"Greg was no saint either.”
"They were both fooling around?"
"In her defense, Dr. Stocktonisreally attractive.”
"Dr. Stockton?”
"He’s the endodontist across the hall. Easy on the eyes. But I have a rule against married men."
"It’s a good rule. How long had she been having an affair with him?"
Pepper shrugged. "It's hard to say. A couple of months at least. I know sometimes they would do it right here in the office. Not during business hours, of course.”
"But she'd often stay late?"
Pepper nodded. "She would do procedures after hours for friends or special clients. Emergency situations.”
"She didn’t seem available for Jack's emergency.”
"Like I said, she tried to avoid people who were displeased with her work.”
It was infuriating.
"Do you know if her husband was aware she was having an affair?"
Pepper thought about it for a moment. "It's not like she was flaunting it. But I'm not sure she did a lot to hide the fact. I think they were both at a point in their marriage where they just hated each other. They wanted to rub it in."
"That's starting to sound like a motive for murder," I said. "How was your relationship with Dr. Latham?"
"We got along fine. I like my job, she paid me well, and she wasn't too much of a bitch to me. I mean, don't get me wrong, she could get in her moods. But everybody can.”
"Where were you last night?” I didn't think Pepper was involved, but I figured I should do my due diligence.
"I was at home. By the time I get off work, go to the gym, and grab dinner, I'm exhausted. I don't have time for anything else. I don’t see how my girlfriends can go out to the clubs every night of the week until two, then get up and go to work in the mornings. I mean, that was cool during college. I guess I’m getting old,” she said with a frown.
Pepper was far from old.
"No boyfriend?”
She frowned again. "Not at the moment. Why? You interested?" she asked with a flirty gaze.
I smiled. "You’re a witness in a homicide investigation.”
She frowned. “Oh yeah, there is that. But the investigation will be over someday, won't it?"
I smiled. "We've got a pretty good solve ratio.”
She liked the sound of that, possibilities in the air.
“Is there anybody else Dr. Latham had a problem with? Anyone who might’ve wanted to cause her harm?”
29
"Dr. Latham fired Hannah about a month ago," Pepper said.
"Why?" I asked.
Pepper frowned. "Dr. Latham accused her of flirting with her husband, of all things. Like she even cared. Then, to add insult to injury, she filed a complaint. Said that Hannah was showing up late, exhibited signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and drug addiction. Last time I talked to Hannah, she couldn’t get another job. I think she's in a completely different industry now.”
