” Stephanie said. Lorrie gazed at her blankly.
“I was, am, in a state of some shock,” she said finally. Stephanie shrugged.
The two wives looked somewhat alike. Dark hair, good bodies, expensive clothes, expert makeup. To Jesse, Stephanie looked maybe twenty years older than Lorrie. Otherwise there was little to choose between them.
9 0
H I G H P R O F I L E
The two women looked at each other silently, until Lorrie spoke again.
“I was just so grief-stricken,” she said. “I didn’t know what I should do.”
“Hard to know what to do in these situations,” Jesse said.
