Page 22 of Spark
Detective Hale winked back.“Deadly.”
Simon cleared his throat just loudly enough for Leo to notice.“Right, of course.So, what brings you to my door?”
“We’re conducting an investigation, and we’re hoping you can help,” Detective Hale said, sending Simon into full alert.
Before he could help it, he asked, “An investigation into what?”
“You’ll have to forgive my brother.”Leo tutted in admonishment.“Type A.Very uptight.It often translates to a lack of manners.”
“Not at all,” Detective Hale said.“Do you know a man by the name of Sal Brinkman?”she asked, and at least Leo had the wherewithal to keep a straight face.
“We’ve met a time or two.We share some social circles, but nothing regular,” Leo said, and Simon found himself grateful they’d crafted a few interactions to explain any connections or crossed paths.“He’s in banking, right?Some sort of investments?”
“Real estate,” Detective Hale said smoothly.“Have you ever done business with him?”
“Oh, Detective Hale.I do a lot of business,” Leo non-answered, his tone practically patting her on the head.“I don’t recall any of it being with Sal, though.Why, is he in some kind of trouble?”
“You could say that,” Detective Maxwell said, his voice as flat as his stare, “since we found his body in a North Point warehouse two days ago.”
It took all of Simon’s carefully forged control not to react, which had surely been the point of dropping the news like a pipe bomb.God damn it, the police must havesomethingon Leo if they were here a mere two days after the murder, disclosing information and sniffing around for more.
“What?”Leo’s overdone surprise made an encore.“That’s terrible.What happened?”
“That’s actually where we were hoping you could help us out,” Detective Hale said.
The silence that followed made it so Leo had no choice but to respond, and Simon had to hand it to her.She was good.
Leo kept his surprise in place like the liar he was.“Me?I don’t see how.Not that I don’t want to help, of course.But I didn’t even know him that well.”
Detective Hale tilted her head, inquisitive.“So, you and Mr.Brinkmandidn’tdo any business together?”
Leo lifted his hands, no answer in sight, and at least he wasn’t giving her much to work with.“I own a fair amount of real estate, both commercial and private.I’d have to have my people look into it, but if we did have any common projects or partners, like I said, I don’t recall.”
“Were you ever aware of him participating in any illegal activity?”Detective Maxwell asked, and Leo looked mildly affronted.
“Of course not.I’d have contacted the police.”
Detective Hale softened the blow.“And you don’t have any idea what Mr.Brinkman might have been doing in North Point two nights ago?Anything you can think of, even if it’s a small detail, might really help us out.”
Leo bought it, of course.His smile returned, all charm and teeth.“Look, I really don’t know what to tell you.I have no idea what Sal was involved in.I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”
“We understand.Thank you so much for your time,” Detective Hale said.“If you think of anything?—”
“I won’t hesitate to call,” Leo finished, gesturing to the door.“Eddie will be just outside, here.He’ll show you out.”
The detectives moved toward the exit, but Detective Hale stopped three steps shy of the threshold before turning back with a snap of her fingers.“Oh, I almost forgot.One last thing before we get out of your hair.Where were you two nights ago, between ten thirty and midnight?”
The question sucker punched Leo exactly as it was meant to, a muscle twitching in his perfectGQjaw for a beat before he reclaimed his smile, and fuck.Fuck, this meeting had been a mistake.
“I’m sorry,” Leo said, his expression making it very clear he was not.“You don’t think I actually had anything to do with…whatever happened to Sal, do you?”
Detective Hale’s sunny disposition slipped a bit, showing the slightest hint of sharp edges beneath.“It’s a standard question.We have to ask.You don’t mind, do you?”
She hit the last two words with just enough emphasis to echo Leo’s question back at him, and that bitch.She’d played him, letting him think he had the upper hand before blindsiding him with the question he’d have to lie through his teeth to get around.Leo was too fucking narcissistic to see it—he was probably still stuck on the notion that he’d managed to dazzle her.But Simon had had enough.
“Excuse me,” he said, as meekly as he could stomach.“Is my brother in some sort of trouble?”
“This conversation is entirely voluntary,” Detective Hale said, her smile easy, once again, “and I know the question can feel a little off-putting, but it’s really just part of our protocol.Helps us dot the Is and cross the Ts, you know?”
