Part 41 (1/2)
”That's correct. I believe you were acquainted with the deceased. Kirby Duncan.”
”No, I wasn't. I never met him.”
”But you knew of him.”
”I know he said he was a private investigator out of Boston, and he was asking questions about me.”
Corbett took out a notebook, as much a prop as a tool, Eli knew.
”Isn't it true you stated to the police you believed Kirby Duncan had broken into this house on Thursday night?”
”He was my first thought when I learned about the break-in, and I gave his name to the responding officer. That's Deputy Vincent Hanson.” As you d.a.m.n well know. ”However, the woman who was attacked during the break-in, who had met and spoken with Duncan earlier, stated unequivocally that it wasn't Duncan, as the man who grabbed her had a taller, leaner build. Added to that, when Deputy Hanson spoke with Duncan that night, Duncan produced receipts that proved he was in Boston at the time of the break-in.”
”Must've p.i.s.sed you off, him coming here, stirring things up.”
Eli s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Wolfe. There'd be no polite Q&A here, Eli thought. ”I wasn't happy about it, but more, I wondered who hired him to come here, follow me around, ask questions.”
”Easy answer is somebody interested in finding out what you're up to.”
”And the easy answer to that is I'm up to adjusting, working, taking care of Bluff House while my grandmother recuperates. Since Duncan wouldn't have had any more than that to report to his client or clients, I have to figure they were wasting their money. But that's their choice.”
”Your wife's homicide investigation's still open, Landon. You're still on the list.”
”Oh, I'm aware. Just as I'm aware it would be neat and convenient if you could tie me to a second homicide investigation.”
”Who said anything about a second murder?”
Smug b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Eli thought, but kept his tone even. ”You're a murder cop. If you believed Duncan's death was an accident, you wouldn't be here. That means it's either murder or a suspicious death. I used to be a criminal attorney. I know how this works.”
”Yeah. Yeah, you know all the ins and outs.”
Corbett held up a hand. ”Can you verify your whereabouts, Mr. Landon, between midnight and five Friday morning?”
”Friday morning? I went into Boston Thursday. I was at my parents' when I got the call about the break-in. I drove straight back. I think I got here about eleven-thirty, before midnight anyway. I'm not sure of the exact time. I went to check on Abra-Abra Walsh, the woman who was a.s.saulted in Bluff House.”
”What was she doing in the house when you weren't?” Wolfe demanded. ”Are you sleeping with her?”
”And how, exactly, is my s.e.x life relevant to this inquiry?”
”Apologies, Mr. Landon.” Corbett's warning glance at Wolfe, while subtle, held a charge. ”Can you tell us why Ms. Walsh was in the house at that time?”
”She cleans here, and has for my grandmother for a couple years. She'd been in that day and couldn't remember if she'd closed all the windows. We had a storm. I imagine you've already spoken to her, but I'll take you through it. Knowing I was in Boston, she came down to check the windows and drop off some stew she'd made for me. Someone grabbed her from behind-our power was out, so it was dark. She managed to get away, drove to her friends' house-her next-door neighbors, Mike and Maureen O'Malley. Mike contacted me, and the police. I left Boston immediately after Mike called, and drove back to Whiskey Beach.”
”Arriving sometime between eleven-thirty and midnight.”
”That's right. Abra was shaken up, and as she'd injured her a.s.sailant in her struggle to get away, she had the a.s.sailant's blood on her clothes. The responding officers took her clothes in evidence. I spent some time at the O'Malleys' before coming here. Abra came with me. We met Deputy Hanson.”
”A friend of yours,” Wolfe put in.
”I knew Vinnie when we were teenagers, into our twenties. I haven't seen him for a number of years.” Eli let the implication go, kept his voice even. ”The police who responded found the power had been cut, the alarm deactivated. At that time I couldn't find anything missing or out of place. I told Deputy Hanson about Kirby Duncan, and as I previously stated, Ms. Walsh described her attacker as a man with a different body type. Being thorough, Deputy Hanson indicated he would interview Duncan, who was, I believe, staying at the Surfside B-and-B. Again, I don't know what time, exactly, Deputy Hanson left. My guess would be around twelve-thirty or a little before.”