Her smile faded. "Um, is he in some kind of trouble?”
"No. We're hoping he can help us with an investigation."
"Oh. Okay. I think he's in his office. Let me dial his extension." She picked up the phone and rang him. Fletcher answered a moment later, and she told him two deputies were here to see him. He replied, then she hung up and said to me, "He'll be right with you. Would you care for water, soda, or coffee while you wait?"
"No, thank you," I said.
JD and I took a seat on the leather sofa and snatched magazines from the glass coffee table.
The decor was modern and minimal—leather couches, wood-paneled walls, and a great view of the ocean.
Footsteps clattered down the hall, and Fletcher stepped into the lobby. He had chiseled features, smooth skin, ice blue eyes, and golden hair. Dressed in a designer suit, he looked like he could have been on the cover of a fashion magazine.
He approached with an air of caution.
I stood up, flashed my badge, and made introductions. We shook hands.
"What is it I can do for you?" he asked, getting down to business.
"I'm sure you've heard what happened to Sydney Hollister."
His mouth tightened, and he hung his head. "Yes.”
"Is there somewhere more private where we can talk?" I asked.
He hesitated, and his eyes flicked between us. "Sure. Follow me.”
Fletcher escorted us out of the lobby and down the hallway to an office that had an ocean view. It wasn’t the biggest office in the world, but it was private. It beat the hell out of a cubicle.
Fletcher offered us a seat across from his desk, and we obliged.
He took a seat at his desk and leaned back in his leather chair. "So, do you have any leads?”
"We have a few promising avenues to investigate," I said.
"That's good.”
"Tell me about your relationship with Sydney."
He shrugged. "Not much to tell. It wasn’t working out. We went our separate ways.”
"When was the last time you talked to her?”
His brow lifted as he thought. "I don't know. A few weeks ago. I tried not to dwell on the situation.”
"Whose idea was it?”
"The breakup?”
I nodded.
"It was mutual. I had other options,” he boasted. “I wanted to explore those options. To tell you the truth, I was getting a little bored. Sydney was a great girl, don't get me wrong, but… I'm young. I think I should have a little fun before I settle down.”
"Sydney seemed like quite the catch.”
“She had certain qualities, sure.”
"So, you didn't want to get back together with her?”
