Page 77 of The Breakdown

“Are you still unsure? Because we have more photos. A handful in fact, from all the different dates.”

“What do you want?” Allen asked.

“The truth, Mr. Beaufort. If you can manage it.”

Allen met his steely gaze. “Look, I may have gone to see Natalie, but I only wanted to talk to her, to beg her to come home.”

“So, you forced your way in?”

“She wouldn’t listen, I was desperate for her to just listen.”

“And that’s why you’ve gotten rid of her, isn’t it, Mr. Beaufort?”

“No. I didn’t. I—love her. She’s my wife. I only want her to come home.”

“And yet you have overnight guests at your house. Doesn’t sound like you’re missing her too much to me.”

Allen narrowed his eyes. “I may have had some fun. But that’s to be expected when your wife leaves you and you haven’t had sex in months.”

“Fun, you say?”

“That’s all it was.”

“Well, Mr. Beaufort, I also have a problem with that claim as well. You see, we waited outside your home when we last paid you a visit and we questioned your overnight guests. They paint a very different picture.”

“Oh?”

“It seems that your idea of fun is a little different from theirs. Your idea of fun seems to be a little rougher than what they were expecting.”

“I like a little bondage. So what?”

“You’re a sadist, Mr. Beaufort, that goes well beyond what you refer to as a little bondage.”

“I didn’t do anything illegal. Those girls, they complied.”

“Because you paid them. Handsomely. Which in and of itself is illegal.”

“Oh, come on. Are you really here to bust my balls over some overly sensitive hookers?”

The detectives exchanged a glance. “No, we’re here to find Natalie. And we believe you know where she is.”

“Like I already told you, I don’t.”

“Then you wouldn’t mind if we search your home and office?”

Allen clenched his fists, trying very hard to control his temper. “What for?”

“To search for clues, of course.”

“You’ll need a warrant.”

Marks held up some folded papers. “We have one.”

Allen stood. “You’ve got no right.”

“Actually, we do.”

“You won’t find anything.” He stood, so angry he could punch right through the wall. He was right though, they wouldn’t find anything. At least he hoped he was right. He was usually very careful about his business dealings, as well as his personal dealings. He had to admit he’d gotten a little sloppy with the hookers, but they were just that, hookers. No one would take their word over his.

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