A Southern Noir: Deception by Any Other Name

Chapter 26

Driving back, I decided to visit Kevin Knight. I drove to his office and walked inside. To my surprise, he and Vivian were going through a file or some paperwork when I arrived. "Mr. Knight, we need to talk."

"Mr. Landon, I thought we'd cleared up all the confusion. Walter told you we would not turn over our records if I recall."

"Yeah, about that. We had a deal. I told you there would be trouble if you didn't get ahead of the news cycle. Now you can let your brother push you around or take some initiative and let me see your files. We can go through them here and now if you like."

"That won't be necessary. Will it, Vivian?"

"No. The files are clean," she said.

"Have you met my secretary, Mr. Landon?"

"No, I don't think I did when I was here last time. You were at the club, right?"

"Uhm, yes. Yes, I was, but as you said, we didn't meet."

My phone rang before we could continue. It was Detective Palmer. "Mr. Landon, I got the phone records back for the Knights. You were right; Russell wasn't in Destin. He was in Montgomery at the time of the murders. Walter's alibi checked out too. His phone pinged off a cell tower a few miles from his lake house."

"Oh really? That's good to hear, sweetheart." I looked back at Kevin and Vivian. "It's my wife. She's on her way back from a business trip." Turning my attention back to Detective Palmer, "So did you make any other calls, Honey?"

"Mr. Landon, by any chance, are you with Kevin Knight?"

"Yeah, I can cook those shrimp you bought. I'm with a client at his office right now, but that sounds good."

"Mr. Landon, listen carefully. According to the phone records, Kevin Knight's phone pinged on a tower about two miles from the Freeman's home. He could not have called his brother from his house."

"Well, I can't wait for you to get here, Sweetie."

"Hang it up and put it on the desk," said Kevin. Turning around, I saw Kevin with a gun pointing right at me. Vivian trembled as he stood behind her, stone-faced. "Now, Landon."

I hung up the phone and placed it on the desk. Taking a few steps back, I resisted the temptation to put my hands in my pockets. "What's this about, Kevin? If you're worried I'll go to the cops-"

"Shut up, Landon. I know you and Vivian met a few nights ago. I also know she copied and gave our records to you, so don't try and play dumb."

"So what's the play here, Kevin? You going to shoot us right here in your office?"

"No, we'll take a little drive to my brother's lake house."

"Why? Is he there waiting on us? Is he going to help you hide our bodies? Have you thought this out, Kevin?"

"He'll do what I tell him to do. Now move."

"One thing before we go. I always thought Walter was the brains. How'd you pull this off?"

"Walter? I told him before you arrived that he was not to let you see our books. He did exactly what I told him."

"What about Vivian? How does she fit into this?"

"My alibi, of course. Her job was to tell anyone who asked that I was with her at the time of the murder. An affair is a bad thing to admit to, but it's better than a murder rap, so I persuaded her to say we were together."

"So what happened, Kevin? Did Greg stumble on your drug friends' operation and confront you with it?"

"Almost. Greg tried to extort money from me. He told me that if I didn't pay him to keep quiet, he'd go to the cops."