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Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “Keep going.”
“The Cardio Barbie was right. Elena and Harris were having an affair, and Davis found out and kicked her ass out.” I took a breath to get my thoughts organized. Now everything was beginning to make sense. “The maid described the woman with Davis as having light hair. I assumed she meant blond, but now I think she meant highlighted—that brown/blond/ash look that Rachel has. So after Davis kicked Elena out, he then called Rachel up and told her about the affair …”
Ryan gave a snort of amusement. “Ah, the good old revenge fuck.”
I grinned. “Exactly. And while they were busy revenge fucking, Harris was busy accidentally killing his daughter-in-law.” I tapped the cell phone. “He calls Davis in a panic—”
“—and Rachel overhears and knows she needs to clean this mess up.”
“Right,” I said. “Rachel’s smart and tough. She had no intention of divorcing Harris. She’d probably always put up with his affairs because she wanted the power and prestige of being married to a judge. It’s been damn good for her business, that’s for sure, and I’d bet anything that she was working up to running for judge herself fairly soon. If Harris went down for homicide—even negligent—it would drag her down as well.”
“Tough bitch,” Ryan commented.
“No shit! So Rachel had Davis drive her over to Brian’s house.” I paused, trying to fit it all together.
His frown returned. “She convinced Davis to kill Brian?”
I shook my head. “I still think Rachel did it. I don’t think Davis would have supported his buddy to that extent—especially after he’d found out about Harris and Elena. And it would have been easy for dear stepmom Rachel to get close enough to Brian to shoot him and make it look like a suicide.” More pieces started to fall into place. “In fact, I don’t think Davis had any idea that Rachel killed Brian until the next day, when it hit the news.”
Ryan’s mouth twisted. “At which time he proceeded to freak the fuck out.”
“Exactly. He confronted Rachel about it and ended up dead. But before that, I think Davis called Elena and told her what happened. It’s the only thing that would explain Elena’s panic. And I’ll bet you anything that if we check Davis’s phone records, we can confirm it.”
Ryan shook his head as he pulled onto the highway. “So why didn’t Elena spill what she knew to the police? It would have saved her from being a suspect in her husband’s murder.”
I thought for a few seconds. “Elena was never a strong suspect, and she knew it. At first she was afraid that Rachel might have known that Davis had spilled the beans to her, but after I paid Elena a visit, I bet she realized that it would take only one phone call from her to finish Rachel off …”
“More blackmail,” Ryan stated.
I gave a nod. “Yeah, that’s what I think too. But I bet it wasn’t for money.”>I hung up, then clipped the phone back onto my belt, finding myself actually admiring Cory Crawford.
I jogged up the steps of the courthouse while Ryan circled the block to avoid the trouble of finding a parking place. We’d left my car at my aunt’s house. It was such a piece of crap that I was willing to use any excuse to get out of having to drive it. I flashed my badge at the security guard as I passed through the metal detector, ignoring the obnoxious beep. I glanced quickly at the schedule taped to the desk, pleased and relieved to see that the duty judge was again Judge Laurent. I’d experienced several moments of worry on the way over to the courthouse, running through improbable and not-so-improbable scenarios about judges refusing to sign the warrant for a fellow judge. I didn’t think I’d have any problems with Judge Laurent.
His secretary was shutting her computer down as I entered the office. She looked up at me with an expression that clearly told me she wouldn’t be happy with me if I made her stay past her usual quitting time.
I gave her my best winning smile. “I’m sorry to come in so late, but this should take only a second. Is Judge Laurent still here? I need a warrant for a buccal swab and a subpoena for phone records signed.”
She sighed. “He’s still here.” She held out her hand for my folder.
“I really appreciate it,” I said with what I hoped was enough fervor.
She just gave a brisk nod as she passed through the doors leading to the judge’s office. A few minutes later she returned without the folder. “You can go on back,” she said, holding the door open for me.
I nodded thanks as I passed by her. The look she gave me in return was narrow-eyed and measuring—no longer the bored resignation. She must have glanced at it, I realized. Oh, well. In less than an hour, everyone would know.
Judge Laurent didn’t look worried or upset. He looked positively gleeful as I stepped into his office and shut the door behind me. “So, you’re gonna nail that randy horn-dog to the wall for boffing his son’s wife to death?” He cackled as he signed the warrant and subpoena in an overly large script, as if to be sure that no one could be mistaken about who had signed it.
“Well, sir, I don’t have anything solid yet. That’s why I need this DNA sample.”
“Ha! You’ll get it. That sonofabitch has nailed or tried to nail every pretty girl in this city. Can’t believe his wife puts up with it.” He shook his head as he handed the folder back to me with the signed warrant. “Maybe she figures being married to a judge is worth dealing with all the women.”
I accepted the folder from him, bemused. “I appreciate your time, sir. I’m hoping this works out the way I think it will.”
He gave me a wide grin. “You just be sure to come back to me when you need the arrest warrant signed.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Absolutely, sir.”
I was still smiling as I let myself out, unsurprised to find that his secretary had left already. I pulled my cell phone out and dialed Ryan’s number as I exited the courthouse.
