“I should tell you that when I picked dinner up someone mentioned a writer being in town asking about the case and getting the records. It’s no coincidence they were gossiping with me. I’m positive wherever this is coming from also knew I helped you get those records.”
He sighed. Not exactly what he wanted to happen. “What did you say?”
“What I always do,” she said, cutting her meatball in half and popping it in her mouth.
“Don’t leave me waiting,” he said while she chewed.
“That when people’s ears get bigger than their head, they do face plants and look like a fool.”
“That’s funny. I’m sure that person didn’t think so.”
“Most likely not. I don’t even know who it was. I go in there a lot for dinner and it’s embarrassing that more people around here know me than I know them.”
“Might come in handy though. If you don’t mind, can you tell me why you had to process what I told you yesterday about the McGregors and Cooper working for them?”
Gale nodded. “I had to figure out how much I was going to say. Not that I’m withholding, but if I give you my personal opinion on matters it might skew your thoughts and opinions and I don’t want that.”
“I appreciate that, but I’ll ask if I think you might be biased.”
“Ugh,” she said, wiggling her arms out. “Lawyers don’t want to be told they are biased.”
“You started it,” he said. “And you’re going to get sauce on that pretty sweater.”
She was still dressed for work in black pants, black pumps and a light pink sweater.
Her hair was in a ponytail but looked to have some more hair twisted around a rubber band, giving it some more flash. There wasn’t much makeup on her face, but he was positive she knew she looked the part every day she walked out of her house.
She pushed her sleeves up. “Then it’d be ruined and I might cry. I’ve got a love hate relationship with my clothes. I love to buy things and then hate when I ruin them.”
“Sounds like a ‘you’ problem to fix when it comes to loud messy eating.”
She winked at him. “It is. Back to the McGregors. Cooper did work for them years before your sister’s murder. He left because Daniel is an asshole.”
“Daniel? Kane is the son?”
He hadn’t gotten to researching them yet, not wanting to cloud too many facts in his brain.
“Daniel is the owner, father. Kane is his only son. They moved here from downstate when Kane was a baby, like I said. They are developers and employ a lot of people.”
“Austin said residents were being asked to sell their homes?”
“They were and many said no. Most were sticking to it. You only need one to cave and have a condo built and others get nervous and don’t want that as their neighbors and sell too.”
“Is that what happened?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. The first condo didn’t even break ground until almost two years after Rene was murdered. I think everyone was fearful and not thinking along those lines. Daniel was worried some might not move here with the news. People just sat back.”
“So he could be someone who wanted an arrest and conviction quickly?”
“Him, other businesses, politicians. You name it. We are a small tourist town. When something big like this happens, everyone suffers. It was the end of the summer so slowing down anyway, but I’d heard some hotels had reservations canceled, fewer people who were here were going out to eat. The economy took a brief hit, which isn’t your problem, but things can get sloppy then.”
He knew that from when he was on the force. Pressure to do something fast didn’t mean it was right.
“So Daniel sounds as if he likes to wield power over people.”
“I think so. But that’s my opinion. I’ve met him a few times. I think he likes to meet those who buy his condos. He still owns the land and cares for it. Daniel doesn’t do as much anymore that I know of. Nothing more than kiss ass. Kane has taken over the bulk of day-to-day operations. He’s older than me. Closer to Clay’s age. Not someone that I’d want to work for.”
“A chip off the old block?” he asked.
