The lawyer noticed my interest in his sheepskin display. 'Good Catholic family, he said. 'We boys all went through the Jesuit mill.
'Law school instead of braces? I asked.
He nodded. 'Yup. That's how it works.
Davenport seated himself behind his desk and began doing a series of annoying finger aerobics that revealed, despite his otherwise open and relaxed air, that Christopher Davenport wasn't nearly as happy to be spending time with us as his outward show of geniality implied.
Big Al had lowered himself into a complicated low-slung chair where he shifted uncomfortably, like a rhino stuck in the mud. 'We don't want to take too much of your time, Mr. Davenport, but we do need to ask you a few questions.
'Fire away, he said.
Since Big Al had set up the appointment, I was content to take a backseat and let him run the railroad.
'We're still trying to piece together Mr. Kurobashi's activities and whereabouts on the day he died, Big Al said.
Davenport nodded. 'That makes sense. It's hard for me to believe he's dead. And the news reports of what happened to his wife and daughter- He broke off, shaking his head. 'It's shocking. Appalling.
'I couldn't agree with you more, Big Al said. 'When was the last time you saw him?
The attorney opened his top desk drawer and pulled out a leather-bound appointment book. He paged back through several days, then stopped and ran his finger down the page.
'Here it is. Friday, one-thirty. He came by and we went over what all he needed to bring to the hearing on Monday.
'The bankruptcy hearing?
'Yes. I told him everything we'd need in court on Monday.
'And he agreed to bring whatever was needed, financial records, and all that?
'Of course.
'So you're saying that you as his attorney were not in possession of those records?
'That's right. We always reviewed them in Tadeo's office. He insisted that we do it that way.
'Do you know anything about an arrangement to have the company records moved or destroyed?
Davenport let out a disgusted sigh. 'As far as I know, they're still there. Somebody called me with a wild rumor that Tadeo had sent everything to the shredder.
'Who? I asked.
'Who what?
'Who called you with that rumor?
Davenport looked at me for a long moment before he answered. 'Mr. Blakeslee was the one who called. As head of the creditor's committee, he was all in a lather over it.
'And where did Blakeslee get his information? Big Al interjected.
'From that slimy Rennermann character, the Industry Square property manager. He claimed to have gotten the scoop from one of the cops on the case. I told him I was sure it wasn't true, but I haven't been able to go by and check for myself. Mrs. Oliver told me that you cops aren't allowing anyone inside.
Big Al and I exchanged glances. We had caught Mrs. Oliver in a little white lie. 'In other words, you can't go inside because of the investigation?
'That's what she said. I told Blakeslee not to worry, that I'd have things straightened out as soon as possible, with the new owner.
'Who is?
'Machiko Kurobashi. In name only, of course. Until the bankruptcy proceedings are completed.
I was stunned. 'Machiko? Are you sure? What could she do with it?
'Yes, I'm sure. In the corporate minutes she's listed as both a major stockholder as well as an officer. But she's certainly not qualified to run it, and Tadeo didn't expect her to. He thought that with his wife holding the company, his daughter would finally come on board and take control. Now, though, with the bankruptcy proceedings, it's just a formality. At least this way I'll have someone qualified to sign off on things. Thank God, she's all right.
'Did Kurobashi have any enemies as far as you know? Big Al asked.
'Other than Mr. Blakeslee? No, not that I know of.
'What about Clay Woodruff? I asked.
'What about him?
'Would he qualify as an enemy?
'I don't know how to answer that.
'What do you mean?
'They were friends once, had worked together at RFLink. Tadeo claimed that Woodruff had been present when he offered to sell his new product design to Blakeslee, that Woodruff knew Tadeo had done all the design work on his own computer at home during off hours. And that testimony would have been invaluable, but Woodruff didn't testify. Without him, Tadeo's version of the meeting was totally inadmissible.
'Why didn't Woodruff testify?
'I couldn't find him. I sent process servers out after him, but by the time they located him, it was too late. The case had already been decided.
'And Tadeo lost his patent infringement case.
'You bet we lost. The whole case hinged on him.
'And it put Tadeo out of business.
'That's right. Tadeo felt that Woodruff had let him down, and of course he had. I think someone paid Woodruff to drop out of sight at the critical time.
'Who? I asked.
Davenport shrugged.
'Would Blakeslee have done it?
'He wouldn't be above it, Chris Davenport replied.
It was conjecture on the attorney's part, but it was worth following up on nonetheless. I nodded in approval as Big Al made a note of it.
'Who was the judge? I asked.
'Kelley, Davenport answered. 'Judge Chip Kelley. He's good. Tough but good.
'I know Judge Kelley, I said. 'Tell us what you know about Bernice Oliver.
Davenport shook his head. 'A kook, if you ask me. When I found her there working, I tried to tell her to go home, that the company's broke and nobody's going to pay her, but she was adamant, said no matter what, she'd stay and keep on working until they disconnect the phones at the end of the month.
'Why would she do that? I asked.
Davenport shook his head. 'I don't have any idea.
'Was there any hanky-panky going on between her and Tadeo?
Chris Davenport grinned as though he found the very idea quite amusing. 'Bernice Oliver? She doesn't seem like the type. Besides, Tadeo never struck me as being that desperate, if you know what I mean.
'When you talked to Mr. Kurobashi on Friday did he mention being in touch with Woodruff?
This time Davenport frowned before he answered. 'No. Why should he be in touch with Woodruff? I'd be surprised to hear there was any further contact between those two. Tadeo was a stubborn man, gentlemen, and once someone crossed him…
'Like his daughter?
'So you know about that? Yes, exactly. Once he wrote someone off, that was it.
As long as I was sending up a series of trial balloons, I figured I could just as well let go of all of them. 'What about connections to organized crime?
Davenport looked incredulous. 'Tadeo and organized crime? Totally preposterous! You can't be serious.
'Do you have any idea what Mr. Kurobashi was working on just prior to his death?
'No, not really. He was a secretive man. Smalltime entrepreneurs often are. They invent something or discover something and then want to keep it all to themselves. They'd rather go out of business than have to give
