Then Healy said, “Yeah. Me too. Which means that whoever did them knew about the house.”
“Which they bought under her maiden name to keep it a secret.”
“Which makes Lutz look pretty good for it,” Healy said.
“It does,” Jesse said. “On the other hand, a lot of money changed hands.”
“So maybe his lawyer knew,” Healy said.
“Or his manager,” Jesse said.
“Or one of the wives.”
“Swell,” Jesse said. “We’ve got all the suspects we had before.”
“We?” Healy said. “Whaddya mean, ‘we’? I’m just stopping by on my way from work.”
Jesse nodded.
“Thank you for your support,” he said.
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38
They were drinking white wine by the window, at the table in Sunny’s kitchen, in the little bay, when Spike came into the loft with the stalker. From under the table Rosie gave her ferocious gurgling bark. Jenn took in a sudden breath and froze. The stalker was a middle-sized well-dressed man in his middle thirties with a neat beard. He face was rigid, and very pale.
“Timothy Patrick Lloyd,” Spike said, “according to his driver’s license. Lives in the Prudential Center. His business cards say he’s the CEO of Spot-on Marketing. He’s got six twenties in his wallet.”
R O B E R T B . P A R K E R
“You’ve met Spike,” Sunny said. “I’m Sunny Randall, and, I assume, you know this young woman.”
Lloyd’s eyes were busy. He looked at Sunny, shifted to Jenn, looked quickly away, scanned the loft. Rosie came out from under the table and sniffed at his pant leg. He looked down at her and away. Jenn continued to stare at him.
“He doesn’t have a weapon,” Spike said, and closed the door and leaned on it.
Sunny said, “So tell us your story, Mr. Lloyd.”
“I’m here against my will,” Lloyd said.
His voice was thin and tight. Sunny nodded at the phone on the kitchen counter.
“Feel free to call the police,” Sunny said. “Nine-one-one would work.”
Lloyd’s eyes shifted to the phone and back.
“I just want to leave,” he said.
“You do know Ms. Stone,” Sunny said.
He didn’t look at Jenn.
“She’s on Channel Three,” he said.
“And Jenn, you know Mr. Lloyd,” Sunny said.
“No,” Jenn said.
