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Chapter21
“YOU MEAN YOUKNEW?”
Decker looked across at Lancaster. It was the next morning and they were sitting in her car outside the Residence Inn. He’d called her and told her he needed to speak with her but preferred to do it in person.
“Iknewhe was doing some work for Rachel Katz. I didn’t know that he was her alibi. Earl didn’t tell me that. We don’t talk all that much anymore, particularly about his business.”
“But why didn’t you mention to me that he was working for a possible suspect in a murder we’re both investigating?”
“He works with lots of people and I didn’t think it was relevant.”
“Well, it is. And now that he’s her alibi?”
Lancaster said, “I might have to recuse myself from the investigation.”
“There’s nomightabout it, Mary. You have to.”
“Earl wouldn’t lie, if that’s what you’re implying. If he said he was with Katz, he was.”
“I’m not implying anything. I just know that you have to get off this case. Any defense lawyer will tear the department a new one if you stay on now.”
She popped a stick of gum into her mouth and started chewing furiously.
“And now I need to talk to Earl about this,” said Decker.
“I know. And I think I need to talk to him too.”
“No, Mary, you can’t do that.”
“He’s still my husband, dammit.”
“He’s also a potential alibi for someone who had a pretty good motive to kill Meryl Hawkins.”
“Shit!” She slapped the steering wheel. “And I didn’t think my life could get any worse.”
“You’re the one asking for the divorce.”
“That’s what Earl told you.”
“Is it not true? You just told me that Earl doesn’t lie.”
“Does it matter, Decker? Our marriage is over.”
“And this woman he’s seeing?”
“She’s fine. Earl didn’t start seeing Nancy until things were over between us.”
“Yeah, he told me that. But you’re really okay with Earl getting custody of Sandy?”
“We’resharingcustody. But I told you before, his work is more flexible than mine. It’s better and less disruptive for Sandy to have her spend the week with Earl. Her well-being is all I’m concerned about.”
“Okay, give up your kid, then.”
She looked at him, fury on her features. “What right do you have to tell me that? You don’t know jack shit about my situation. It was your choice to leave here and go work for the FBI. So don’t come back tomytown and tell me how to runmylife.” She pointed to the door. “Now get the hell out of my car.”
Decker got out, but he poked his head back in.
“The thing with kids, Mary, is that when you turn around for just a second and then look back, sometimes they aren’t there anymore.”
