“No, it’s fine. I was just trying to help.”
“I know you know this, Priscilla, but I’m going to have to confirm where the two of you were from the time you left the office to when you arrived here,” he said. River started to say something but Priscilla jumped in.
“I understand. You’ll find us leaving the office a little before five and we went across the street for coffee. Celine said to meet her here for six-thirty. We talked a while over coffee, which will show on the cameras. We arrived here at almost exactly six-thirty.”
Todd nodded at her.
“Thanks. I’ll double check all of that but I believe you.” He looked over their shoulders and nodded back at them. “That’s the coroner. Stay put.”
“He can’t possibly believe that you or I had anything to do with this,” said River.
“He has to look at all possibilities, River. You know that. I just wish I knew what she was working on. She’d been very quiet about things these last few weeks. The only thing she talked about was you.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” he said shaking his head.
“I know that. I didn’t mean to imply that you knew anything. I want to cry for her. I want to be angry with her but I worried about her all the time. I worried that she was going to piss off the wrong man and something would happen to her.”
“So, you don’t believe this has anything to do with work?” asked River.
“Honestly? I have no clue. But what I saw in there, as an agent, was a very, very angry killer.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Coroner said she’s probably been dead about two hours which would put the death prior to your arrival, most likely within a few minutes of when she arrived home,” said Todd.
“Like we told you,” frowned River.
“Jordan, you know I have to presume everyone is guilty, not innocent. I have a dead agent and a home that looks like it was ransacked by a group of toddlers. Pissed off toddlers. She has paintings on the wall in there worth more than I make in a year and yet they weren’t touched. Same with the furniture, art pieces, sculptures, all of it.”
“How did she afford this?” asked River.
“I’m not sure. I’ve never been here before,” he said looking behind him as the stretcher came out with the body. “I’m going to the morgue with them and then I’ll get with the police to gather what they have.”
“What about us?” asked Priscilla.
“I don’t suspect either one of you,” said Todd. “But I want you to take a few days off. She was your friend.”
Secretly, River was thrilled that he offered that up to Priscilla. A few days off was exactly what he wanted her to take – with him.
“Alright,” she nodded. “I’ll stay in touch with you and you can reach me by phone if you need anything at all.”
“I’m sorry you guys had to see that. It’s never easy losing an agent but especially losing one to what seems like random, senseless violence.”
“Forgive me, but that doesn’t seem random at all,” said River. “Someone was looking for something. If they didn’t touch the paintings, the artwork, her wallet, her car, nothing, they were looking for something or they were seriously pissed at her.”
Todd said nothing, just giving a half-nod and walking toward his own vehicle. River watched him pull away, following the police and coroner.
“What now?” asked Priscilla.
“We do what we planned. For now. Let’s head out to Coronado for a few days and if something comes up here, we’ll come back.”
“River, they won’t ask you to come back. They would ask me.”
“And I’ll be right beside you,” he said confidently.
“River, that’s crazy. There’s no reason for you to come back with me when they call.”
“There’s every reason,” he said calmly guiding her to the car. “Right now, let’s get a bag packed for you. I’m going to call for a ride.”
