Page 77 of The Wedding Party

I lower my chin and offer a keen eye. “That’s unethical. At least on Ms. Littleton’s behalf.”

“We told Carrie,” Mrs. Phoenix counters. “Therefore Ms. Littleton is protected.”

Mr. Ward interjects. “I’ve told them that could end badly.”

“Good advice,” I reply. “And let me just reiterate what your daughter already did. When you help Carrie achieve an insanity plea, with fancy, financially motivated doctors, you ensure a lesser sentence. Don’t you want her prosecuted?”

“As we told our daughter,” Mr. Phoenix states, “we’re not uneducated on such matters. We stay in tune with the world we live in. Too often, law enforcement either overcharges or rushes to charge, and this results in bad people going free. We bought you time to build your case and charge her properly.”

“We don’t want her to go free,” Mrs. Phoenix declares. “We want her to rot in jail for the rest of her life.”

And yet, they’re worried about their stockholders.

I don’t like the Phoenix family. But I believe them.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

I collect the DNA sample from Natalie and arrange her lie detector test before I do my own little sweep of Oliver’s office. Only one thing stands out to me: a picture of Oliver, Josh, and Brody on his credenza. I invite Natalie into the room. “When was this taken?”

“Oh gosh,” she says. “Years ago. Why?”

“Were you aware that Brody and Oliver had a falling-out?”

“Oliver talked to me about it. He lost a shit ton of money over some stupid investment Brody dragged him into. I told him to stop investing with friends. Just be friends. Why?”

“Just trying to understand the dynamics of the relationships. What’s the status of that big company deal Oliver was working on before he died?”

“Since it wasn’t yet inked,” she says, “who knows. I’m hopeful it stands, but Oliver was just so damn good with people. Losing him will be painful.”

“Is there anyone who wouldn’t have wanted that deal to close?”

“Maybe a competitor, but that’s really unlikely.”

I set the photo down. “Was that photo before or after Carrie?”

“Most definitely before. You ask the strangest questions, Agent Castle.”

She just doesn’t understand the questions, I think, but I ask, “You say you never met Carrie until she’d dated Oliver for a year?”

“I’m not sure of the exact timing, but it was close to that.”

“Okay. Then I’m done for now” is all I say, but I’m bothered by the photo. Logically, Carrie saw it, and yet she claims she didn’t know who Brody was when she slept with him. What if she did?

I leave the building and debrief with Aiden.

Once I’m in my car, I’ve yet to start my engine when my cellphone rings with my father’s number. He always answers and so I answer. “Dad.”

“Daughter! I hear you’re back and serving search warrants.”

“Which you shouldn’t know about.”

“Friends—”

“In high places,” I supply. “Whit doesn’t count,” I add since Whit is still part of our team and most assuredly his source. “I know he’s calling me for you, trying to get me to the house.”

“Great idea. Come by the house, Sugar Bear. I can tell you all the dirty, dirty secrets of Danielle Littleton. And you know you want to know.”

“No, Dad,” I say. “No, I really don’t want to know.” There’s an image in my head of the two of them I wish I could wash away. Lord help me, make it go away.