Pretty Little Wife(27)
“Tobias. Please,” he said in that smooth we can be friends voice. “I’m Lila’s lawyer.”
Yep, lawyer. Ginny could spot them a mile away. The slovenly type. The put-together type. Didn’t matter. They all had a look that, to her, said, I’m going to bullshit you now.
She waited until Pete and Tobias exchanged greetings then glanced over Tobias’s shoulder toward Lila. “You hired a lawyer? That was fast.”
Tobias shifted. The move was so subtle Ginny almost missed it. The perfect lean, just enough to block her view of Lila. To cut off the chance to read Lila’s gaze.
“I’m her former law partner and her current lawyer, if that’s actually needed. I’m hopeful Aaron will walk in the door soon and the rest of this nonsense can be forgotten.” Tobias glanced at Lila without losing one spark from his high-wattage smile. “Does she know about your past life in the law?”
Lila nodded. “I’m sure she’s been studying up on me for the last few days.”
Very true, but still. “My main concern is your husband.”
Tobias finally dropped his hand and took a step back. “Ours, too.”
“Really?” Pete asked.
The two men could play whatever testosterone-laden games they wished. This was her case, and she was not about to let anyone interview Lila but her. “We went to your office to speak with you.”
“For the record, I mostly work from home.”
Tobias shot Lila a quick side glance before smiling at Ginny again. “She likely was at the airport, picking me up.”
Lila held up both hands. “See? No big conspiracy to avoid you, though I can see why people might.”
Ginny ignored the glass walls and the audience both inside and outside of the small tension-filled room and kept her focus on Lila. Keeping with her usual people skills, Lila didn’t attempt to put on a show or make a good impression. There was nothing warm and fuzzy about her, and that intrigued Ginny. A lawyer, someone trained who had worked in criminal law, should know how to play this game better. The fact Lila didn’t even try felt purposeful. Like a challenge.
“No, you were busy out there, finding a lawyer. And one from out of state. Interesting choice.”
Once again Tobias responded for Lila. “I’m licensed to practice in New York as well as North Carolina. Call me an overachiever.”
Lila never broke eye contact with Ginny, and that continued as she spoke. “You had questions for me?”
“I’m excited to hear your answers.”
Tobias nodded. “Let’s get this over with so Lila can get back to finding her husband.”
They filed into the small interrogation room down the hall from her office. She and Pete sat on one side of the desk. Lila and Tobias were on the other.
This would be informal. Not too daunting.
Before Ginny could lay any groundwork, Lila broke into the silence. “What have you been doing to find Aaron?”
An attempt to throw her off, maybe? If so, she failed. Ginny had been playing this game long enough to not let the potential suspect take over. “I’m assuming he’s still not home.”
“He’s not anywhere.”
“We expect the news to catch on to Aaron’s absence today. I’ve been to the school, and the kids and teachers are talking.” Pete shifted in his seat, causing it to creak and moan beneath him. “Brent says he can’t keep anyone’s focus on class, including his own.”
The words just sat there for a few seconds. No one said anything until Lila finally shrugged. “Okay.”
Stone-cold. If someone asked Ginny to describe Lila, that would be the first thing she’d say. But there was more to her. A heat that simmered beneath the surface. She didn’t fidget or panic. In so many ways she seemed dead inside, but Ginny didn’t miss the other pieces. The intelligence in Lila’s eyes. The pain that sometimes flashed across her face before she spoke. The way she would stare as if she were looking deep inside you.
Still, she didn’t get how Lila ignored the load of scrutiny headed straight for her. “You’re not concerned?”
Lila’s eyes narrowed. “Should I be?”
Tobias cleared his throat. “Have you heard anything? Done a search? Located his car?”
Pete started to talk, but Ginny stopped him with a small shake of her head. She needed to take this one. “We’ve put out a BOLO on Aaron, asking all of the local police departments—state, county, municipal, and university—to look for the car. We’ve talked with your neighbors, people at the school, and a few friends. His brother will be coming in soon.”
“I’ve driven in and around your neighborhood looking for signs of Aaron or the car. Some of the sheriffs have taken shifts looking in and around Cayuga Lake.” Pete leaned back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest. “Started the process to get some records we’ll need and registered Aaron with a national database of missing persons, NamUs. I’d like a recent photo so we can make fliers.”
Tobias nodded. “Sounds thorough.”
“As your client pointed out, it’s as if Aaron disappeared without a trace.” Ginny looked at the pair across the table until her gaze landed on Lila. “Which leads us back to you, Lila.”
“You’re investigating me.” Lila’s tone remained flat as she said the words.