A Southern Noir: Deception by Any Other Name

Chapter 16

Danny arrived about twenty minutes after I did. He entered my office without knocking, wanting to know what emergency brought him across town. "The guy you said was following you, did you get a picture of him?"

"No, why?"

"Danny, there's no easy way to say this, but the Freemans are dead."

"What? That can't be. Are you sure?" I could see the shock in his eyes as he let the information sink in about the Freemans.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I found them this morning, and someone shot at me. I have to know where you were this morning?"

"At home, and then I went to the gym."

"What time?"

"Wait a minute, you don't think it was me do you?"

"I don't know what to think," I said feeling my temper rise. "Now tell me what time you were at the gym?"

"I don't know. Around twelve. I stopped and got a burger on the way."

"Where's the receipt?"

"I threw it away."

"Cash or card?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you pay with cash or a card?"

"Cash."

"Dammit, who pays with cash these days?" I was getting angry with him. Adding the time in my mind, I knew he would have enough time to kill the Freemans and then make it by twelve. The cops could figure that out as well. "Danny, did anyone see you at the burger joint? Can anyone verify you were there?"

"Not anyone I know. Look, I didn't kill Sarah and Greg. I swear. Stella was there with me the whole time I was at home."

"Yeah, and if she's out to get you, I'm sure she'll back up everything you told me. Where's your gun?"

"My gun?"

"Yes, your gun. Where is it? Is it at home?"

"No, it's in my truck."

"And it's a revolver. The Freemans were murdered with a revolver. That makes you suspect number one, Danny."

"But I didn't kill them. I swear, I had nothing to do with it."

"Danny, it's not what you say; it's what you can prove. Right now, there's a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing your way. Now think, who would want to kill Greg and Sarah?"

"I don't know. Maybe someone he worked for?"

"Okay, who?"

"I don't know. I swear, I don't know."

"Danny, you're in a lot of trouble, man. You can't account for your whereabouts at the time of the murder. You can't give any witnesses to your movements today, and the time frame fits. This looks bad, Danny."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Landon, this is Detective Moncrief. Open the door."

"Damn," I said.

"Mr. Landon, we know Daniel Patterson is in there. Open the door," came the voice of Detective Palmer.

"Mr. Landon?" Danny said. I could tell by his look he was terrified.

"I'm sorry, Danny. I've got no choice." I opened the door, and the two detectives and a couple of uniformed officers were waiting outside. "Detectives, I don't think he did it."

"Maybe not, Mr. Landon, but we need him for questioning. Mr. Patterson, you will come with us," said Palmer.

"Danny, don't say a word until you get a lawyer. Nothing, you get it?"

Danny nodded and went with the uniformed officers. Moncrief said, "You giving legal advice now, Landon? Maybe you should come down to the station with us."

"Easy, Charles," Palmer said. "Mr. Landon, I hope you know the implications of harboring a fugitive."

"Last time I checked, you have to be arrested or charged first before you're considered a fugitive. Plus, I didn't try to hide him. You've got him in custody now, so it's kind of hard to harbor someone who's in custody."

Palmer smiled. "You're right of course, Mr. Landon. You made our job easy."

"You're welcome," I said.

Palmer nodded as he left my office. I watched out the window as the cops stuffed Danny into the back of the car and drove off. It was stupid of me to bring him here. I should have known this would be the first place the cops looked.

I picked up the phone and called Mrs. Patterson. "Mrs. Patterson, your husband was picked up by the cops a few minutes ago."

"Oh no. The police came by here looking for Danny several minutes ago."

"Were they detectives? A heavyset white guy and a black guy?"

"No, they weren't detectives; it was a man and woman in uniform."

"Yeah. Did they tell you why?"

"No, just that they wanted to talk to Danny."

"Well, he's now a murder suspect. The Freemans are dead. We need to talk. May I come by your house?"

"Here, uhm, yes, that will be fine."

"Alright, I'm on my way."