Matthew made some notes, then asked, "Who stood to gain if the divorce became final?"
"Robert. My attorney said he wanted a two-million-dollar settlement."
Reynolds was Surprised by the amount. He had never thought of Abbie as a wealthy woman, always assuming that Robert Griffen was the one with the money because he had been a partner in a prestigious law firm while Abbie worked in the district attorney's office.
"Could you afford that?" Reynolds asked.
"Yes. It would have been worth it to get him out of my life."
"Two million dollars is a very good motive for murder."
"He would have settled for less and I could have survived nicely, even if it cost me that much to get rid of him."
"Most jurors would find it hard to believe that you could give away two million dollars and not care."
"It's the truth."
"I didn't say it wasn't. We're talking about human nature, Abbie. What the average person will think about a sum that large."
Abbie thought about that for a moment.
"Where did your money come from?" Reynolds asked.
"My parents were both killed in an auto accident when I was very young.
There was a big insurance policy. My Aunt Sarah took me in. She made certain the money was invested wisely."
"Tell me about your aunt."
"Aunt Sarah never married and I was her only family. A few years before I came to live with her, she started Chapman Accessories in her house to supplement her income. It kept growing.
She sold out to a national chain when she was fifty for several million dollars. I was seventeen and I'd just graduated from high school. We went around the world together for a year. It was the best year of my life. Aunt Sarah died five years ago. Between the money she invested for me and the money she left me, I'm quite wealthy."
"I take it that you were very close to your aunt."
"I loved her very much. As much as if she was my real mother.
She made me strong and self-sufficient. She convinced me that I didn't have to be afraid of being alone."
Abbie paused, momentarily overcome by emotion. Then she said, "I wish she was here for me now."
Reynolds looked down at his desk, embarrassed by Abbie's sudden display of emotion. When Reynolds looked up, he looked grim.
"You must never think you're alone, Mrs. Griffen. I am here for you, and so are the people who work for me. We are very good at what we do.
You must believe that. And we will do everything in our power to see that you are cleared of this terrible accusation."
Jack Stamm had assigned Chuck Geddes a room in the Multnomah County district attorney's office that overlooked the Fifth Avenue transit mall. With the window open, Geddes could hear the low hum of the city. The white noise was lulling him into a state of somnolence when he was suddenly struck by an idea.
Geddes sat up and grabbed his legal pad. If Neil Christenson could find evidence to support his new theory, that evidence would not just put a nail in Abigail Griffen's coffin, it would seal it hermetically.
When Geddes was through with his notes he made a call to the Supreme Court in Salem. Then he buzzed Neil Christenson and told him to come to his office immediately. While he waited, Geddes marveled at his ability to make this type of intuitive leap.
There were lots of good prosecutors, Geddes thought with a smile of smug satisfaction, but the truly great lawyers were few and far between.
Geddes was so lost in thoughts of self-congratulation that the ringing phone startled him.
"Geddes," he barked into the receiver, angered by the inopportune interruption.
"Mr. Geddes, this is Matthew Reynolds."
Geddes stiffened. He genuinely hated Reynolds because of the way the defense attorney had humiliated him in court both times they had faced each other, but he would never give Matthew the satisfaction of knowing how he felt.
"What can I do for you, Matt," Geddes asked in a tone of false camaraderie.
"Nothing right now. I'm calling because I understand you are in charge of the investigation into Justice Griffen's murder."
"That's right."
"I have just been retained to represent Abigail Griffen and I would appreciate it if neither you nor any other government agent contacts her in connection with this case. If you need to speak to her, please call me and I'll try to assist you, if I can. I already mailed you a letter that sets out this request. Please put it in your file."
Listening to Reynolds give him orders as if he was some secretary set Geddes's teeth on edge, but you could never tell that from the way he calmly responded to Abbie's attorney.
"I'll do that, Matt, and I appreciate the call, but I don't know why Mrs. Griffen is so bent out of shape. You both know that the wife is always a natural suspect. I was sorry to have to upset her so soon after her husband's funeral, but we're not looking at her any more than anyone else."
"Then you have other suspects?"
"Now, you know better than that. I can't discuss an ongoing investigation."
"I understand," Reynolds said abruptly, to let Geddes know that he was in no mood to play games. "I won't keep you any longer."
"Nice talking to you," Geddes said, just as Neil Christenson walked in.
"Well, well," Geddes mused, breaking into a grin. "If we needed any more proof that Abigail Griffen is guilty, we just got it."
"What proof is that?"
"She's hired Matthew Reynolds as her attorney."
Christenson wasn't smiling.
"What's bothering you?" Geddes asked, annoyed that Christenson did not react to his joke.
"I think we should move slowly with this investigation. Something just doesn't feel right to me."
Geddes frowned. "For instance?"
"There's Deems for one thing. He's the worst possible person we could have for a key witness, especially now with Reynolds defending. Can you imagine what a lawyer like Reynolds will do to Deems on cross? He has a terrific motive to lie. Griffen put him on death row, for God's sake.
And don't forget, Deems was the prime suspect before he waltzed into Stamm's office with his story."
"Good points, Neil. But think about this. You'll admit Deems is intelligent?"
"Oh, that's for sure. Most psychopaths are."
"Then why would he kill Justice Griffen with a bomb that is identical to the bomb he used to kill Hollins? Does that make sense? Or does it make more sense that someone who knew how Deems made the Hollins bomb, and who knew that the bomb squad would immediately connect the Griffen bomb to Deems, would use the bomb to frame Deems?"
"The point's well taken, Chuck, but I don't trust him. Why is he here?
Why would someone like Deems want to help the police?
"That's simple. He hates Griffen for putting him on death row. Revenge is one of man's oldest motives.
"And don't forget the metal strip and her alibi, or lack of one.
You don't buy that fairy story about the meeting in the rose garden, do you? Talk about leading someone down the garden path."
Geddes laughed at his own joke, but Christenson looked grim. "There's still the attack on the coast. Griffen said the man could have been Deems."
"If there was an attack. Remember what Sheriff Dillard told you when you talked to him yesterday. But let's assume the attack did take place. Does it make sense that Griffen would go off in the middle of the night alone, and meetsomeone in an isolated place, a week after someone tried to rape or murder her? No, Neil, this little lady is weaving a web of bullshit and a jury won't buy it any more than I do."
Christenson frowned. "What you say makes sense, but I still . . ."
Geddes looked annoyedo "Neil, I have no doubts about Griffen. She's guilty and I'm going to get her. I need an investigator on this case who's going to nail Griffen to the wall. If you feel uncomfortable working on this, say so. I can get someone else."