Page 62 of The Night Before (Savannah 1)

“The one he was still married to, Caitlyn Montgomery.”

“Oh, her.” Naomi made an impatient sound. “The nutcase.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because she’s crazy. It’s a matter of record. Come on, you do know that.” When neither one of them responded, she rolled her eyes. “Check the local hospitals. According to Josh, she was in and out of mental hospitals or psych wards or something. She’s tried to commit suicide at least once, maybe more, and every time she seemed to get better, you know, like mentally—if you really can, I don’t know about that—she ended up regressing again. She’s a lost cause. Once a fruitcake, always a fruitcake.”

“How about her relationship with the deceased?”

“ ‘The decease?’ Oh, for crying out loud, is this some kind of cheesy courtroom drama? ‘The deceased.’ Josh would love that.”For a second her attitude faded and sadness stole over her features, as if she actually had cared for Bandeaux. “Their relationship wasn’t great, okay? He was divorcing her and suing her for their kid’s wrongful death, so how good do you think it was?” She rolled her eyes as if she were speaking with morons.

Reed tried not to get angry, but he felt Sylvie’s temper rising with each of Naomi’s sarcastic comments. He was content to let Ms. Crisman rant. Sometimes suspects said more in their commentary than they did when actually answering a question.

“Was he going to marry you?” Reed asked.

“Of course! Why do you think she was so upset?”

“She was still in love with him?”

“Oh, who knows with her? Probably. Ask her.” For the first time Naomi cracked the barest hint of a smile. “Lots of women were in love with him.” Her gaze slid to Morrisette, and Reed felt his partner begin to seethe.

“Where were you on the night he died?” Morrisette asked calmly as she popped her gum.

“I’ve already answered this. I was visiting friends on the island.”

“St. Simons Island?”

“Yes. They have a place on the water down there. I had a little too much to drink and didn’t want to risk the drive home, so I spent the night in their guest room.”

“And you can verify that you were there all night?”

“God, yes! I thought I already explained what I was doing. I was staying with Chris and Frannie Heffinger. I have their phone number if you need it.” Her eyes narrowed. “Do I, like, need a lawyer or something? Am I a suspect?”

“We’re just working things out”.

“Then arrest Caitlyn, okay? We all know she did it. She’s still got keys to the place, for God’s sake and Josh was divorcing her. I already told you that she is totally mental. Really, this isn’t rocket science.”

Morrisette just about came out of her chair. “What would you know about rocket science?”

“Are we finished? I really do have an appointment. And just so you know, I’m moving. This place makes me edgy. Just thinking about Josh being . . . slaughtered over there—” She hitched her head toward the den and nervously scratched at her neck. “It’s too much for me.”

“So you don’t think he committed suicide?” Reed asked again though he’d already made that call himself. Bandeaux had been murdered.

“Josh? Are you kidding? He had too much to live for. Too much money to make, too much booze to drink and too many women to sleep with.” She must’ve seen Morrisette stiffen because Naomi looked straight at her as she said, “ ‘For the record,’ I know Josh . . . has had a few indiscretions in the past year or so. It’s not as if he really cheated on me. We were broken up at the time.” She lifted a slim shoulder. “That was going to end, once we were married.”

“Was it?” Morrisette asked. “How do you know?”

“Because he promised me. He was nuts about me.”

“Or just plain nuts,” Morrisette said under her breath. Reed shot her a warning glare.

“Look, I really have to go. Is there anything else?”

“How about the names of the women he slept with, if you know them.”

“I don’t. They were all just cheap one-night stands.”

Morrisette wasn’t convinced. “Well, think real hard, would you? Sometimes a woman scorned is the best suspect.”

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