He gave her a blank look. “Are you asking if I killed my mother?”
“Did you?”
“No, but I’m not surprised that someone else did. And I was with my flag football team all afternoon. I can give you twenty people who can verify that.”
“Two will be good. Were you sad to hear she’d been killed?”
After a long hesitation, he said, “I’m sad to have lost the mother I used to think she was, the mother who raised me and cared for me and gave me birthday parties and came to my baseball games. I’m very sad to have lost that mother, but apparently, I lost her quite some time ago and didn’t know it until recently. Am I sad that the woman who scammed the people closest to us is dead? Absolutely not. That woman was a monster.”
“Do you have any idea who might’ve been angry enough to murder her?”
“A lot of people were and with good reason. She ruined their lives.”
“Anyone specifically that you know of?”
He shook his head. “Even if I did know exactly who did it, I’m not going there. People have suffered enough because of my family. Whoever took her out did us all a favor. At least now we don’t have to be dragged through a trial.” Taking a breath, he released it and seemed to sag somewhat. “I’m not a heartless bastard, in case you’re wondering. There was a time, not that long ago, when the thought of my mother being murdered would’ve been horrifying. But after what she did…” He grimaced. “I just don’t care.”
“Have you spoken to your dad?”
“Briefly.”
“What’s your feeling on what he knew and when?”
“I think he knew all along, but he swears that’s not the case, and the polygraph supported his claims. Who knows what to believe?”
As always, Sam handed over a business card. “I understand how difficult your situation is, but if you think of anything that might help our investigation, please give me a call. My cell number is on there.”
“Have you heard anything about whether there’s going to be a funeral for my mother?” he asked.
“I haven’t, but I presume your father would know that.”
“He’s not answering his phone.”
“That’s probably because he’s currently in a jail cell at MPD HQ.”
His mouth fell open. “He’s in jail? Why?”
“We wanted to talk to him. He wanted his lawyer, and the lawyer didn’t get there before our shift ended. So he’s spending the night.”
“His attorney probably isn’t coming. The guy he would’ve called was on the list of people my mother scammed.”
“Wouldn’t he know that?”
“He might’ve thought his old friend would come anyway. He won’t.”
“That’s good info to know. Thank you for your time.”
Sam gestured for him to lead the way to the door. She never turned her back on anyone during an investigation, even someone she didn’t suspect of murder.
At the door, he glanced at her. “Will we be notified if you catch our mother’s killer?”
“Do you wish to be?”
He thought about that for a second. “I guess.”
“Then we’ll make sure to update you if or when we close the case.”
“Thank you.”
They stepped outside into cold, dreary darkness that depressed her.
“I freaking hate this time of year,” she said, glancing at the rearview mirror and seeing the two Secret Service agents getting back into their SUV.
“Me too. Except for the part about eating my body weight in turkey. I like that day a lot.”
“You would. You’re a bottomless pit.”
“I’m a growing boy.”
“I can only hope you start growing in the wrong direction. Nothing would make me happier.”
“You’re being a nasty cow.”
“I’m always a nasty cow.” Sam laughed, relieved, as always, for the rapport she shared with him. It made the unbearable bearable on a daily basis. “Am I dropping you back at HQ?”
“Nah,” he said. “I’ll take the Metro. It’ll get me home faster.”
“Lucky you.”
“I’ll be super lucky when I get home.”
“Do you two newlyweds ever take a night off?”
“Do you?”
“None of your business.”
“And yet my sex life is your business?”
“You made it my business when you turned your phone off to get lucky the first time.”
“Oh my God, seriously? Did you really just bring that up? That was almost two years ago.”
“Some things never get old, like you finally getting laid and then getting yourself shot.”
“That was a hundred percent your fault for being a nasty cow.”
“No, that was me teaching you a lesson that you had to go and learn a little too