Page 14 of Just Now

“Ursula Southbridge?”

“That’s me,” she said, tightening a hair grip in her thick, brown hair that had come loose.

“You are here of your own free will?”

“I am.” She raised her chin defiantly. “I—we were working through some issues and Maxwell was comforting me.”

“I see. You’ve had other sessions in the past, Ms. Southbridge?”

Maxwell, sitting handcuffed to the chair, began blurting something out, but Connor held up a hand. “I’m talking to the lady.”

“This was my third session,” she said.

“The others were?”

“I have one a month.”

“So you’ve been here once a month for three months?”

“Yes.”

“Seen or heard anything untoward in that time? Anything suspicious take place in those sessions?”

“No! Our sessions are very private. Usually,” she said, narrowing her eyes and directing an angry stare at Connor.

He sighed. “Okay, ma’am. We may need to contact you again, but for now, you can go.”

She stood and flounced out, a picture of irate embarrassment.

“Now,” Connor said, turning to Maxwell. “Your ID, Mr. Reed?”

His flushed face went a few shades darker.

“What about my ID?” he stammered defensively.

“It appears to be fake.”

“I—no, it isn’t. I changed my name. Five years ago, after an acrimonious divorce. My ex was trashing my reputation. I wanted to make a fresh start, that’s all. So I moved from Minnesota and came here.”

Cami had no doubt there were two sides to that story. She didn’t think Maxwell was an innocent party in any way. And she didn’t even know if she trusted his story.

“Your license? To practice?”

“I don’t need one,” he shot back defiantly. “I’m an advisor, not a licensed professional. I’ve done an online course.”

Connor sighed. “Do you know Kate Minnett and Gracie Foster? I believe they used your services?” He emphasized the word “services,” and Maxwell shuffled his feet.

“Client confidentiality prevents me talking about this.”

“You just said you’re not a licensed professional,” Connor shot back. “Plus, both these women are dead.”

“What?” Now, Maxwell’s eyes and mouth flew wide. “Dead?”

“Both murdered in the last couple of days,” Connor said.

“I—I had no idea. I heard something about a murder on the news, I think, but didn’t take note of it.” Now his defiance was melting away. “I thought you were just here to cause trouble for me, that my ex-wife or someone’s husband had set you on me.”

“You understand it’s more serious than that now?”

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