Long Shadows

Chapter 77

“Why are you back?” asked Dennis Langley after his assistant, Rose, had escorted Decker in and left his office. She didn’t look like the same woman as before, Decker thought. Her shoulders were slumped, and the sunny smile he had seen during his first visit here was gone. And she hadn’t sashayed out the door with twitching hips like before. And the reason for all that was clear.

Langley had told her about the marriage.

“Like a bad penny, I guess,” said Decker as he sat down across from the man.

“Make it snappy. I’m a busy man.”

“If you’re cooperative, I’m sure we can knock this out pretty quickly.”

“Knock out what pretty quickly? My alibi is solidly established, so there’s really nothing more to discuss.”

“You say you never went to the judge’s house?”

“That’s right.”

“So you wouldn’t have had access to the key she had to her ex’s place?”

“Of course not. I didn’t even know she had one.”

“She never mentioned it?”

“No. And how would I even know what it looked like, or where it was?” He cocked his head. “Why is that important?”

“I understand you’re getting married next week, and then flying to Nevada right after. Why the rush?”

“I don’t see how that is possibly any of your business.”

“Why don’t you just imagine it is and answer the question?”

“Why don’t you just imagine we’re done and get out of here? You know, Decker, you have no cards in your hand, not a one. So don’t try to pretend to play any. You keep this up, coming to see me and my fiancée, I’ll file harassment charges against you, and I’ll make them stick. And then where will you be?”

Decker said impassively, “I don’t know. Where?”

“Okay, we’re done. You obviously have nothing better to do with your time. But I do.”

“Why did you move down here?”

“Again, none of your concern.”

Decker glanced at the man’s collar. “You going to see Gloria later?”

“Yes, why?”

“Piece of advice. Change your shirt.”

“Why?”

“You have lipstick on your collar. Interestingly, it’s the same shade of red that your assistant, Rose, is wearing.”

Langley pulled a hand mirror out of his desk drawer, checked his collar, and used a tissue to rub off the lipstick. “She was congratulating me on my upcoming marriage and got a little carried away.”

“Really? I assume she kissed you before you told her that you were betrothed.”

“Think whatever you want.”

“How exactly did you get the prostitute to drop the charges against you?”

Langley rose. “You are very, very close to a defamation suit.”

“Don’t think so.”

“Oh, so now you’re a lawyer?”

“No, everything I said was true. She was a prostitute, you were charged with assaulting her, and she then dropped the charges and left town. I hope she’s still alive.”

“Goodbye, Decker.”

Decker walked out of his office and closed the door.

He stopped in front of Rose’s desk. She was crumpling up a tissue and wouldn’t look at him.

He sat down across from her. “I take it you heard about the wedding plans?”

She nodded and blew her nose.

“And you two were...?”

“At least I hoped so. I mean, I know he was seeing her, but I never thought...” She glanced up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. “He told me he loved me.”

“I’m really sorry,” Decker said as she blew her nose again. “That was not a nice thing for him to do.” He looked around. “This is pretty expensive office space, and it’s built out top dollar. And the guy drives a Bentley. I mean, I know lawyers do well, but is there something else going on here?”

She looked at him guardedly. “I don’t think I can talk to you about anything having to do with this firm.”

“That’s fine. I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Seeing as how he’s been so loyal to you.”

He heard her say something under her breath that sounded basically like, Fuck it.

She glanced at her computer and a few seconds later tapped some keys. “In addition to being Mr. Langley’s assistant and paralegal, I also handle the firm’s accounts. Now, I have to go and see someone about something. I’ll be back. You can just hang around here if you want.”

She walked off and Decker immediately sat down behind her desk.

The pages he was scrolling through were financial in nature. He took screenshots of all of them and then studied the pages as he walked out.

The embittered Rose had just given him a piece of low-hanging fruit. Langley should treat his employees better.

When he passed by the Bentley, he smiled and patted its hood.

Now he understood Dennis Langley quite clearly, not that it was so very difficult.

But was he also the murderer of Julia Cummins?