Formal introductions were made all around, and then Amanda got started.
“I take it you know why we’re interested in speaking with you?” It was best to make sure they were on the same ground.
“Yes. It’s insane if you ask me.”
“What is?” Amanda wasn’t sure if he was referring to their interest in speaking with him, or the situation with someone out there wanting to kill Dominique.
“All of it, I suppose. Her real estate agent was killed in her house. Like what are the chances? But Dom has a way of drawing strange scenarios.”
“Unfortunately, the tally in this situation is even worse,” Amanda said. “An acquaintance of hers was shot in an attempt to kill Ms. Sharp in the wee hours of this morning. He’s in critical condition, and he might not make it.”
O’Neil blanched. “That much I didn’t know about. She just sent out a company-wide email telling us that detectives would be here today and may want to speak with us. We were already aware of the murder in her home the day the body was found.”
It was interesting Casey never mentioned the email. Shock maybe? A minor detail she’d squeezed out of her mind, dismissing it as irrelevant.
“Ms. Sharp seems to be taking it in stride,” Trent said, looking up from his tablet.
“That’s Dom, and that’s why she’s an exceptional lawyer. You could light a bomb at her feet, and she wouldn’t give you a reaction.”
Complete hyperbole, but the suggestion conflicted with Amanda’s observations. She’d witnessed a lot of heatwith the lawyer, sourced from high emotions. Amanda couldn’t imagine that quality would serve an attorney well. Though, it demonstrated the passion Dominique brought to defending her clients. This thought made it sink in they were protecting a woman’s life who worked for the opposing team. She defended criminals while she and Trent fought for justice. “Mr. O’Neil, how long have you been working with Ms. Sharp?”
“Ten years here, five of that as senior partner, but I had dealings with her sometimes when I worked at a previous firm.”
“What sort of dealings?” Trent asked.
“Ah, just lawyer stuff.” O’Neil clasped his hands and sat stiffly.
His succinct response wasn’t enough for Amanda to let him off. “Can you elaborate?”
“In this business, you need to build relationships with other attorneys. For the lack of a better word, let’s call them favors.”
“To settle cases?” Amanda asked.
“It doesn’t hurt when clear-cut negotiations fail.”
Amanda didn’t care for the way the man’s eyes shadowed, like he was shifty and hiding something. But she wasn’t the biggest fan of lawyers. Never had been, but she respected they were necessary. “Any of these unsuccessful negotiations lead to ill will toward Ms. Sharp?”
O’Neil smirked. “Is that question a joke?”
Amanda remained silent, and Trent didn’t move next to her.
“All right, you’re serious. In answer to your question, yes.”
“Do you have any names for us?” Amanda asked.
“No one comes to mind who would want to kill her.”
“How about anyone who doesn’t like Ms. Sharp, but is pretty good about keeping it to themselves?” The question was inspired by her conversation with Trent from a moment ago.
“That could describe most of the people in this building.” O’Neil flashed another smirk that quickly washedout.
Trent leaned across the table. “Yourself included?”
O’Neil pulled back, straightened his tie, and stretched his neck from side to side. “Do Dom and I have our differences? You bet. But we sharpen each other.”
Amanda wasn’t buying his statement for a second. “Does one of those differences involve her purchase of the DC law firm?”
O’Neil tapped the table with a flat palm three times. Then he sighed deeply. “Her plans to up and move things to DC doesn’t bother me.”
