Page 20 of The Accidental Detectives

Astrid tightened the blanket around her. “I got that impression. They questioned me for hours and hours, but I stood strong. I didn’t kill Owen. I sure wanted to, but I didn’t. I would never.”

“Do you remember the names of the cops who questioned you?”

She cocked her head, her face confused. “What a weird question. Why would you want to know that?”

Thank Jesus for Wanda and her improv, because my lips slammed the hell shut, refusing to answer the question.

“Nina knows a lot of police officers. Maybe she might know the ones who questioned you, that’s all.”

I leaned against the wall and nodded as I scratched Bode’s ears, nodding. “Yeah…”

Pinching her temples, Astrid winced. “Um, a Detective Wazinski and a Detective Dunst. They told me not to leave town, as if I’d do that anyway. This is all so crazy.”

“So I suppose they’re looking for this woman who messaged with him?”

She nodded, pushing her tangled hair from her face. “Yes. It’s been all over the news. I can’t believe you didn’t see it…”

“We don’t watch the news much,” I assured her, forcing the lie from my lips. “Too busy trying to save the white-beaked?—”

“Cheeked,” Wanda corrected. “The white cheeked spider monkeys. Much of our time is dedicated to saving them. But forget that. You said they were looking for this woman, but do they have any other suspects? I mean, it makes sense thiswoman would have a motive if she found out Owen was married with children, but are they sure it was her?”

A look of disgust crossed her pretty face. “You’d think they were going to pinmefor it, the way they grilled me because I don’t have an alibi for the night he was killed, either, but when I talked to them yesterday, they said they had some new evidence they couldn’t discuss. The only detail I know is, he was strangled. I don’t know anything else for sure. I only know Owen is dead. He’sdead…” she said on a shaky whisper.

Marty encouraged her to sip her tea. “Do you know if anyone else would want to hurt Owen? Anyone in his life who was angry enough with him to do something like this?”

Astrid shrugged, but then she sat up straight. “Oh, my God, I can’t believe I didn’t think about this! I guess I was so blown away by Owen’s death, so scattered, my head was a mess. But he had a really ugly argument with his partner.”

I looked up from petting Bode’s soft fur. “His partner? In what?”

“His software company. Owen owns…owneda software security company with his college roommate. But they had a huge falling out a few months ago, when he caught Derek beefing up quotes for potential clients and keeping the extra fees for himself. It’s been a huge, ongoing legal battle for rights to the company between the two of them. Owen trying to prove the company was his idea, funded by his money, and Derek swearing up and down that it was his idea and Owen gave him the start-up cash.”

Ding, ding, ding!

Maybe we had another suspect. Maybe now we were gettin’ somewhere.

But how did you forget something so important when the cops were breathin’ down your neck, trying to pin you formurdering your husband? Especially when you had no alibi for the time frame he was killed? Was this just a blame shift?

Marty tucked her red purse deeper into her lap. “Did they have anything official—paperwork or something that said it was Owen’s concept and money?”

Astrid looked down at her feet encases in striped pink and yellow socks. “No. That’s part of the problem. They were best friends. Who knew Derek would do something like that? They’ve been friends since college.”

Marty cocked her head and looked at Astrid with gentle eyes. “Had he been in touch with Derek since the argument?”

She fisted the blanket in her hands. “Not that I know of, but there seems to be a lot I didn’t know that had to do with Owen. I only know the fight was ugly and it got physical—in front of their employees and everything. They almost called the police to break it up.”

“Then you need to make sure you call the police right away and tell them what happened,” Wanda directed. “You don’t want them eyeballing you for murdering your husband.”

That made Astrid begin to cry again, this time deep, gulping sobs I almost couldn’t stand to hear. While Marty and Wanda soothed her, I decided to see what her kids were up to and if they were okay, because Mom was such a wreck. I don’t just love animals, I love kids, too. Seeing them suffer breaks me in a way I can’t find a word for.

I made my way down the long hallway, following the sound of their voices, Bode right by my side.

“Good boy,” I whispered to him. “You’re lookin’ out for your family.”

Stopping in the doorway of what looked like a colorfully decorated playroom, I watched them playing quietly. Owen Jr. with a big red firetruck, and Lacy with some Barbie dolls. Theywere still in their pajamas, hair mussed from sleep, their chubby cheeks flushed.

I smelled their sorrow. It was deep, jarring me to the bone.

And I fucking hated that.

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