Page 53 of Wild Justice

“And did you stay there all evening?”

“Yes.”

“Can anyone vouch for that?”

“My roommate, Kathleen Meadows, can. She saw me go to bed.”

“I’ll be checking with your roommate.”

“Fine,” Allie replied dismissively. “I’ll let her know you’ll be in touch.”

That’s the last thing Lulu wanted Allie to do.

“No need. I’ll have one of my deputies call her now and set up an interview time. Excuse me for a moment.”

Lulu stood up and exited the interview room, beckoning to Deputy Steve who was hovering outside. He couldn’t hear what was going on, but he could see through the glass.

“Do you know a Kathleen Meadows?” Lulu asked. “Find her phone number and give her a call. She’s Allie’s roommate. I need to talk to her to confirm Allie’s alibi. As soon as possible, please.”

“Got it. Will do.”

Steve disappeared around the corner, and Lulu rejoined the Allie and her so-far silent attorney in the interview room.

“What were you and Dana Cartwright arguing about at the sports bar the night before she died?”

“I don’t remember any argument.”

“I saw you?—”

“May I interject?” the lawyer said with a wan smile. “You can’t know for sure that it was an argument if you don’t know what was said.”

“Okay, what were you and Dana discussing that night?”

“I don’t know. It wasn’t important enough to remember.”

“Jay remembers. He says that you threatened Dana’s life.”

“I have no memory of that,” Allie said with a nonchalant shrug. “And why would I threaten Dana? She was meaningless in my life.”

“Was she meaningless to Jay?”

“She was a pest in his life that wouldn’t go away. He was frustrated because she wouldn’t give up, and he just wanted to move on.”

“So, you weren’t jealous of Dana?”

“Why would I be? Jay loves me, not her. Are we done now? I didn’t kill Dana, but I can name at least six people who might have.”

“I’d be interested in hearing that list,” Lulu replied. “I didn’t realize that Dana was so hated in the community.”

“Talk to Dana’s sister Jillian,” Allie sneered. “She knows what her sibling is really like. And her parents, too. Or any of her co-workers. They’re always having to pick up her slack because she’s off with some new guy like Glen Foster. Or any of a number of men. She was…popular, I guess you could say. If you’re into that sort of casual relationship.”

Allie had done everything but call Dana a whore. Lulu didn’t believe in slut-shaming.

“I think we’re done here,” the attorney said, levering up from his chair and beginning to pack his briefcase. “If you have any more questions for my client, call my office.”

“Just one more question,” Lulu said, clearing her throat. This could be a huge miscalculation. Was this the right thing to do? She didn’t know, but her gut was screaming at her. This wasn’t planned at all. “When did you find out about Dana’s pregnancy?”

Thereit was. Right there.

---