The Last Lie Told (Finley O’Sullivan, #1)(80)
Finley didn’t really care what her neighbors thought of her. Once a murder happened in your house, everyone around you expected the worst.
If Cherry Inglewood was lucky, her disappearance would not be the worst-case scenario.
Nashville Metropolitan Police Department
Murfreesboro Pike
Nashville, 9:50 a.m.
The protocols for questioning were conducted the moment the three settled around a generic metal table in the blindingly white interview room. Finley was infinitely familiar with the proceedings.
“What was the purpose of your meeting with Mrs. Inglewood?” Detective Barry asked.
“She worked for Lance Legard at the time of his murder. Mrs. Inglewood was close to the family and interacted on a regular basis with Legard’s daughters, Olivia and Cecelia. Attorney Jackson Finnegan directed me to reconstruct the events surrounding the murder of Lance Legard—to the degree possible. In order to do so, it was important that I understand the relationships between the parties involved.”
“Did Mrs. Inglewood mention any concerns she had related to the case, or with any party involved with the case?”
“No.”
This was not the answer Barry had been hoping for, but Finley felt confident it was exactly what he’d expected considering she was an attorney—she wasn’t going to say more than necessary. Certainly not something that would cast her clients in a bad light.
“Did you feel she was in any way distressed or concerned for her safety?” Tanner asked, choosing a different strategy.
“I did not.” Unless her husband finding out what she and Cherry had talked about counted. “Have you questioned her husband? Statistics show that in most situations like this, the husband is involved.”
“The husband,” Barry said, annoyed now, “came home to find his four-year-old son alone because his wife was missing. He is not involved. He gave us free rein in the house and with the security system.”
Which, of course, made him innocent of any wrongdoing. “I wish I could help, gentlemen. Really I do. But I have only met Mrs. Inglewood on two occasions. Both times at her home, where the video surveillance surely shows my departure—alone.”
“What about your firm’s clients,” Tanner asked, “Cecelia and Olivia Legard? Cecelia has been named in the pending Holmes case. Can you vouch for the whereabouts of your clients?”
“You’re aware, of course, that Sophia Legard was murdered and Cecelia is missing. To the firm’s knowledge, she remains missing. As of this morning, Olivia is officially missing as well.”
Tanner and Barry shared a look, then Barry said, “We’ve had no report of Olivia Legard as a missing person.”
“I just reported it,” Finley said. “We searched for her all through the night, and I was just getting ready to come in and file the report when you showed up at my door.”
“So of your three clients,” Tanner suggested, “one is dead and two are missing.”
“Sadly, yes.”
“What did you and Mrs. Inglewood talk about?” Barry asked. “Specifically.”
“We talked about her relationship with Mr. Legard and her interactions with the family.” She’d already said that.
“Can you be more specific?” Barry pressed.
“No. My answer is sufficient.”
Another shared look between the partners.
“Can you talk to us about her answers?” Tanner asked.
“She worked for Mr. Legard. She occasionally saw his wife and his daughters either at the office or at his home.”
“Did she talk about any issues with Cecelia Legard?”
“No.”
“Was Sophia Legard aware of Inglewood’s affair with her husband?”
“I was referring to Mrs. Inglewood’s professional relationship with Mr. Legard.”
Tanner rolled his eyes. “Did Inglewood know if Sophia Legard was aware of the affair?”
“Any answer I provide to that question would have to be supposition.”
“Why were you and Inglewood talking on the front porch?” Barry wanted to know.
“She didn’t want to disturb her husband and son. The reopening of the case has been an unpleasant experience.”
“You’re stating for the record,” Barry said, “that no part of your conversation with Mrs. Inglewood was or could possibly be related to her disappearance?”
“No,” Finley said. “I’m stating that I have no idea if our conversation was related.”
“She could be a hostage of one or both of your clients,” Tanner suggested.
“She could have run away with the circus,” Finley offered.
The detectives weren’t happy with her answers. But it wasn’t her job to make them happy. After she’d signed her statement, she was free to go. Except her car was at home.
“Your ride is waiting in the visitor parking area,” Barry said when she asked. He opened the interview-room door and waited for her to exit.
“Thanks.”
She wound her way through the building toward the front entrance. Where the hell was Cherry? She wouldn’t have gone anywhere willingly without her son. It was possible she thought dropping out of sight would be best for her son and husband, but Finley doubted that was the case. More than anything else she wanted to protect her son and marriage.