Laurel took another sip of the huckleberry-flavored brew. “I thought we put a ban on Abigail visiting Jason Abbott after his last suicide attempt.”
“We did, but as his attorney, Melissa Cutting had it lifted.”
Laurel took a deep breath. “We were not notified of this?”
Nester shook his head. “Nope. No one let us know.”
That did not compute. “Why would Melissa do that? When you’re finished here, call her and schedule an interview.”
“Sure,” Nester said. “Also, Fish and Wildlife has arranged for Haylee Johnson to be interviewed on Friday because that’s the soonest she’d agree to meet. I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that Melissa Cutting will accompany Haylee as her attorney.” He frowned, his dark eyes sparkling. “Dollars to doughnuts . . . Where do you think that phrase comes from?”
Laurel reached for a notepad near the center of the table and pulled the paper toward her. “I believe the phrase is an American idiom that originated in the late nineteenth century to do with a bet or wager in which the speaker is confident of the outcome.”
“Of course.” One side of Nester’s upper lip quirked.
Laurel warmed to the subject. “The speaker of the phrase is saying they’re willing to bet something of higher value against lesser value. At that time, doughnuts were relatively inexpensive.”
“Unlike now,” Nester groused.
Laurel nodded. “Yes, I have noticed pastry price increases.”
“The price of everything has increased lately, hasn’t it?”
Unfortunately, he made a true statement. “Yes, and I don’t see economic hope in the near future.”
“Here’s the first video.” Nester clicked the button.
The visiting room of the Genesis city jail came into view, with Jason Abbott in an orange jumpsuit, his handcuffs attached to a bar on the table, sitting across from ex-girlfriend Haylee Johnson.
Teacup in hand, Laurel sat back to watch. Even after a couple months in jail, Jason Abbott appeared handsome with symmetrical features, dark hair, deep blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard. He looked as if he could be a double for Jamie Dornan, a young actor she’d seen in an older streaming British crime drama the previous week.
Across from Abbott, Haylee had her long blond hair up in an intricate twist and her blue eyes expertly lined and shadowed. For her visit, she wore a black dress with a row of pearls adorning her neck. “That’s an odd outfit to visit somebody in jail,” Laurel said.
“Yeah, she looks hot,” Nester replied.
Laurel glanced at him. “Please expand on that statement.”
He frowned. “Haylee is trying to appear . . . well,somethingfor Jason.”
“A black dress connotes class, as do the pearls,” Laurel mused. “She’s wearing a more adult-type outfit than she wore before he went to jail.” If Laurel remembered correctly, Haylee had always sported jeans and a sweatshirt. “She’s trying to impress him?”
“Yeah,” Nester said. “Maybe she’s trying to show him that she’s more sophisticated, classier, and . . . I don’t know, educated?”
Laurel’s chin dropped. “Jason Abbott murdered highly successful women. Why in the world would Haylee want to look like one of them?”
Nester lifted his shoulder. “I don’t know. I mean, she obviously wants his interest.”
Laurel had spent much of her life studying various sciences, but there wasn’t one that explained human behavior, not completely. She was coming as close as possible. “I don’t understand this.”
“Me neither,” Nester said.
That was something at least. “Let’s play the video,” she said.
He clicked a button.
“How are you, Jason?” Haylee asked, her voice tinny on the recording.
“I’m fine. Lonely. I’ve missed you.” His voice remained deep and soothing.
