Weary, I leaned back in my chair and massaged my scalp. I knew Alice’s discovery was from an Internet search—she’dsaidso—but I was beginning to wonder if it might not have been from the one she described to me. It was entirely possible that she’d moved on to a new area of research.
Finally, around one o’clock, Claiborne made contact.
“I’m glad you got in touch, Ms. Weggins,” he said, oozing unctuous charm. “I owe you a big thank-you for yesterday, but unfortunately I had no way to reach you.”
“Really?” I said. “Kelly has my number.”
“I wasn’t aware of that.”
“And so does Lisa. Surely you knewthat.”
“Lisa—Lisa and I aren’t in contact any longer.”
Was this stuff about my cell number all bullshit? If hewasthe killer, he wouldn’t want me to know he had it.
“Well, you have it now and we need to chat. Where were you a week ago Sunday?”
“Pardon me?”
“A week ago Sunday. Your wife said you’d gone out of town, but you weren’t with Lisa and you weren’t with J.J., either.”
“I—I was in Lake Placid. Staying at the Crowne Plaza. I had an early breakfast meeting the next morning. Originally I’d planned to attend a three-day program up there, and though I ended up canceling, I kept some of the appointments I’d made.”
“Why did you need to spend the night at the hotel when it’s barely over an hour away from your home?”
“Well, I had a dinner scheduled up there for Sunday night as well. It didn’t make sense to go up and back and then up again. I—I honestly don’t see why my personal life is any business of yours.”
“You don’t? Your girlfriend calls me screaming for help and when I show up, yourothergirlfriend waves a gun in my face. So your personal life became my business whether I wanted it to or not. Now back to your schedule. Who did you have breakfast with that Monday morning?”
“Breakfast? Why—? I don’t believe this. You can’t possibly think I had anything to do with Shannon’s death.”
“Just tell me who you had breakfast with.”
“Another chiropractor I’ve been thinking of opening a branch with.”
“Is that right?”
“You think I’m lying?”
“Well, you’re not exactly a paragon of honesty.”
“Ask the sheriff if you have to. He inquired as to my whereabouts for that time period and I not only told him where I was, but I also turned over my receipts. I’m sure he’s verified the information.”
Something told me that this time, at least, Claiborne was telling the truth. Because if this hadn’t all checked out, Killian would have been all over him.
“Good. I’ll follow up with him.”
“You’re not going to say anything to Kelly about this,are you? Things have been shaky with us and I don’t want to make it worse. Not with everything she’s going through.”
“I’ll tell you what. Take my call the next time I need info from you, and it’ll stay between the two of us.”
I hung up before he had time to respond.
The phone was still in my hand when Dodson rang.
“You’re all set for the video, right?” he said.
“Yes, thanks, all set. I—”
