Page 107 of The Lost Heiress
Ransom glanced over at her, a crease between his brows. “What?”
“He found out about the whole Ana Rojas bit,” Elena explained. “It’s fine. I explained everything.”
Ransom glared back at Detective Church. “What does Ana Rojas have to do with my sister?” he asked.
“Nothing, it turns out,” Church said.
“Forgive me, Detective,” Ransom said. “But my patience has run out. If you’ve finished interrogating my wife and you cannot tell us any pertinent information about the second body or the case, then what are you still doing here?”
“I need to speak with Florence,” Church said.
“Absolutely not,” Ransom said.
Elena put her hand on her husband’s arm, but this time he was too angry to heed her.
“This is unconscionable,” Ransom said to Church. “You come into my house, you harass my wife, you refuse to give us any information, and now you want to do the same with Mrs. Talbot? I won’t allow it.”
“With all due respect, Senator,” Church said, “that’s not up to you.”
“I’ll speak with him,” Florence said. “I don’t mind.”
Ransom seethed. “Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. “But you’ll talk to her here. You have five minutes, Detective, and then my patience will have officially run out.” Ransom glanced at his watch, marking the time.
Detective Church took the armchair next to Florence. He leaned forward and set his tape recorder on the side table between them. “Do you mind if I record this?” he asked.
“Why would I mind?” Florence said.
“Very good,” Church said, hitting Record. “I was speaking with Mrs. Towers just now, and it got me thinking that you and I have never had a proper interview. Recorded, and all that.”
“No, we haven’t,” Florence said, as if she were well aware of the fact and, on top of that, disapproved. “I must admit I was starting to feel a little left out.”
Detective Church smiled. “I’ve come at this case from every angle, Florence, just like those who worked it before me,” he said. “I’ve cycled through all the regular motives. I’ve considered jealousy and greed. I’ve looked at what one might do for self-preservation, the lengths someone might go to protect their own self-interests. But there was one motive that I hadn’t considered, one that all of us overlooked. And perhaps it is the most powerful motivator of all.”
“And what, pray tell, is that, Detective?” Florence asked.
“Love,” Church said.
“Love,” Florence repeated. “I don’t think I follow.”
“Yes, get to the point,” Ransom said. He checked his watch. “Four minutes, Detective.”
Church shifted in his seat. “Let me try to come at this another way,” he said. “This whole time, we’ve been looking at Saoirse as the primary victim. Who would want to hurt her? What would someone gain from her death? But what if we’ve been looking at this all wrong? What if Saoirse was never supposed to be a victim at all?”
Florence didn’t flinch; she held his gaze. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ransom interrupted.
“What are you saying?” Ransom asked. “That Saoirse was just collateral damage?”
“Yes,” Church said. “The second body that was discovered—what if that was actually thefirstbody, the first victim?” His mind shot back to the phone call he’d just received identifying the remains. He wasn’t yet authorized to divulge that information, and he had just blatantly refused to do so, but now, he had to make a gamble. He took a deep breath. “Salvador Santos,” he said.
Again, Florence opened her mouth to say something, but Ransom cut in.
“Saoirse’s tutor?” Ransom said. “He’s the second body?”
Church kept his attention on Florence. “He was very suddenly and unceremoniously let go, from what I understand.”
Florence’s eyes flitted from Detective Church to Ransom.
“No official reason was ever given for the sudden end of Mr. Santos’s employment,” Church said, “but one thing is clear: Salvador Santos was promptly removed from the premises, the payroll, and the party guest list. It begs the question—what sort of misconduct would require such drastic actions? And why would they be kept so hush-hush?” Church asked. “Florence, were Mr. Santos and Saoirse having an illicit romantic relationship? Were they sleeping together?”
