The Sleeping Beauty Killer

44

Laurie checked the screen to make sure that what she was seeing in front of her was being captured on film. Gabrielle Lawson was leaning forward in her chair-almost at a forty-five-degree angle-staring intensely into Ryan’s eyes. Whatever damage Ryan had done with his abrasiveness at her apartment had been forgotten.

Jerry passed Laurie a note he had jotted on a pad: Get a room!

Ryan was handling the situation like a professional-businesslike for the cameras, but warm enough to keep Gabrielle talking. He began by walking Gabrielle through a shorter version of her trial testimony. According to her, Hunter realized that Casey was too “coarse” and “unsophisticated” for him to marry. He was interested in pursuing a relationship with Gabrielle “after an appropriate amount of time had passed.”

Ryan then moved on to the same line of cross-examination Janice Marwood had pursued, establishing that no one had been able to corroborate Gabrielle’s claims of a relationship with Hunter. Gabrielle had an explanation for everything. Hunter was “subtle.” They weren’t “crass” enough to be seen in public. They had a “special connection” and an “unspoken understanding” about their future commitment to each other.

Ryan continued to nod politely, but Laurie could tell he was about to move into unchartered territory. “Gabrielle, it’s been fifteen years, and there’s still no way to know for certain that Hunter was planning to leave Casey for you-which formed the basis of Casey’s supposed motive to kill Hunter. What would you say to people who think that you’re either lying about your relationship with Hunter, or perhaps even imagined it as a kind of wishful thinking or fantasy.”

She let out a childlike giggle. “Well, that’s just silly.”

“But here’s the thing. This wouldn’t be the only time you’ve been accused of doing exactly that. Can we talk for a minute about Hans Lindholm?”

Not even the pound of makeup on Gabrielle’s face could hide the fact that she suddenly went pale. “That was a misunderstanding.”

“Our viewers probably recognize the award-winning director’s name. They may also remember that he obtained a restraining order against a woman he met at a film festival. He suspected that the woman even planted a gossip report that the two of them were moving in together. What our viewers may not realize is that you were the woman named in that restraining order.”

“That was a long time ago.” Gabrielle looked away from Ryan for the first time since the cameras began rolling.

“And the gossip columnist who reported-falsely-that the two of you were moving in together was a woman named Mindy Sampson. That’s the same columnist who ran the photograph of you with Hunter, speculating that he might not be getting married to Casey after all.”

“What’s the point of all this?” Gabrielle asked.

“It seems as if Mindy Sampson has a way of knowing-or at least reporting-about your supposed romantic relationships, whether they exist in reality or not. Isn’t it true that you were the source of both reports?”

“You’re twisting things around.”

“That’s not my intent, Gabrielle.” His voice was gentle, like an ally’s. “We spoke a couple of weeks ago off the record. Do you remember that?”

“You were very rude at the time,” she remarked, apparently rethinking her latest opinion of Ryan.

“I’m very sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I want to make sure I understand your side of the story. You conceded then that you may have-quote-leaned in toward Hunter when you saw the photographer. That-quote-Sometimes these matters need a little push. Maybe it’s possible you spread the word to Mindy about relationships that were… let’s say, in the early stages, like planting a seed in the hope things would blossom. Is that what happened with Hans Lindholm?”

She nodded tentatively. “As I said, it was a misunderstanding. I was shocked when he accused me of stalking him. It was completely humiliating.”

“And did you also plant a seed with Hunter? Did you call Mindy Sampson so she’d have a photographer at the Boys and Girls Clubs fundraiser, then lean in toward Hunter when the photographer came around?”

Now she was shaking her head in denial. “No. I admit I contacted her about Hans. I thought if he realized I was good publicity for him, it would spark his interest. But the only reason I thought to call her is that she had been the one to contact me about Hunter.”

“What do you mean, she contacted you?”

“She said she’d heard rumors that Hunter was interested in me. She said he was going to the Boys and Girls Clubs fundraiser a few nights before his own gala. Mindy told me Casey had an auction at Sotheby’s that night and couldn’t attend. She was the one who suggested I go to the fundraiser. She told me she’d send a photographer. Hunter was so happy to see me. He was so sweet and asked me all kinds of questions about what I’d been doing since we last saw each other. I’m telling you, we had a connection. There was an understanding. He was going to leave her for me.”

Jerry was writing another note next to Laurie: he just didn’t know it yet!!

Ryan managed to maintain a neutral expression, even though Gabrielle was beginning to sound completely delusional.

“You said Mindy was the one who contacted you about rumors concerning you and Hunter. Was that news to you?”

Gabrielle mulled the question carefully before answering. When she finally spoke, the tone of her voice had changed. She came across as lucid and thoughtful.

“It was widely speculated that Hunter’s father could not possibly approve of Casey. And there were rumors that Hunter might be caving to family pressure on that point. And yes, I suppose I wanted to believe that maybe he was remembering our dates fondly and thinking I might be a more appropriate choice.”

“So how do you think Mindy Sampson knew that Hunter would be attending an event without Casey?”

“Honestly, I always assumed it was Hunter’s father. As we were saying, sometimes things need a push. Maybe he thought his son needed a push toward a different kind of wife.”

“Do you know for certain that General Raleigh was pressuring Hunter to break off his engagement?”

“Well, I can’t be certain, but you should ask Hunter’s brother, Andrew. The night of the gala, he was even drunker than Casey. I saw him fetching his umpteenth scotch at the bar. I said something like ‘Aren’t you supposed to be working the crowd?’ He said no one cared whether he was there, and he was thinking of going outside because Hunter and his father sucked all the oxygen out of a room. He complained that his brother acted so rich and accomplished even though the family business had been handed to him. I made some joke because I thought the entire conversation was unseemly. And then he said, ‘If I were engaged to someone like Casey Carter, my father would see her as too good for me. But God forbid that the chosen son should marry a normal person. Well, good going, General Raleigh.’ Then he held up his glass, like he was giving a toast, and said, ‘Keep going down this road, and this loser will be the only son you have left.’ To tell you the truth, when I first heard about Hunter’s murder, I thought about Andrew’s dark mood that night. But once they arrested Casey-well, it goes without saying, she’s the one who killed my Hunter.”