“We don’t need you to get us anything, but we’d like to speak with you, if you could give us a few minutes of your time.” Amanda sat down and gestured at the chair across the table.
Trent parked next to Amanda with his tablet, prepared to make any notes on that.
“Ah, sure.” Casey pulled out the indicated chair and dropped onto it.
It was all done in such a casual manner that Amanda suspected Dominique hadn’t been forthcoming about the situation that morning. Or if she had, Amanda would like to know why Casey didn’t seem at all concerned. But even if Dominique hadn’t disclosed that her life was in danger, surely the word would have spread that a murder happened in her house. The news was public by this point. “Just to be clear, do you know why we’re interested in the threats against Dominique and the sale documents?”
“Ms. Sharp told me you’re concerned someone may be interested in killing her.”
So Casey knows that much…“Did you know that a woman was murdered in Ms. Sharp’s home?”
Casey nodded. “Her real estate agent. There are a lot here who keep up on the news, so the word got around pretty quickly.”
“Yes, well, Detective Stenson and I are tasked with finding her justice and protecting your boss from any further attempts on her life.” Amanda studied Casey for any sign that her words were making an impact. There was a subtle flinch in her left eye. “Before we look into this pile of threats, are there any that stand out to you, or any person in particular?”
Casey bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
Both actions came quickly and represented false timidity. Amanda would wager Casey was afraid of someone. “You’re sure?” Amanda tried to ease the young woman into opening up.
Casey took a deep breath. “Ms. Sharp has a lot of people who dislike her.”
“Why is that?” Trent asked, earning Casey’s gaze.
“If she doesn’t pull off miracles, some clients turn on her. We are in criminal defense, and it doesn’t take much to upset our clients sometimes.”
“Anyone specific coming to mind?” Amanda asked.
Casey turned away and shook her head, trembling.
“If you’re afraid of someone, we can protect you,” Amanda told the young woman.
“No, I’d just rather not point fingers at people when I don’t know anything as fact. If that’s all…?”
“For now. We will want to speak to the senior partners and the other employees of the firm though.”
“There are almost thirty, though some are off today.”
“That’s fine. We’ll just need five minutes a piece for the ones here. If you could send in one of the partners in first, that would be great.” Amanda offered an encouraging smile to Casey, which was met withindifference.
“Okay.”
Casey left, and Amanda turned to Trent. “I can’t be alone in thinking she looked terrified to speak up.”
“Oh, I’d say she was, and it’s like she’s fictionalized everything that is going on with Dominique. As if it’s not really happening.” Trent pulled the folders closer to them, took one for himself, and passed one to her.
Amanda opened it and was taken back by the sheer number. She read the first few, of which the most recent was from last month. None of the senders held back from speaking their minds, but they didn’t disclose their names. Some of the threats were emailed, others mailed. If one of these people made good on their threats, it was going to take a lot more work to determine that.
“I wonder if we jumped ahead on this,” she said to Trent, closing her folder. “After all, would a person who orders a hit advertise themselves as an enemy?”
“I see what you’re saying, but you can’t dismiss the possibility that hatred isn’t always something that hits hot and fast. It can build over time.”
Amanda looked at all the folders, and her stomach sank. She couldn’t ignore the vast number of enemies Dominique had, but for now, it was best they stick to more obvious suspects. They could also return to these written threats if they found the case hit a wall.
There was a knock on the doorframe, and Amanda turned to see Bennie O’Neil. He strongly resembled his driver’s license photo, which wasn’t often the case. With a head of thick silver hair and sculpted face and body, he was the image of a gray fox. And being a lawyer, he likely took the analogy further and was sharp and cunning.
“Come in,” Amanda told him. “And take a seat.” She gestured to the seat that Casey had vacated. With O’Neil acrossfrom her and Trent, they’d be able to read his facial expressions and body language more clearly than if he sat farther away.
O’Neil closed the door before sitting where Amanda had indicated.
