to say don’t come, things are a mess here and all that, so I turned around and went home. Like I say, I don’t need any more trouble with the law. My parole officer tells me to think through situations, avoid them if they’re going to get me jammed up, right?” He looked at them carefully, as if to assess their appreciation of his decision making.
“And what was the nature of your visit to Wakeshead Park yesterday morning?”
Clearly prepared for Nate’s next question, he gave a grin that encompassed both of them. One that was clearly meant to disarm. “Me and Heather, we got a thing going. Just hooking up. No harm, no foul.”
“Her husband might disagree with that.”
The smile abruptly vanished from Crowley’s face. His weight shifted. “Last I heard, getting a little on the side wasn’t a matter for the cops.”
“Ordinarily it isn’t. But when an affair is used to hide a crime,” Nate’s voice hardened, “then it concerns us. A lot.”
Risa watched the other man closely. A faint sheen of perspiration glistened on his brow. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed convulsively. “Whatever happened in that park, I had nothing to do with it. I hadn’t even gotten there yet.”
Nate turned to her, a sardonic twist to his mouth. “And there’s the cover.”
Taking his cue, she nodded. “Start something up with a new woman in the area and then just happen to suggest that particular park as a rendezvous point. Gives him a perfect opportunity to scout the area, figure exactly how he’s going to pull it off. Then just set up a meet for the morning after he offs that cop—”
“I didn’t kill any cop!”
“—and he has a ready-made alibi.” Her gaze cut to Crowley then. “Except you don’t. Bixby never even saw you yesterday morning before she called and told you to stay away. And she certainly can’t attest to your whereabouts the night before, during the time the murder was committed. So I hope you have another lady lined up for that time frame. Say two nights ago between nine and four A.M.? Because otherwise, we’re looking at you for the murder, and we’re looking hard.”
The man swiped at the moisture beading above his upper lip. “How stupid would I have to be to take Heather to a place I was planning to commit murder?”
Risa looked at Nate. “I’m guessing that chair he’s sitting in has known any number of stupid occupants.”
Nate nodded, his eyes flinty. “I can’t even begin to count them.”
“Well, if I were going to commit murder”—Sam lurched forward in his seat—“I’d be smart enough to arrange for someone to vouch for my whereabouts, wouldn’t I? I was home alone. Watched TV until ten or so before going to bed. I get up early when I’m meeting Heather.”
“And what time was that?”
He lifted a bulky shoulder. “I was running late. Didn’t wake up until five, and I was supposed to see her in a half hour. I barely got into the park before she was calling and telling me there were cops all over the place.”
“Because she knows that would make you uncomfortable?”
Crowley aimed a derisive stare at Risa. “Uncomfortable. Yeah. The terms of my parole are pretty clear. I have to steer clear of trouble, and that’s what I did. I went home and went back to bed. Figured I could catch another couple hours before work.”
She nodded. “I can see that. No use getting caught up for several hours answering questions, right?”
“Questions I wouldn’t have had the answers to. I didn’t see anything. Didn’t get close enough. Didn’t see anyone at all going in or on my way out.”
Her senses heightened. They always did when a suspect offered information that they hadn’t gotten around to asking yet. “Did that seem odd to you?”
“What?”
“That you didn’t see anyone around. That park is a known hangout for druggies. Lots of users, buyers, and sellers. I’d think you’d have run into some of them.”
He shook his head emphatically.
“But you’ve seen them there before?”
Hesitating, he considered the question for a moment before deciding it was harmless. “There are always losers around there, I guess. I don’t pay much attention to them.”
“But you paid enough attention to notice none of them were in the area two mornings ago.”
Crowley’s eyes darted to Nate. “Like I said, I was running late. I was barely inside the park before Heather called and I left.”
In an aside, Risa told Nate, “It goes to figure he might not