Long Shadows (Amos Decker, #7)(25)

White chimed in, “And understanding what concerned her so much that she had to hire your firm might really help us get there.”

Roe glanced back at the row of people behind her. One man hurried forward and whispered in her ear. She said something back and he nodded.

He returned to the wall, and she looked back at Decker and the others.

“We are checking on some things with our corporate counsel. Of course we want to cooperate fully, but we want to do so in a way that does not jeopardize any client confidentiality.”

“Did she ask for Mr. Draymont specifically?” asked Decker.

She stared at him and said brusquely, “Not to my knowledge.”

“We’d like something more definitive,” he said.

“Right now, it’s to my knowledge,” Roe said firmly.

White said, “Did you meet with her over this matter, or was it an associate?”

“Full disclosure, I knew Julia Cummins through some functions, and organizations we both belonged to. But I did not handle this case. I’m not sure of the details regarding her matter. I assume that she retained the firm, otherwise Draymont would not have been at her home guarding her.”

“Would it be better if we spoke with the person who did handle it?” asked Decker.

“We’ll have to see. As I said, corporate counsel must be involved.”

Decker eyed Andrews to see what his response to this might be. When he said nothing, Decker said, “Let me just be clear. I wasn’t asking a question. Who is this person? We need to meet with them.”

“I’m sure that you can understand we’re all a little stunned at Gamma,” Roe said sharply.

“Not nearly as much as Cummins’s teenaged son who lost his mother,” countered Decker.

“Yes, of course, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise,” said Roe hastily.

“And as I’m sure you know, speed is of the essence in an investigation like this. So the sooner we find out why the judge hired your firm, the better.”

“Have there been new developments?” said Roe, looking at Andrews.

He began, “Well, as a matter of fact—”

Decker broke in, trying to keep his rising temper in check. “Is there anything you can tell us that might be helpful?”

Roe slowly drew her gaze from Andrews. “Alan Draymont was a good operative, never a problem.”

“Did he have a family?” asked White.

Roe looked puzzled. “Why?”

“Just trying to cover all bases. And they would have to be notified of his death.”

“As far as I know he was single. I don’t believe he had any children, but we will confirm that. I apologize, but Gamma has gotten so big I can’t know all of our people personally in every detail.”

“Of course, of course,” said Andrews.

“How long has Gamma been in business?” asked Decker, again trying to hold his temper at his colleague’s obsequiousness.

“Forty-three years.”

“So presumably before you were born then?”

“Yes. My father, Kanak Roe, founded Gamma back then, under another name. It was operating out of a strip mall four blocks off Miami Beach. Now we have well over a thousand operatives in a dozen countries. With seven offices in Florida alone.”

“It’s been incredibly successful,” observed Andrews, drawing a glare from Decker.

“What was your father’s background?” asked White.

“He immigrated here with my grandparents as a child. He became a citizen, earned his undergraduate degree, and then joined the Secret Service. Later he started what became Gamma.”

“And he’s now retired?” asked White.

“No, he…A boating mishap, three years ago.” She looked toward the window. “Far out there, in the Atlantic.”

“Sorry to hear that,” said White.

“That’s when I took over running Gamma. I’ve worked here full-time after spending five years with the Secret Service. I followed in my father’s footsteps, you see. Then I worked my way up here and was second-in-command at the time he—”

“When can we speak to the person here who dealt with the judge?” interjected Decker. “And we understand there might have been threats that she’d received. If so, we’ll need whatever records you have on that.”

Roe looked at him from under hooded eyes, and her lips curled in displeasure. “You’re quite tenacious. You would make a good operative.”

“Right now I’m just trying to be a good investigator. Is the person in this building? We can talk to them now. And any record of threats? We’ll need copies.”

“As I said, I will—”

“Yes, I know, check the file and talk to corporate counsel.” He glanced at the people standing behind her. “Can you send one of them off to do that now? They don’t look too busy. And we drove a long way to go home empty-handed. I’m sure you can appreciate that.”

Andrews coughed and frowned, while White looked as resolute as Decker.

Roe flicked a finger in the direction of her team. They looked at one another for a few moments. Then one of them walked out of the room, tapping on her phone screen.

Decker once more eyed the clocks on the wall.