“We knew about it because the friend contacted us after the murder. Hunter wanted a background check on someone, but didn’t have a chance to identify the person. Personally, I thought it might be Casey. Maybe he was beginning to share his father’s concerns and wanted to know more about the woman he was planning to marry.”
“Which is what the prosecution argued,” Laurie said, “but it was complete speculation. It seems equally possible that he was looking into his concerns about his father’s assistant, Mary Jane. He was determined to have her fired. Mary Jane was at the gala that night, but did she accompany the General when he brought donors to his club afterward?”
The lieutenant squinted, trying to access the information from memory. “No, she didn’t. But she told us the next day that she heard him come home after she turned in, and then she was the one who answered the telephone when we called to tell him there had been a shooting.”
“So you have no idea exactly what time she returned from the gala. She could have gone up to Connecticut and back before you phoned the house. In fact, for all you know, she came home after the General and was lying about hearing him return.”
“I suppose that’s possible.” Then he added with a wry smile, “But not likely.”
Laurie began to slip her notes into her bag. “Thank you again for your time, Lieutenant. I admit I didn’t expect you to be so forthcoming.”
He held up both hands. “The way I see it, if I do my job right, you can go over it with a magnifying glass, and I’ve got nothing to worry about. You don’t seriously think Hunter’s best friend or his father’s assistant killed him?” He still seemed amused.
“Did you know that in addition to inquiring about a private investigator, Hunter was also looking into financial irregularities at the foundation?”
McIntosh’s smile fell from his face. “Now, that I would remember. No one ever mentioned such a thing.”
“It’s just a possibility at this point.” She saw no reason to tell him that Casey was the only source on this issue. “But Mark Templeton did resign suddenly four years later, with the foundation’s assets significantly reduced, and did not get a new job for almost a year.”
The lieutenant was squinting, as if a memory was tugging at him.
“Does that ring a bell?” she asked.
“Maybe. Remember I said we do a thorough search of the home? There was a note on Hunter’s desk that had a couple of phone numbers jotted down. According to the phone records, he never actually called the numbers. But here’s the thing: they were both major accounting firms that specialized in forensic accounting, and in the margin next to the numbers, Hunter had written: Ask Mark.”
“I assume that’s Mark Templeton. So did you ask him?”
“Sure did. He said he had no idea what the note meant. Maybe the Raleigh family needed a new firm and he was planning to get Mark’s opinion. But like I said, take your magnifying glass and go for it, Nancy Drew. I know we convicted the right person.”
38
Laurie’s father had just buckled his seatbelt when he asked what she was thinking. “Do you really believe Hunter may have been killed because of problems at the foundation?”
“I’m not sure, but I definitely get the feeling that Hunter’s father put his thumb on the scales of justice at some point.” She explained the role of the General’s editor, Holly Bloom, in assisting both Mark Templeton and Jason Gardner.
“But you can’t believe the General was actually involved.”
“Of course not.” The possibility was unimaginable. James Raleigh was a national hero and by all accounts adored his older son. Even if she doubted him, his whereabouts were accounted for up until the moment he was notified of Hunter’s death.
“Why would he cover up for his own son’s murderer?”
“If he thought his other son was responsible. According to Casey, Andrew Raleigh could be very resentful of his older brother, especially when he was intoxicated. Even when I met with Andrew, he made it very clear that Hunter was the favored son. Or General Raleigh may have genuinely believed that Casey was guilty. But what if he was wrong?”
“Or maybe he was right, Laurie. Even if he did get Jason Gardner that book deal, even if he had something to do with the RIP_Hunter posts, even if he was trying to stack the deck against Casey-she could still be guilty.”
Maybe, Laurie thought.
They were only two days from filming, and she was finding more questions than answers. She now knew that police had found the numbers of forensic accountants on Hunter’s desk, along with a note to Ask Mark. That likely corroborated Casey’s claim that Hunter was looking into irregularities at the foundation. She was going to have to take another run at Templeton.
In the meantime, she had one more stop to make before they could return to the city. The rental car’s GPS instructed her father that their destination was on the left.
“You coming in?” she asked.
“No thanks. Never met a defense lawyer I liked until Alex. I think I’ll quit while I’m ahead.”
The lawyer Laurie was going to see was Casey’s trial lawyer, Janice Marwood.
39
Laurie rang the bell of Janice Marwood’s office. When no one answered, she opened the door and stepped in. This is an office, she thought. At a glance she could see that the space had probably served as a family home in the early twentieth century. On her left, what used to be the living room was now a reception area with several chairs and a table with magazines.
What was missing was any sign of life-not a person in sight.
“Hello?” Laurie called out, as she stepped into the reception area. She heard footsteps coming down the hall.
A woman emerged from the back of the house, a jar of peanut butter in one hand, a spoon in the other. “I’m here-Oh.”
Oh, Laurie thought. She introduced herself even though she strongly suspected from the woman’s reaction that she already knew who she was. “I’ve called a few times on behalf of Casey Carter.”
Marwood finished swallowing the lump of peanut butter in her mouth and freed her hands for a quick shake. “Sorry, I’m juggling a ton of cases right now. I swear I was going to call you today, come hell or high water.”
Laurie didn’t believe it for a second. “Did you get the waiver we faxed over? I’m eager to talk to you. We start production in two days.” Faxed over in this context meant faxed, emailed, and sent certified mail. Called a few times translated to daily phone messages. And yet Laurie had not heard one word from Casey’s trial lawyer. “The courthouse doesn’t allow cameras inside, but we have permits to film out front. Or we’d be happy to do it here if that’s more convenient. Most of all, I’d love to pick your thoughts. It’s been fifteen years, and Casey has never wavered once about her innocence.”
Janice worked her jaw as if she were still eating. “Yeah, about that. It’s Casey’s right to forgo attorney-client privilege, but I’ve looked into the issue of whether I’m obliged to participate in a television show against my own desires. The answer is no.”
Laurie had imagined multiple scenes that might have played out when she arrived at Janice’s office, but this hadn’t been one of them. “You owe a duty of loyalty to your client. She spent a good part of her life in prison and is now desperate to clear her name. You’re supposed to be her advocate. I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the conflict here.”
“My job is-was-to fight for her at trial. And on appeal. But the litigation is over. I’m not some reality TV star. It’s not my job to appear on camera.”
“Casey signed the papers.”