Holker said, again surprising me by electing to share with me. ‘The emails could even come from one of the home invasion gang, who are pissed that they’re being blamed for Ella’s murder. But that theory doesn’t hold much weight with me. I’m thinking it’s someone else who has a grudge against Clayton. There’s one person of interest we’re looking at.’
I waited. Both detectives glanced at each other, wondering how much they should divulge. Perhaps Holker believed that by telling me about a possible culprit he’d be sealing the man’s doom. Finally he nodded, giving Bryony the go-ahead.
She waved her arm, taking in the house and grounds in one gesture. ‘Did Clayton tell you how he could afford all this?’
‘His boat supply company,’ I said.
‘Did he mention his business partner?’
‘Yeah, but I haven’t learned his name.’
Bryony sucked in her bottom lip, then released it with a tiny smack. ‘Parker Quinn,’ she announced. ‘The two of them go back a-ways. They started off as a two-boat outfit, taking tourists out on the Gulf, built up their business from there.’ I’d heard the story from Clayton already, but suspected there were parts of it he’d left out. Bryony confirmed my suspicion. ‘Theirs is a shaky business relationship, has been for a number of years now. Clayton has tried buying out Quinn, but Quinn’s not for moving. The way I’ve read things between them, Quinn also wants what Clayton has.’
‘He hasn’t done as well out of the partnership?’ I asked.
‘He’s done OK with the cash, it’s other things Clayton has that Quinn supposedly covets.’
‘Hmmm,’ I said, understanding what she was hinting at. ‘Quinn had his eye on Ella? Any suggestion that she reciprocated?’
‘Not that anyone is admitting to it, but I have a sense that Quinn and Ella enjoyed some sort of relationship. If Clayton suspected, he isn’t saying a thing. You know to admit as much would give him a motive for having his wife murdered.’ Bryony shrugged, and again looked at Holker, seeking his in-put.
‘I know what you’re thinking, Hunter,’ said Holker. ‘Why would he have Ella murdered, and still engage in business with the man who was jumping his wife’s bones? Why not have Quinn murdered, and have done? That way he’d not only inherit everything he did from Ella, but also the entire business. That’s what I’ve been thinking, too.’
‘You suspect Quinn’s behind the anonymous emails?’
‘Yeah, But we’ve been unable to trace them back to him. Whoever’s behind them is covering their tracks, sending them through anonymous Hotmail accounts. We’ve been able to identify the IP address of the computer used to send them, but not its location. Once we find the computer, we find the sender, but we haven’t any reason to go hunting for it yet. These emails are only a few compared to the dozens of others we’ve received from all the haters. The only reason they’re of interest to us is because they firmly accuse Clayton, seem to have some insider knowledge about the man, and have purposefully been kept anonymous.’
‘Could be the killer,’ I said. ‘Throwing you off track by having you concentrate on Clayton.’
‘Could be,’ Holker admitted, and actually offered me a nod of mutual respect. But that was all I could expect from him. He walked away, his built-up heels leaving small crescent indentations in the lawn.
7
Once Rink arrived and took over guard duty, I collapsed on the bed in the guest room, and slept like the dead for six hours. When I woke, and had showered and shaved, and taken a bathroom break, I let my big buddy get off again. Before he got in his car, he raised his eyebrows at me in question, but I’d not a lot to tell him yet. I’d mentioned the prowler that dropped the glove when he arrived earlier, and guessed he’d spoken with Clayton about the incident while I slept. Because Andrew and Cole were home, I told him I’d give him a
I waited. Both detectives glanced at each other, wondering how much they should divulge. Perhaps Holker believed that by telling me about a possible culprit he’d be sealing the man’s doom. Finally he nodded, giving Bryony the go-ahead.
She waved her arm, taking in the house and grounds in one gesture. ‘Did Clayton tell you how he could afford all this?’
‘His boat supply company,’ I said.
‘Did he mention his business partner?’
‘Yeah, but I haven’t learned his name.’
Bryony sucked in her bottom lip, then released it with a tiny smack. ‘Parker Quinn,’ she announced. ‘The two of them go back a-ways. They started off as a two-boat outfit, taking tourists out on the Gulf, built up their business from there.’ I’d heard the story from Clayton already, but suspected there were parts of it he’d left out. Bryony confirmed my suspicion. ‘Theirs is a shaky business relationship, has been for a number of years now. Clayton has tried buying out Quinn, but Quinn’s not for moving. The way I’ve read things between them, Quinn also wants what Clayton has.’
‘He hasn’t done as well out of the partnership?’ I asked.
‘He’s done OK with the cash, it’s other things Clayton has that Quinn supposedly covets.’
‘Hmmm,’ I said, understanding what she was hinting at. ‘Quinn had his eye on Ella? Any suggestion that she reciprocated?’
‘Not that anyone is admitting to it, but I have a sense that Quinn and Ella enjoyed some sort of relationship. If Clayton suspected, he isn’t saying a thing. You know to admit as much would give him a motive for having his wife murdered.’ Bryony shrugged, and again looked at Holker, seeking his in-put.
‘I know what you’re thinking, Hunter,’ said Holker. ‘Why would he have Ella murdered, and still engage in business with the man who was jumping his wife’s bones? Why not have Quinn murdered, and have done? That way he’d not only inherit everything he did from Ella, but also the entire business. That’s what I’ve been thinking, too.’
‘You suspect Quinn’s behind the anonymous emails?’
‘Yeah, But we’ve been unable to trace them back to him. Whoever’s behind them is covering their tracks, sending them through anonymous Hotmail accounts. We’ve been able to identify the IP address of the computer used to send them, but not its location. Once we find the computer, we find the sender, but we haven’t any reason to go hunting for it yet. These emails are only a few compared to the dozens of others we’ve received from all the haters. The only reason they’re of interest to us is because they firmly accuse Clayton, seem to have some insider knowledge about the man, and have purposefully been kept anonymous.’
‘Could be the killer,’ I said. ‘Throwing you off track by having you concentrate on Clayton.’
‘Could be,’ Holker admitted, and actually offered me a nod of mutual respect. But that was all I could expect from him. He walked away, his built-up heels leaving small crescent indentations in the lawn.
7
Once Rink arrived and took over guard duty, I collapsed on the bed in the guest room, and slept like the dead for six hours. When I woke, and had showered and shaved, and taken a bathroom break, I let my big buddy get off again. Before he got in his car, he raised his eyebrows at me in question, but I’d not a lot to tell him yet. I’d mentioned the prowler that dropped the glove when he arrived earlier, and guessed he’d spoken with Clayton about the incident while I slept. Because Andrew and Cole were home, I told him I’d give him a
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