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After some mental scrambling, Finley pulled her Subaru to the garage and ushered Whitney into the back seat. She stayed hunkered down while Finley drove to a motel on the far-west side of Nashville. On the way she got food since Whitney said she hadn’t eaten since the shooting.
All Whitney had to do was stay in the room with the curtains closed and the door locked until she heard from Finley. She wasn’t to call anyone or go out for any reason. She had Finley’s number as well as the number at the firm. She would be safe as long as she stayed put.
All Finley had to do was figure out where to go from there.
Lemm could potentially corroborate Carson Dempsey’s illegal activities. Maybe, just maybe, she was the break Finley had been looking for.
20
10:15 a.m.
The Finnegan Firm
Tenth Avenue, Nashville
On the way to the motel, Finley had notified Jack that she would be a little later getting in than she’d anticipated. She stayed mum about the reason to avoid making her rear-seat passenger, who’d stayed ducked down on the floorboard for most of the journey, more nervous than she already was.
When Whitney was safely tucked away, Finley drove to the office. A couple of reporters had taken up residence in the parking lot. Both shouted questions at her as she hurried inside. When she had dropped her bag in her office, she glanced out her window and spotted Winthrop’s black limo navigated by her longtime driver, Amy Petropoulos, rolling into the parking lot. Finley grabbed her bottle of water and headed for the conference room. Jack was already there, reviewing his notes.
“She’s here.”
Jack glanced up from the top of his reading glasses. “All righty then. Here we go.”
Finley stood behind her chair and Jack pushed to his feet as Nita showed Winthrop to the conference room. She’d come alone. Smart. The narrative from her side was easier to control that way. No one to abruptlyblurt anything not approved for being passed along. It was a clever strategy coming from a woman who, judging by her university transcripts and track record in the business world, really was a true genius.
As always, Winthrop was dressed to perfection. Elegant, polished suit. Flawless hair and makeup. She looked sharp. Her clear, firm gaze suggested she was ready for battle. Too bad she still hadn’t recognized that they were on the same side.
She and Jack exchanged greetings as she chose the chair directly across from Finley’s. Finley nodded and settled into her own.
“Thank you for making time for our impromptu request,” Jack said as he resumed his seat.
“Do you have news for me?” Winthrop asked with believable innocence.
“No news, which is likely a good thing,” Jack said. “Of course, we all recognize the investigation is in high gear, but the longer it continues without any sort of discovery, the better for us. Bottom line, if they had something, we would know it. So obviously they don’t.”
Not that the police were always forthcoming in a timely manner, Finley didn’t bother to add. But with a murder case, particularly one involving a high-profile family in a prestigious neighborhood, they would want to make an arrest sooner rather than later.
“We do, however”—Finley picked up from there—“have a few questions on areas of concern.”
“I’m here.” Winthrop presented her with a smile that showed a certain weariness around the edges. “Let’s get the issues ironed out, shall we?”
“We need to ensure our response regarding the affair or affairs,” Finley said, surveying her notes, which weren’t notes at all, just a list of things she needed to add to her Walmart pickup order, “is consistent and as concise as possible. Less is more.”
“The answer I gave you is the only truthful response. To my knowledge, Jarrod’s relationship with Lena Marsh ended before he and Imarried. I wasn’t happy to learn of his continued relationship with her once we were officially a couple, but it happened, and I was justifiably upset. That affair is the only one I know about.”
Lie.It wasn’t that Finley didn’t want to believe Winthrop. It was simple. She recognized a lie when she heard one. It was too blunt. Too emotionless. And there was the tiny little detail of the way her eyes glazed over to control any emotion that trickled through her. The motive was easy enough to understand. What woman wanted to admit that her husband had carried on one or more affairs?
“We may encounter an issue there, since the statement given by Ms.Marsh doesn’t match yours,” Jack said, drawing Winthrop’s attention to him.
Winthrop smiled. “I fear what we’re dealing with here is a woman who sees an opportunity and hopes to gain from it. I feel confident a closer look into her background will confirm as much.”
Jack gave her a nod. “We’re working on a better grasp on who Marsh is as we speak.”
“The more pressing issue,” Finley said, drawing their client’s attention once more, “is access to the murder weapon.”
Winthrop flinched at the term. Good. It was important that she started acting like a grieving widow. Perception was immensely important.
Like you have room to talk.
