File M For Murder

“Okay, honey,” I said. “But if you feel like you need to get away from here, tell me.”

I’d kept one eye on Kanesha Berry while I spoke to Laura, and now the chief deputy moved forward. She stopped a couple of paces in front of me.

“Mr. Harris, I can’t say I’m pleased to find you here.” Kanesha’s expression was impassive, but her voice was tart. “Would you care to explain just why you’re here?” She glanced at Laura. “And this is your daughter, I take it?”

“Yes, this is Laura. She’s teaching at the college this semester.” I introduced Kanesha to Laura before I continued with my explanation. “I’m here because Laura called me and asked me to come. She was upset over what she found, and naturally I responded.”

Kanesha nodded. She glanced around the courtyard. “There’s a bench in the shade.” She gestured with her right hand. “Why don’t y’all wait over there? I’ll have more questions for you in a few minutes.”

“Sure.” I was suddenly conscious of the heat again. Shade was a welcome idea. When Laura and I sat, I wasn’t surprised to see that Officer Grimes had followed us. He took up position a few feet away inside the shaded area.

Laura and I remained silent as we watched the apartment door. Kanesha had gone inside with her deputies while Officer Williams remained outside. The EMTs came out and found another shaded spot where they could wait until they could remove the body.

Kanesha’s “few minutes” passed, and she was still inside the apartment. Patience has never been one of my virtues, and I was feeling more and more anxious. Laura, on the other hand, was the epitome of calm. She sat beside me, her hands lying relaxed in her lap, her eyes closed, her breathing even. She was meditating, I supposed, something I’ve never learned but probably should.

I decided that watching the apartment door only served to exacerbate my temper. Instead, I focused my gaze on a border of shrubbery beneath the windows of the apartments down the walk. I ignored the presence of Grimes.

I’m not sure how much time passed, but I felt some of my tension ebb away while I stared at the shrubbery. The tightness in my neck and shoulders returned quickly, though, when I heard Kanesha Berry call my name.

I stood and gently placed a hand on Laura’s shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at me. Her gaze slid past me to focus on the chief deputy. I felt a slight tremor in her shoulders before I removed my hand.

Kanesha walked slightly past us before she stopped, and we were forced to turn to face her. I thought it odd but then I realized she had deliberately pulled our gaze away from Lawton’s apartment. They were probably about to remove his body. I appreciated her sensitivity. Laura had seen enough horror for one day.

“Miss Harris, how well did you know Mr. Lawton?” Kanesha’s tone was clipped.

“Pretty well.” Laura paused. “We were in a relationship for several months earlier this year, but we broke up in May.” She paused again, then added in a rush, “We stayed friends, though.”

Kanesha nodded. “You’re teaching at the college this fall?”

Laura explained the facts of how she was hired for the job and Lawton’s connection to the process. I was getting impatient again, because I told Kanesha all this when I spoke to her over a week ago about Damitra Vane. But Kanesha was nothing if not methodical in her investigations. She would go over every point as often as it took to find a solution.

“Why did you come to Mr. Lawton’s apartment this afternoon?” Kanesha’s question was one I wanted to hear answered myself.

“He called and asked me to come over. He wanted to talk to me about the play he’s, um, was writing.” Laura frowned.

“When did he call you?” Kanesha asked.

“I think it was around four-thirty,” Laura replied. “Wait, I can tell you exactly when he called.” She pulled her cell phone out of her skirt pocket and touched the screen several times. “It was four thirty-three.” She held the phone out to Kanesha, who examined the screen for a moment, then nodded.

“What time did you arrive here?” Kanesha pulled out a small notebook and jotted something down.

Laura’s brow furrowed as she considered the question. “Sometime after six.” She shook her head. “I don’t remember exactly. I just know it was maybe five minutes before I called Dad.” She consulted her cell phone then held it out again for the chief deputy’s inspection. “It was six-fourteen when I called Dad, so it was probably about six-ten when I got here.”

Kanesha made further notations before she asked another question. “How did you get into the apartment? Was the door locked, or do you have a key?”

“I don’t have a key.” Laura’s denial was swift. She colored slightly. “The door was slightly ajar when I got here, so I just walked in. That’s when I found him.” She glanced away.

Kanesha waited a moment before she continued. “Tell me exactly what you did after you entered the apartment.”