It was a typical corporate office. A nice corner space with a view of the ocean and floor-to-ceiling windows. He had two widescreen displays atop his desk, and a large flatscreen on the far wall was tuned to a financial network. The stock ticker ran across the bottom of the screen at a blistering pace. The anchors babbled about the market and pontificated about current developments and what that meant for the future. They didn’t know any more than anyone else.
JD and I took a seat across the desk from Richard.
"I'll make this brief, gentlemen. It’s my understanding you stopped by the house, looking for Riley.”
I nodded.
"I think it's clear where this is going, don't you?”
"Where do you think it's going?"
"I'm sure you've thought of this. Somebody is clearly setting me up. They make false accusations for a few days beforehand, then they abduct Riley. The focus is shifted toward me."
"Why?”
"You tell me. You're the detectives. Perhaps someone is trying to besmirch my reputation, tank the companies I have a stake in. Who knows? I'm sure the full plan has not been revealed."
"That's an interesting theory. When was the last time you saw Riley?”
27
"Riley confided in me that she was pregnant," Richard said.
"Was the child yours?"
His face wrinkled with offense. "No. That’s preposterous. How dare you suggest something like that?”
“One of Riley’s friends told us the baby is yours.”
“Well, she’s wrong.”
“That’s what Riley told her.”
Richard shook his head. “People can say anything they want. I didn't ask Riley who the father was. I assumed it was her current boyfriend. They had recently broken up for whatever reason. Riley was concerned that she wasn't going to be able to make ends meet on her current salary. She was worried she wouldn’t be able to take care of the needs of her child and assist Julie. She wanted to talk to me first. She was afraid that Julie might not be so understanding."
"Julie seems like a sweet, compassionate woman," I said, egging him on.
"You've only met my wife briefly. While I adore her, she can be callous in certain situations. I know Julie, and she would see Riley as compromised by her current situation. I know Julie would be concerned that Riley wouldn’t be able to fulfill her obligations. It must be an overwhelming position for Riley. I did my best to assure her that I would not only keep her on staff at the house, but I would double her pay, and I would smooth things out with Julie.”
“So, you’re telling me you’ve never had any intimate relations with your nanny?”
“I love my wife.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Richard stared at us for a long moment. “Gentlemen, I’m trying to be as cooperative as I can. Why should I even bother to answer your questions if you’re not going to believe what I say? I care deeply about Riley. She’s essentially become a part of our family. But I did not, and would not, violate the vows of my marriage.”
I tried not to let my doubt show. "What time did Riley leave your house last night?”
"I'm not sure. It was around 9:30 PM, 9:45-ish.”
"How did she get there?"
"I think she rode her bike. I didn't pay much attention.”
I shared another look with Jack.
"I think something happened to her on the way home," Richard said.
