Forgive or Forget

Chapter 20

-Detective Michael Riggs-

I hadn't gotten any good leads on my victim till this morning. A Reed Westerly called in, claiming to not only know the victim but also that he knew why she was in Baltimore. I immediately set up a meeting with him. He should be here at any moment.

I hear my desk phone buzz, indicating that I have an internal call, most likely from the front desk, letting me know that Mr. Westerly has arrived for our meeting.

I pick up my receiver. "Detective Riggs."

Officer Kent informs me, "Reed Westerly is here to see you."

"Please put him in conference room three," I instruct him.

Officer Kent replies, "Yes, Sir."

"Thank you."

I gather everything I'll need for the interview: a paper pad, pens, and a tape recorder. I stop to fill my coffee before going to the conference room. When I enter, Mr. Westerly immediately stands and reaches his hand out to me.

I put down my coffee and accepted his hand in greeting. "Hello, Detective. Thank you for seeing me so soon."

I'm pleasantly surprised at his greeting. "You're thanking me? I should be the one thanking you for coming in. I hope you can shed some light on why Miss Conrad was here in Baltimore."

I sit at the table, and Mr. Westerly follows my lead and sits back down. "I believe I'll be able to give you the information that you need."

"Great. Do you mind if I record our conversation?" I ask.

"I don't mind at all," he replies.

I take a moment to organize myself before hitting play on my recorder. "For the record, please give me your full name?"

"Reed Andrew Westerly."

"Do you know Patricia Conrad?" I inquire.

"Only by her nickname, Patty," he admits.

"How long have you known Miss Conrad?" I question.

"She's the ex-girlfriend of my friend, Todd Matthews. They dated intermittently for the past two and a half years," he answers.

I see the sadness in his eyes when he mentions his friend. "Do you know why she was in the Baltimore area and when she arrived?"

"Yes. There's a bit of a back story. Would you like me to begin there?" he asks.

"Please," I request.

Mr. Westerly continues, "Todd has been working in Delaware for the last two years."

Right away, my mind goes to the killer being dormant in Baltimore and Philadelphia for the past two years. I quickly make a note to check Delaware for murders with this MO.

"I was in Philadelphia for a meeting, and we planned on getting together at a bar close to my work to have dinner and catch up," he adds.

I interrupt. "Excuse me."

He stops talking. "You live here in Baltimore and travel to Philadelphia for business?"

"Yes. My office is in Philadelphia. I moved here from Philly when my wife and I got together," he explains.

I ask him, "So you are originally from Philadelphia?"

"Yes, born and raised," he replies.

I jot that down in my notes. "Please, continue."

"Todd didn't take to me meeting my wife right from the start. Todd and I used to go out and raise hell together. That all changed when I met Cheryl. He's been jealous of her since the beginning." He pauses to take a sip of water. "It all came to a head Thursday night when we got together in Philly. I was planning on driving home, so I just had a couple of beers, but by the time we were ready to leave, I was stumbling and slurring my words. Todd took my keys and drove me to his home to sleep it off. I passed out before I was able to notify my wife about what was going on. Early the next morning, I woke up in Todd's guest room with Patty. We were both naked. I didn't remember a damn thing that happened."