“You viewed her as that.”
“You’re surprised because we were steps? Well, yeah, I did. I welcomed having a sib, being an only for so long.”
“You were close.”
A beat. “We got along really well but when our parents married I was already in med school up here and Whitney was like... eight, nine? So with my being away, we didn’t see each other very often. But the times I was home, we had fun. Whitney was a super-bright kid, we used to play two-handed bridge, chess, do puzzles, math games.”
I’d been scrawling notes, showed one to Milo.
He said, “What was Whitney like as a person?”
“Like I said, super-smart, but also super-shy. I used to feel protective of her. Because of her being so quiet and to herself. Donna seemed to think there was something wrong with that, she kept prodding Whitney to quote ‘come out of your shell, you’re not a hermit crab.’ I assume you’ve met Donna.”
“We have.”
“Not the most... pliable person. How’s she doing? Has she remarried?”
“No.”
“That surprises me,” said Batchelor. “She seemed to need having someone to talk to. My dad was perfect for her, a great listener.”
Another note.
Milo said, “Good marriage?”
“Oh yes,” said Batchelor. “Dad had been torn up by my mom’s death and Donna brought him out socially. She was also much younger and I guess today you’d call her arm candy.”
He chuckled. “Dad liked making an appearance.”
“Sounds like you haven’t had much contact with Donna.”
“Not since my dad’s funeral. She was invited to our wedding but didn’t make it. So yeah, it had been a while when she called to tell me about Whitney. Then she emailed me about Whitney’s funeral and I attended.”
“You were close to Whitney,” said Milo. “Donna, not so much?”
“Well,” said Rolf Batchelor, “to be honest, Donna and I didn’t mesh super-easily. It’s not that we had conflict but some people you just don’t... the main thing is Donna was good to Dad. Nor did she ever try to put a wedge between Dad and myself, nothing like that. She and I just didn’t... mesh is the best term for it. But Whitney, she always seemed so vulnerable. Being shy and to herself.”
“Can you think of anyone who’d want to hurt her?”
“From what Donna told me Jarrod’s father sounds like a pretty good bet. I assume you know about the custody battle.”
“We do, Doctor.”
“I mean that would seem to be a logical point of departure, no?” said Batchelor. “As far as anyone else, I have no idea.”
“What about Whitney’s former boyfriends.”
“Hmm,” said Rolf Batchelor. “Can’t say I’m aware of any. Then again, when Whitney was of dating age, I was here working and doing a lot of travel.”
“When’s the last time you and Whitney spoke?”
“Probably... a couple of years before she died? She emailed me Jarrod’s birth announcement, I emailed her back and sent her a baby gift. Monogrammed blanket, my wife picked it out. Whitney called to thank me and we chatted but not for very long. Whitney wasn’t one for small talk.”
“We’ve heard she wasn’t one for talk, period.”
“I suppose you could say that, Lieutenant. But it really does take all types.”
“Agreed, sir. We’re just trying to find out who might’ve resented her.”
“So you’ve cleared Jarrod’s father.”
“It’s an ongoing investigation. What did Whitney tell you about Jarrod’s father?”
“Nothing,” said Rolf Batchelor. “The only reason I know about him is through Donna. I know this probably sounds strange, my considering Whitney my sister but having so little contact with her. Part of that was me. Living my own life, working. But part of it was Whitney’s choice.”
“She refused contact?”
“Like you said, she wasn’t one for conversation. I don’t want to stigmatize her and I’m sure not qualified to get psychological, but you do take some psychiatry in med school and I remember coming across this term and thinking that sounds like Whitney.”
“What term was that, Doctor?”
“Schizoid personality type,” said Batchelor. “It sounds worse than it is. Not schizophrenic or anything like that. And maybe it’s just some jargon label the shrinks thought up for really shy people. Like I said, it takes all types. Silicon Valley’s full of people like Whitney and they’re changing the world.”
His voice had risen. Armor-plated by defensiveness.
Milo said nothing.
Batchelor said, “Do I wish we could’ve stayed in touch more? Very much so. I’m not blaming it on Whitney, I had my own life... Things get away from you.”
Lowered volume. Faltering. Cracks in the armor.
“They sure do, Doctor. So no one you can think of who’d resent Whitney?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Okay, thanks. If you don’t mind, I’d like to run some names by you. Please tell me if they mean anything to you.”
“Sure.”
“Gerald Boykins.”
“Nope.”
“Jamarcus Parmenter.”
“Nope.”
“Paul O’Brien.”
“I’ve got a colleague by that name. Emeritus professor of endodontics. He’s like eighty-eight years old so I’m assuming he’s not who you’re referring to.”
“No, sir. One more: Marissa French.”
“Nope, never heard of her. Who are all these people?”
“Their names have come up, sir.”
“Not Whitney’s friends?”
“No, sir.”
“Too bad,” said Rolf Batchelor. “I was hoping she’d finally found some.”
Chapter 25
Milo pushed away from my desk.
“Dr. Compassionate. Think he’s too good to be true?”
“You do?”
“Nothing he said twanged my antenna but his dad’s estate had to be substantial so one less heir would be nice.”
“His dad died years ago.”
“Maybe there’s been a money battle making its way through the system. What if it dragged on and Rolf Three lost patience.”
“Donna didn’t mention anything like that and she’s not the type to gloss over a fight with anyone, let alone a stepson. More than that, if eliminating heirs was the goal, she’d be in jeopardy herself and once Whitney was murdered, I can’t see her overlooking the threat.”
“Unless she fixated on Sterling — please don’t say it.”
“What?”
“Anything’s possible. My job, that’s terrifying.”
He wheeled around in my chair for a few semicircles. Came to a quick stop, looked up his call history, and punched buttons.
Three rings later, Donna Batchelor said, “What now, Lieutenant?”
“We just spoke to Dr. Batchelor.”
“R-Three? How’s he doing?”
“He seems well, ma’am. He told us he thought of himself as Whitney’s brother—”
“Why wouldn’t he? Blood doesn’t matter, relationships do, and theirs was great. Three wasn’t around much but when he visited he was great with Whitney and she adored him.”
“That’s consistent with his description.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” she said. “And why are you wasting your time with Three or anyone else when I told you where to look. That bastard.”
“We’re taking that seriously, ma’am, but we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t explore all possibilities.”
“Oh boy,” said Donna Batchelor. “Can’t stop you from meandering but in the end you’ll see I’m right. Besides that, what could you expect to get from talking to Three?”
“You may find the question ridiculous, ma’am, but I need to ask: Was there any sort of conflict related to Mr. Batchelor’s estate?”
Donna Batchelor’s laughter had the soothing effect of ball bearings in a metal bowl.