Selena slid into the chair opposite him without being invited.“Your office said you were in a meeting here.”
Ray looked at the empty seat beside him, then at the closed folder.“Ah, well.I might have exaggerated.You know how it is.I don’t want the troops thinking they can slack off, too.I’ve earned the odd quiet hour.”
He took a heavy drink from his beer, wiping his mouth afterward with the side of his thumb.
“I’d like to ask a few questions,” Selena said.
“I’d much rather have a beer with a pretty one like you.”
“Pretty or not, I have the power to arrest you if I think you’re involved in a double homicide.”
Ray’s color changed fast.
His hand tightened around the glass.“Please, keep your voice down.”
“Then help me keep this short.”
Ray looked toward the bar.Roy had turned away, but Selena knew he was listening.
“You had a visit from the sheriff,” she said.
“Yeah.I did.”Ray dragged the folder closer by an inch, as if it might protect him.“And I had nothing to do with what happened to Warren, before you ask.”
“Do you know Victor Schmidt?”
Ray stared at her.“Victor?”
“That’s right.”
“Sure I do.Been to his house a couple of times.His wife cooks a mean roast.”
“Are you close?”
“Not particularly.”Ray leaned back, trying to rebuild the posture he had lost.“You kind of rub shoulders with other business leaders in the community.Charity breakfasts, planning meetings, chamber nonsense.Vic was a decent enough man.”
“Victor was murdered during the night.”
Ray’s eyes widened.
“My God.”The words came out in a lower voice than before.“Same as Warren?”
“We’re not sure yet.But it may be the start of something bigger.”
Ray looked down at his beer.The bravado did not return this time.“Damn.”
“Where were you last night?”
“Now look.”Ray lifted both hands.“I had nothing to do with Warren, and I certainly didn’t have anything to do with Vic.I liked the guy.”
“But you didn’t like Warren.”
Ray’s hands lowered.He took another drink, smaller this time.“I’m sorry they’re both dead.Truly.I just hope this doesn’t turn into something that spooks the community.That sort of thing is bad for business.”
Selena’s pen stopped.“I think we should worry about life more than money.”
Ray gave her a rueful tilt of the glass.“Touché.”
“Last night,” she said again.“Where were you?”
