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“Why not just stab her standing up?” Harper said. “If the killer was setting up Simmons, why go through the trouble of knocking her out?”
“He probably didn’t want her to scream. Kids party back in those woods. He wanted to silence her before he killed her.”
“A fair scenario. But why leave the shirt?”
“So Simmons would be blamed, and I’m sure the killer didn’t want to risk carrying any evidence with him.”
“Again, makes sense,” she said, then pulled out Anne’s purse, which was found in the trunk of her car. “Keys...” she said, jangling them. She continued, pulling out a miscellany of items, and last came Anne’s work badge for Councilman David Markowitz’s office. “He’s the councilman with that new sprawling condo complex coming downtown.”
“Yeah. He’s been lobbying for it big time,” Deckard said. “I spoke with him while investigating Mitch’s case.”
“And?”
Deckard shrugged. “Your typical politician, but surprisingly helpful at the same time.”
“How so?”
“Markowitz said Anne had been skittish lately. Not herself. Heheard her talking in hushed tones on the phone several times. Said she seemed scared.”
“Of what?”
“He thought maybe it was boyfriend or ex-boyfriend trouble. He asked if she was okay, she said yes, and he let it go.”
“If he’d said something more, told somebody, maybe she wouldn’t be dead.”
“I doubt he could have done much. There wasn’t anything other than suppositions to tell. If she was scared, she should have gone to the police.”
“If it was about Simmons, she was probably scared. He’s a powerful man,” Harper said. “And Mitch?”
“A real estate developer. Nice home. Pretty wife...”
“That he cheated on.”
“Yep. And who divorced him when he was found guilty,” Deckard added.
“She believed he did it?” Harper said.
“Yeah.”
“Did she say why?”
“Kim said he liked getting his way. If Anne had broken things off with him, he would have become angry.”
“And she thought angry enough to kill?” Harper asked.
“That’s when she stopped talking to me. Said she was finished with Mitch and the better off for it.” And she never looked back. With a cheating husband, he couldn’t blame her.
“I’d say she’s right.”
After finishing up with the evidence and returning it to the shelf, they thanked Mack and headed out of the facility.
“What now?” she asked.
“Boston.” Deckard smiled.
“Boston?”
“We’re going to talk with Randy Fox in person.”
