Page 51 of Witness To Murder
The elevator stopped and the doors opened.
Owen stepped out first, had a look around and then put her arm in his. “Can I take you back to the apartment now?”
“Not until we see the ex-wife.” Leah knew that had been on his to-do list. They needed to stick to the investigation. “I’m fine, really.” She was tired, yes. But she could do this. It couldn’t wait.
He scanned the sidewalk and street before they exited the building. Once he was satisfied, they began the walk to the car. “Are you certain you’re feeling all right? Really.”
“Really, I am. I’m a little tired, but that’s normal with a concussion like this. As long as I don’t try to run a marathon or get into a fight, I think I’m good.”
He shook his head. “You are stubborn.”
She’d gotten it from her daddy. “I’ll rest tonight, I promise.”
“You absolutely will,” he vowed.
Somehow she had a feeling she was going to really enjoy tonight.
Louise Douglas Residence
Wolcott Avenue, 1:00 p.m.
THE DOUGLAS HOMEwas a multi-million-dollar residence ensconced comfortably between two other lovely high-end homes. According to Owen’s research, Mrs. Douglas got the house and a car in the divorce settlement—as well as a very hefty monthly child support and alimony payment.
City records showed a mortgage on the house. With her ex-husband dead, those big monthly payments would likely be gone as soon as his remaining assets were dissolved or passed on according to his will. The house would be paid off.
Since Mrs. Douglas was a stay-at-home mother, any issues with the estate payout or the insurance proceeds was likely not good. She would need every dime of the five million, plus whatever else there was to inherit in order to maintain her current lifestyle.
A huge motive for murder.
Her ex-husband’s and Leah’s.
“What if she won’t talk to us?” Leah’s nerves were jittery.
“Curiosity will force her to talk to us.” Owen turned to her. “You ready?”
She exhaled a big breath. “Guess so.” She had insisted on doing this, after all.
Owen exited the car and was at her side of the vehicle before she could get the door open and climb out. That was the thing about this concussion. She felt like she was moving in slow motion. Losing time was another thing she’d noticed. Just when she thought five seconds had passed, she realized it was a minute or more.
They walked up the front steps, and Owen rang the bell. The brick-and-limestone house looked very much like a brownstone but was likely only a few years old. It was a style Leah loved, but owning one was about as likely as her winning the lottery.
The door opened, and the woman Leah had seen in photos on Raymond’s social media accounts stood before them. Tall, slim, blonde, green eyes and dressed to the nines, as they say. The woman was gorgeous.
“You.” She glared at Leah. “How dare you come to my home.”
Owen moved closer to Leah as if anticipating throwing himself in front of her. “Mrs. Douglas, we’re here to talk aboutinconsistencies in the events leading up to Raymond’s murder. It would be very helpful if you could give us a few minutes of your time.”
The fury in her expression made Leah certain she would say no, but then she backed up a step. “Fine. But unless you have something relevant to say, I’m not interested.”
Leah relaxed. She tried to see the situation from this woman’s perspective. Her ex-husband had been murdered—the father of her children. The source of her income. It could not be easy.
Then again, she was the one with the most to gain from his murder.
For that matter, she may have hired someone to come after Leah. After all, ten million was way better than five.
The entry hall flowed straight to the back of the house, where a large, open room served as a living, dining and kitchen space. It was beautiful, perfect for family living. Whoever designed the home had done a great job.
“Sit if you like,” Louise Douglas said as she dropped onto the sofa.
