over that prank,’ Claudia said. ‘That’s why you don’t like any Mosley.’ She herself liked Whit Mosley fine.
He’d palled around with her brother Jimmy as kids, fishing, gigging for frogs, swimming in the bay, and Whit never made her
– the tagalong tomboy – feel unwelcome. He had kind eyes, gray as the bay when the clouds hung low. And he was easy to work
with. The last JP, God rest her soul, puked at every single death scene and guilted Claudia into taking macramé and quilting
classes with her. Whit kept his lunch and hobbies to himself.
‘I don’t like Mosley period. He’s running the bench like a beach attraction,’ Delford fretted. ‘I’m just saying Pete smells
like suicide to me.’
‘Are you jumping or driving to that conclusion?’
‘When I told Lucinda that Pete was dead, she asked straightaway if he’d killed himself. She told me in detail about the mental
problems he’s been suffering from over the past several years. It’s in her statement.’
‘She knew he was nuts but didn’t know he was doing porn?’ Claudia asked.
Delford frowned. ‘Well, maybe she did know. But I wouldn’t blame her for not mentioning it.’
‘His friend Velvet insists he would never commit suicide.’
‘Let’s talk about Pete’s friends. This boat he was staying on.
Real Shame.
It’s registered in Houston. It’s owned by a fellow named Tommy Deloache. In Houston, he’s known as Tommy the Roach. Suspected
drug ties, suspected money launderer.’
‘And Pete hanging with criminals bolsters your suicide theory how?’
‘From what Houston PD says, if the Deloaches wanted Pete dead, he’d be in the Gulf, sixty feet down wired to blocks. They
tidy up after themselves. They don’t leave bodies around to be autopsied.’
She stood. ‘I’ll keep you apprised of what I find.’
‘Claud, don’t get bent. I’m just asking you to be sensitive to a mother’s grief. Remember Lucinda’s got an election in less
than a month, and this could derail it.’
‘The senator wouldn’t get more sympathy votes if he was murdered as opposed to suicide?’ Claudia asked bluntly. ‘Suicide sounds
like maybe she was a bad mother.’
‘Damn it, Claudia, you’ve never handled a death this high-profile. And my gut, which is both bigger and older than yours,
tells me Pete killed himself. If you chase the wrong path and embarrass yourself, not to mention Senator Hubble, with all
this unrelated garbage about porn and Corey Hubble and what not, that’s going to be remembered.’
He shoved his chair hard against the table.
‘Well, hell, Delford, if you don’t have confidence in me, don’t give me the case.’
‘I’m just trying to help you. The case is yours. Just mind how you run it.’
She nodded, and he turned and left. Claudia stared at the door he slammed behind him.
9
‘Why didn’t you tell me Pete was back in town?’ Whit asked.
He heard the sharp rasp of Faith Hubble’s breath. ‘Oh, Whit. God, babe, I didn’t think it mattered. He said … he wasn’t going
to stay long. A couple of weeks, no more.’
‘If I had an ex-wife, wouldn’t you have wanted to know if she showed up in Port Leo.?’ he asked.
‘We’re not … dating, Whit. We’re just … I mean … oh, God, I can’t have this conversation now. Sam’s out of his mind with grief,
and Lucinda’s a zombie.’
Whit hated having to press, but he did. ‘Pete was writing a screenplay, Faith. I don’t think he was just waltzing in and out
of Port Leo on a quick jaunt.’
‘Oh, God.’ She couldn’t hide the shock in her voice. ‘Movie.?’
‘Did you know he was in the movie business, Faith?’
‘I can’t … discuss this right now. Sam’s real upset. He needs me.’
‘Fine. But I need to talk to you all tomorrow.’
‘I want that. I want to see you.’
‘Fine, I’ll call you tomorrow. Please give my sympathies to the senator and Sam.’
‘I will. And thank you, in advance,
He’d palled around with her brother Jimmy as kids, fishing, gigging for frogs, swimming in the bay, and Whit never made her
– the tagalong tomboy – feel unwelcome. He had kind eyes, gray as the bay when the clouds hung low. And he was easy to work
with. The last JP, God rest her soul, puked at every single death scene and guilted Claudia into taking macramé and quilting
classes with her. Whit kept his lunch and hobbies to himself.
‘I don’t like Mosley period. He’s running the bench like a beach attraction,’ Delford fretted. ‘I’m just saying Pete smells
like suicide to me.’
‘Are you jumping or driving to that conclusion?’
‘When I told Lucinda that Pete was dead, she asked straightaway if he’d killed himself. She told me in detail about the mental
problems he’s been suffering from over the past several years. It’s in her statement.’
‘She knew he was nuts but didn’t know he was doing porn?’ Claudia asked.
Delford frowned. ‘Well, maybe she did know. But I wouldn’t blame her for not mentioning it.’
‘His friend Velvet insists he would never commit suicide.’
‘Let’s talk about Pete’s friends. This boat he was staying on.
Real Shame.
It’s registered in Houston. It’s owned by a fellow named Tommy Deloache. In Houston, he’s known as Tommy the Roach. Suspected
drug ties, suspected money launderer.’
‘And Pete hanging with criminals bolsters your suicide theory how?’
‘From what Houston PD says, if the Deloaches wanted Pete dead, he’d be in the Gulf, sixty feet down wired to blocks. They
tidy up after themselves. They don’t leave bodies around to be autopsied.’
She stood. ‘I’ll keep you apprised of what I find.’
‘Claud, don’t get bent. I’m just asking you to be sensitive to a mother’s grief. Remember Lucinda’s got an election in less
than a month, and this could derail it.’
‘The senator wouldn’t get more sympathy votes if he was murdered as opposed to suicide?’ Claudia asked bluntly. ‘Suicide sounds
like maybe she was a bad mother.’
‘Damn it, Claudia, you’ve never handled a death this high-profile. And my gut, which is both bigger and older than yours,
tells me Pete killed himself. If you chase the wrong path and embarrass yourself, not to mention Senator Hubble, with all
this unrelated garbage about porn and Corey Hubble and what not, that’s going to be remembered.’
He shoved his chair hard against the table.
‘Well, hell, Delford, if you don’t have confidence in me, don’t give me the case.’
‘I’m just trying to help you. The case is yours. Just mind how you run it.’
She nodded, and he turned and left. Claudia stared at the door he slammed behind him.
9
‘Why didn’t you tell me Pete was back in town?’ Whit asked.
He heard the sharp rasp of Faith Hubble’s breath. ‘Oh, Whit. God, babe, I didn’t think it mattered. He said … he wasn’t going
to stay long. A couple of weeks, no more.’
‘If I had an ex-wife, wouldn’t you have wanted to know if she showed up in Port Leo.?’ he asked.
‘We’re not … dating, Whit. We’re just … I mean … oh, God, I can’t have this conversation now. Sam’s out of his mind with grief,
and Lucinda’s a zombie.’
Whit hated having to press, but he did. ‘Pete was writing a screenplay, Faith. I don’t think he was just waltzing in and out
of Port Leo on a quick jaunt.’
‘Oh, God.’ She couldn’t hide the shock in her voice. ‘Movie.?’
‘Did you know he was in the movie business, Faith?’
‘I can’t … discuss this right now. Sam’s real upset. He needs me.’
‘Fine. But I need to talk to you all tomorrow.’
‘I want that. I want to see you.’
‘Fine, I’ll call you tomorrow. Please give my sympathies to the senator and Sam.’
‘I will. And thank you, in advance,
Similar Books
