Page 38 of Seven Deadly Sins

Time to play the shocked and grieving colleague. It would be very difficult not to let the pretty detective know she’d already gotten her wish. She didn’t know how soon it had happened.

~

Liam and Harper followed a woman with bleached hair and a too-tight dress to the elevators. “You’ll find Doctor Landry in suite 301. Please check out at the desk when you’re finished.” She sashayed away.

“I’m surprised the poor thing can breathe in that dress,” Harper said.

“Hmmhmm.” Liam tore his eyes away from her swaying bottom.

“Oh, please.” Harper slapped his arm and pressed the button for the elevator. “If that’s what you like.”

“What do you mean?” The type of woman?

“That. All fake and made up. I can’t tell how old she is. She could be twenty or she could be sixty.”

He seriously doubted she was sixty. “She works in a plastic surgery office. She’s bound to get some perks from her job.” The elevator doors opened, and they got in.

“So, is that kind of woman attractive to you?”

“Not really, but I’m not adverse to looking.” He grinned. “I prefer women to look more natural.” Like her. Beautiful without trying. Brave and impetuous. Yeah, he wasn’t looking forward to the day he had to return to Little Rock.

The suite they sought was to their right when they stepped off the elevator. Liam reached around Harper to open the door and got a faint whiff of her shampoo as the door blew her hair in his face. Something soft and sweet with a scent of coconut.

Another made up woman greeted them. She smiled as they presented their credentials. “I’ll let Doctor Landry know you’re here. I do believe he’s had his last appointment for the day.” She spoke into an intercom. “Go on back. Last door on the left.”

A knock on that door got them an invite in.

Doctor Landry’s office of cherry wood bookcases and desk, a black leather sofa, and large window let Liam know the man did very well for himself. He introduced him and Harper, then sat in the offered seats across from the doctor as the man covered up the papers in front of him with a binder. An overhead light shined off his shiny bald head.

Landry arched a brow. “I’m wondering why you’re here, Agent McConnell.”

“It’s about Susan Davis.”

“What about her?”

“She’s been murdered, Doctor.” Liam watched for signs of grief, but the man’s face remained impassive. Maybe he had too much Botox to show emotion. “Were you close?”

“That’s awful. We weren’t any closer than two doctors sharing the same building. We had a friendly rivalry going on about getting and/or taking away each other’s clients. I can’t believe someone would want to kill a respected doctor such as Susan.”

“When was the last time you saw her?”

The man tapped his right forefinger against his lips. “I’d have to say around two o’clock yesterday. She didn’t come to work today. Oh, I guess she couldn’t. What a horrible thing for me to say.”

The man’s words spoke of caring, but Liam got the feeling he wouldn’t miss the other doctor much. No more competing for clients.

“You can’t think of any clients unhappy with her work?”

“No, as I said, she was very respected professionally.”

“Outside of work? A disgruntled boyfriend or ex-husband?”

“Not that I know of. Her secretary might know more.” He tilted his head. “I’m very sorry I can’t help more, but Susan and I weren’t friends outside of work and rarely spoke of anything personal.”

Liam stood. “Thank you for your time. Please call if you think of anything that might help us find out who killed Ms. Davis.” He dropped a business card on the desk.

Since Ms. Davis’s receptionist had the day off, they headed for the jeep. Back inside, he frowned. “The good doctor showed very little emotion to the news.”

“He’s got alibis according to his receptionist. He was already in the office when she arrived, and the chief texted that Susan Davis had been killed around six a.m. this morning. She hadn’t been dead long when we arrived, and the receptionist was in the office by six-thirty. For Landry to have done this he’d have to be a magician. What would be the motive for Landry? He doesn’t seem to be hurting for business.”

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