The Couple Next Door(30)

“Good, thank you,” Rasbach says when they’ve taken his statement. “Now, if you don’t mind, I just have a few more questions.”

Marco, who had started to rise out of his metal chair, sits back down.

“Tell us about your company, Conti Software Design.”

“Why?” Marco asks. “What has my company got to do with anything?” He stares at Rasbach, trying to hide his dismay. But he knows what they’re getting at. They’ve been looking into him; of course they have.

“You started your company about five years ago?” Rasbach prompts.

“Yes,” Marco says. “I have degrees in business and computer science. I’d always wanted to go into business for myself. I saw an opportunity in software design—specifically, in designing user interfaces for medical software. So I started my own company. I’ve got some key clients. A small staff of software-design professionals, all working remotely. Mostly we visit clients on site, so I travel a fair bit on business. I keep an office downtown myself. We’ve been quite successful.”

“Yes, you have done very well,” Rasbach agrees. “Impressive. It can’t have been easy. Is it expensive? To start a company like that?”

“It depends. I started out very small, just me and a couple of clients. I was the only designer in the beginning—I worked from home and put in very long hours. My plan was to build the business gradually.”

“Go on,” Rasbach says.

“The company became very successful, very quickly. It grew fast. I needed to hire more designers to keep up with demand, and to take the business to the next level. So I expanded. The time was right. There were bigger costs then. Equipment, staff, office space. You need money to grow.”

“And where did that money come from, to expand your business?” the detective asks.

Marco looks at him, annoyed. “I don’t see why it matters to you, but I got a loan from my in-laws, Anne’s parents.”

“I see.”

“What do you see?” Marco says irritably. He has to remain calm. He can’t afford to get ruffled. Rasbach is probably doing this just to piss him off.

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” the detective says mildly. “How much money did you get from your wife’s parents?”

“Are you asking me, or do you know already?” Marco says.

“I don’t know. I’m asking.”

“Five hundred thousand,” Marco says.

“That’s a lot of money.”

“Yes, it is,” Marco agrees. Rasbach is baiting him. He can’t rise to it.

“And has the business been profitable?”

“For the most part. We have good years and not-so-good years, like anybody else.”

“What about this year? Would you say it’s been a good year or a not-so-good year?”

“It’s been a rather shitty year, since you ask,” Marco says.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rasbach says. And waits.

“We’ve had some setbacks,” Marco says finally. “But I’m confident things will get on track. Business is always up and down. You can’t just throw in the towel when you have a bad year. You have to tough it out.”

Rasbach nods thoughtfully. “How would you describe your relationship with your wife’s parents?”

Marco knows that the detective has seen him and his father-in-law in the same room. There is no point in lying.

“We don’t like each other.”

“And yet they still loaned you five hundred thousand dollars?” The detective’s eyebrows have gone up.

“Her mother and father together loaned it to us. They have the money. They love their daughter. They want her to have a good life. My business plan was sound. It was a solid business investment for them. And an investment in their daughter’s future. It’s been a satisfactory arrangement for all concerned.”

“But isn’t it the case that your business desperately needs a cash infusion?” Rasbach asks.

“Every business these days could use a cash infusion,” Marco says, almost bitterly.

“Are you on the verge of losing the company you’ve worked so hard to build?” Rasbach says, leaning forward slightly.

“I don’t think so, no,” Marco says. He is not going to let himself be intimidated.

“You don’t think so?”

“No.”

Marco wonders where the detective has gotten his information. His business is in trouble. But as far as he knows, they didn’t have a warrant to go through his business or bank records. Is Rasbach guessing? Who has he spoken to?

“Does your wife know about your business troubles?”

“Not entirely.” Marco squirms in his seat.

“What do you mean?” the detective asks.

“She knows that business hasn’t been great lately,” Marco admits. “I haven’t burdened her with the details.”

“Why’s that?”

“We have a new baby, for Christ’s sake!” Marco snaps, raising his voice. “She’s been depressed, as you know. Why would I tell her the business is in trouble?” He runs his hand through his hair, which falls back haphazardly into his eyes.

“I understand,” Rasbach says. “Have you approached your in-laws for help?”