He pulls out his notebook and pen. “Since I’m here, got a few minutes for me to ask you some questions?”
“Of course.” It’s no surprise he’d want a formal interview with me as much as he’d want one with Camille.
Sullivan pulls out his recorder, hits the button, then sets it on the edgeof my desk. “Detective Sullivan questioning Hank Landry, partner at Bayliss and Landry, regarding the events of the weekend of October ninth through eleventh.” He gives me a nod to check that I’m ready, then launches into his first question. “Yesterday at the scene you stated that you returned with Mr. Bayliss from New Orleans earlier than originally planned and that the two of you arrived at his home just after one p.m. on Saturday, October tenth, since your personal vehicle was parked there, correct?”
I nod. “Correct.”
“Did Mr. Bayliss tell you his plans for the rest of the day? Did he mention meeting anyone?”
“No, all he said was he had some stuff to do. I didn’t think anything of it.”
“Did you know he would be taking possession of a 1970 Ford Mustang that he had restored from a group named FP Restorations?”
My first impulse is to show my surprise but then I remember the advice I give my clients and work to remain still and calm. But I do make a mental note of the business name for later.
Shaking my head, I answer, “No, I did not.”
“Any pissed-off client I need to know about? Someone looking for revenge after Ben got a client acquitted for killing their family member?”
“Not off the top of my head, but we’re pulling all his case files and I’ll be going through them over the next few days. You’ll be my first call if something stands out.”
Sullivan makes a few notes then asks, “What about a scorned lover?”
Even though I should have expected that question, it still takes me aback.
“No. Not at all. Ben’s not that kind of guy.”
Sullivan smirks. “But he’s the kind of guy who comes home from out of town early but doesn’t tell his wife.”
There’re so many ways this line of questioning can go, and I’m not crazy about the insinuations. “I know Ben and I know Camille, and I’m telling you theirs was a happy marriage.”
Sullivan turns back a few pages in his notebook as if searching for something specific. “Here it is,” he mumbles. “There was an open FedEx package on his desk in his home office. It was originally delivered to Mr. Bayliss here at this office on Thursday. He signed for it personally at one fifty-five p.m. The only item inside was a document listing the contents as a replacement key for a Defense Force 24 gun safe. We didn’t find any evidence of a safe like that in his home. Do you have any idea why he would request a replacement key to a safe he doesn’t own?”
“No, I’m sorry I don’t have an answer to that.”
Finally, he asks the question I’ve been dreading. “Did you and Ben have any problems? Any issues in your professional partnership?”
There’s no easy way to say it. “Ben approached me recently about dissolving our partnership.”
This news lands the way I expected it to. Based on the surprised reaction from Sullivan, he hadn’t gotten wind of this yet, but it would look worse for me if he heard it later from anyone else.
“Why did he want to dissolve your partnership? If I’m remembering correctly, you only joined him here…what…three years ago?”
“Two. His reasoning was he thought he wanted a partner and then decided he didn’t.”
Sullivan’s head cocks to the side. “That’s it? No fight, no argument preceded this?”
Shaking my head, I answer, “No. I was actually shocked when hementioned it. I didn’t realize he was unhappy with our current arrangement.” This is mostly true. Ben and I were having some issues when it came to the future direction of the firm.
“What was your response to this?”
I let out an uncomfortable chuckle. “Well, it caught me off guard. And then I was a bit frustrated since he’s the one who talked me into leaving the DA’s office. Honestly, he only presented me a draft of the proposed dissolution last week so I was still processing it.”
“But the two of you still went to New Orleans together?”
“Of course. Like I said, I was surprised but there wasn’t an issue between us. No reason not to keep the plans we had made.”
I lean back in my chair, making sure to show Sullivan I’m relaxed and not bothered by this questioning.
