“How did you feel about that?” said Josie.
He used the heels of his hands to rub his eyes as though this entire line of inquiry was utterly exhausting. “How do you think I felt? Disappointed. Devastated. A little duped, to be honest.”
“Because she told you she and Haven were going to move in with you,” Noah said. “Then she dumped you.”
“Yes.”
“And you had bought her a big, beautiful house to demonstrate your commitment to her and Haven,” Noah went on, “in Quail Hollow Estates.”
“Yes,” Griffin answered.
Noah whistled. “You were pretty damn serious then. That’s the nicest neighborhood in the city.”
“Mr. Holt,” Josie said. “According to the city recorder of deeds, you purchased the home in Quail Hollow Estates in January of last year. One month before you met Maxine Barnes.”
He blinked, panic flashing across his face in the span of a heartbeat.
She forged ahead. “Who did you really buy the house for?”
Griffin’s mouth twisted, as if he were trying on different expressions until he found the most appropriate one. It was almost as if he was working to slip back into salesman mode, where he was effortlessly in control. That must have been his safe place, emotionally. As sure as she could see him floundering, she could see his brain working overtime to manufacture a convincing lie. “You’ve met my sister and brother-in-law, right? I’m sure you saw they’ve got a little one on the way. Reina and I always talked about opening a second location somewhere. Denton would be perfect. I thought shecould put one of our long-time employees in charge of the Alden center and she, Milo, and their baby could move in here while they got the second location up and running.”
Neither Reina nor Milo had mentioned this, probably because it was an outright lie.
“Live with you?” Josie said.
Finally, he managed a weak smile. “Yes, of course. The house is big enough for all of us.”
Josie was quite certain that Milo Torres would rather live in a tiny garden shed filled with rodents than with his brother-in-law, but she didn’t push the issue. Griffin had already revealed several inconsistencies which damaged his credibility, and she was certain once they got what they needed from his phone and car, he would be proven a liar.
“Maxine was okay with all of you living here together?” Josie asked.
“Well, we didn’t have a chance to discuss that, but I’m sure she would have been fine with it. Like I said, the house has plenty of room to accommodate everyone. We were in love. Plus, it was important that she get away from Charles. He was getting worse. She was scared. So was Haven.”
“Had you ever met Haven?” asked Noah.
“No, I was supposed to early in the year. Maxi wanted them to move in by spring but then everything fell apart.”
“It didn’t bother you that she was still married?” asked Noah.
“Of course it did,” Griffin said. “I know it was wrong but her marriage to Charles was toxic. She hadn’t been happy in a long time. I think she wanted to leave before that, but she was scared of what he’d do. I knew I could protect her from him. I’m certainly not proud of the circumstances in which we started our relationship, but I’m not ashamed of what we felt for one another.”
“Would you say the same about your relationship with Dani Turner?” asked Josie.
FORTY-FOUR
Even from across the room, Josie saw Griffin’s nearly imperceptible wince. He’d been on the brink of regaining his composure and now it looked like someone had slapped him. “I don’t understand.”
“We’re asking if your relationship with Dani Turner was similar to your relationship with Maxine,” Josie said.
If Griffin got any paler or shakier, they were going to need smelling salts.
Softly, Noah said, “Answer the question, please, Mr. Holt.”
Hands back on the table, he fidgeted again with his cufflink. “I don’t make a habit of dating married women, if that’s what you’re getting at. Things with Dani and then with Maxine…well, they just kind of happened.”
They’d brought him in for questioning so they could lock him into a statement about Maxine and Haven Barnes because they had proof of a connection. What they didn’t have was a connection between him and Dani. All they had was speculation, theories. Until now. Griffin had given it to them. Anticipation thrummed through Josie’s veins.
“I would never seek out a married woman,” Griffin added, “but Dani’s marriage was over when we met.”
