Long Shadows (Amos Decker, #7)(59)

“Did you ever appear before Judge Cummins?” asked White.

“Come on. Julia would never have allowed that. We were friends from law school even before we started dating. She would have recused herself.”

“So, you have a gun and you broke up with the judge who described you as controlling to someone,” said Andrews. “And she had inquired about getting security because she had received threats.”

“I also have an alibi. And I never threatened Julia. I would never have hurt her. And, like I said, I’ve moved on.” He studied Andrews. “Come on, Doug. Just because I routinely beat the Bureau in court is no reason to come here and act all pissed off.”

Decker glanced sharply at Andrews. “I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

Langley chuckled. “I’m president of the local criminal defense lawyers’ association. I’ve gone up against the Feds more times than I can remember. My record speaks for itself.”

“I will concede that you have gotten more guilty people off than not,” said Andrews through gritted teeth.

“We can debate the guilty part forever. And they don’t pay me to lose, Doug, do they?”

“Can we have the contact information for your new girlfriend?” said Decker.

“Rose can provide it. And you can send someone by my house for the pistol. I keep it there in a gun safe. I’ll meet them there.”

“So, have you gotten any guilty clients acquitted lately?” asked White.

“Every day is a new opportunity,” he retorted.

“To catch bad guys, at least for us,” said White. “Just wondering if we’re sitting in the presence of one.”

“You can waste time digging into me if you want. I can’t stop you.”

“Squeaky clean, are you?” she said.

“Who really is?”

“So, we’ll find stuff?”

“Anything’s possible. I bet I could find stuff on each of you. So what?”

“Is that a threat?” interjected Andrews.

Langley glanced at him, his expression one of indifference. “It’s a hypothetical, at best.” He looked at Decker. “I understand someone else was killed along with Julia.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“Literally everywhere.”

“A man who was employed by Gamma Protection. You know them?”

“Kasimira Roe’s company.”

“You know her?”

“I’ve met her. At some conferences and stuff. Super smart and focused.”

“Did you know her father?”

“No. So, Julia needed protection? What from?”

“She was a judge. They’re targets,” Decker said. “Just like defense attorneys.”

Langley smiled at this remark. “I can take care of myself.”

“Did she mention to you about needing security?” added White.

“No, but we’ve been broken up for a while. Who was the guard that was killed?”

“You didn’t hear that ‘literally everywhere’?” said Decker.

“Guess not.”

“Alan Draymont.”

Langley shook his head. “Don’t know the man.”

“You said the breakup was mutual,” said White. “You sure about that?”

“Julia was a beautiful woman with money. But I didn’t get the idea that she ever intended to settle down again. Maybe that was part of it.”

“Did you propose and she rejected you?” said White.

“To tell the truth, I could have seen myself proposing to her.”

“But?” said Decker.

“But the answer would’ve been no.”

“Maybe you weren’t her type,” said White.

Langley looked over at her. “I don’t think it was that. I think she was afraid.”

“Of what?” asked Decker. “Getting into another bad marriage?”

“No. I think she was just afraid…of something. Or someone.”





Chapter 41



L?ATER THAT DAY DECKER WAS sitting in his hotel room reading over the latest report from the medical examiner. It was Alan Draymont’s DNA on the sheets, towels, and washcloths. That meant he and the judge were having a sexual relationship. And they both died after a night of sex.

Andrews had confirmed Barry Davidson was on the Zoom calls when he said he was. And if Tyler was telling the truth, his alibi for his father made it clear that Davidson could not have killed his ex-wife. There just wasn’t enough time in the firm window they had to work with. And even if you added some time on either end of the TOD, it would have been too tight to get to Cummins’s place and back. And Decker didn’t see Barry Davidson as capable of murdering his wife and then calmly getting on a Zoom call with clients. But even with the unusual frenzied killing, the hit man angle was still a possibility. Andrews had said he would have information on Davidson’s financial records soon.

He glanced at his phone. Maya Perlman had sent him the emails detailing the messages from Gamma. Alan Draymont had been one of the security personnel assigned to them, among others. Alice Lancer was not on the list, however.

And then, as confirmation of his theory, Roe emailed that Julia Cummins had not contracted with Gamma for protection or even made an inquiry about such services. And yet Draymont’s name had been given to the security people by Judge Cummins as an authorized person, so he could come and go at any time. That made sense if they were seeing each other.