the door had brown eyes and dark, wavy hair that fell over her shoulders.
Hayley told the woman who they were and asked if she was Robin Santos.
The woman nodded, but didn’t invite them in—her expression difficult to read.
“Your brother said today would be a good day for us to visit.”
The woman nodded again.
All right, then. Talking to the lady was going to be like pulling teeth. “We need to ask you a few questions. Would it be OK if we came in for a moment? This won’t take long.”
Reluctantly, Robin Santos stepped back and allowed them inside.
They followed her across a tiled entryway that led to a big, open family room tastefully decorated with leather couches and a stone coffee table. An upright piano sat against one wall, and a mahogany shelf filled with books covered the opposite wall. A large-paned window overlooking the backyard revealed a large pond surrounded by rocks and potted plants.
Robin Santos glanced at the clock before gesturing for them to take a seat on the couch. “My girls will be home soon. I need you to leave before they arrive.”
Hayley opened the file she’d brought and got right to it. Robin Santos wasn’t the only one who wanted to make this quick. “I read the police report,” Hayley said. “You and your brother believe your husband emptied the bank accounts before running off with another woman, is that right?”
“Yes,” she said as she paced the room, unable to stop moving. “Can I get you two some water?”
“That would be great,” Kitally said, eliciting a sigh from Hayley.
As soon as the woman walked off, Hayley said, “She’s not being cooperative and we don’t have much time. If she offers you a sandwich, the answer is no, thank you.”
“OK, Mom.”
For the first time ever, Hayley wished Jessica was still her partner.
Robin brought them water, and then took a seat on the chair across from them. Once again, she looked at the clock.
“Could you give me the name of this other woman?” Hayley asked.
Robin shook her head. “I have no idea who he ran away with. There were so many women, it would be impossible to narrow it down.”
“He was an accountant?”
“That’s correct.”
“Did he have any close friends?”
“If you count hookers and one-night stands, then yes. He was seldom home, so I really don’t know.”
“What about your neighbor, Helen Smith?”
“What about her? She’s a nosy busybody. My husband talked with her every once in a while because he felt sorry for her.”
“According to the police records, Helen told police that he worked from eight to five, came straight home every night, and rarely left his house.”
“Helen Smith doesn’t live here, does she?”
Hayley frowned. The woman seemed dead set on being as unhelpful as possible. She obviously had no interest in finding her husband—that much was clear. “I would like to talk to your daughters.”
“Absolutely not. I forbid it.” She stood. “That’s enough. It’s time for you both to go.”
“You do realize we’re only trying to find your husband so you can collect child support?”
“I understand my brother was trying to help when he hired a private investigator. It’s true that I have no idea how I’m going to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table, but the thought of ever seeing that man after what he did to my—to me—it’s more than I can handle right now.”
Hayley looked over her shoulder as they walked back to the car. Robin Santos peered through the curtains, watching them leave. “That is one strange woman.”
“You think?”
Hayley shot Kitally a look. “Yeah. I do. She’s hiding something.”
“Like what?”
“I’m not sure yet, but she’s got something. That was like interviewing a suspect, not a client.”
“Maybe she’s just bitter,” Kitally said. “Her no-good husband slept around and she’s pissed off.”
Hayley shrugged. Kitally had a point, but still. There was something running under the
Hayley told the woman who they were and asked if she was Robin Santos.
The woman nodded, but didn’t invite them in—her expression difficult to read.
“Your brother said today would be a good day for us to visit.”
The woman nodded again.
All right, then. Talking to the lady was going to be like pulling teeth. “We need to ask you a few questions. Would it be OK if we came in for a moment? This won’t take long.”
Reluctantly, Robin Santos stepped back and allowed them inside.
They followed her across a tiled entryway that led to a big, open family room tastefully decorated with leather couches and a stone coffee table. An upright piano sat against one wall, and a mahogany shelf filled with books covered the opposite wall. A large-paned window overlooking the backyard revealed a large pond surrounded by rocks and potted plants.
Robin Santos glanced at the clock before gesturing for them to take a seat on the couch. “My girls will be home soon. I need you to leave before they arrive.”
Hayley opened the file she’d brought and got right to it. Robin Santos wasn’t the only one who wanted to make this quick. “I read the police report,” Hayley said. “You and your brother believe your husband emptied the bank accounts before running off with another woman, is that right?”
“Yes,” she said as she paced the room, unable to stop moving. “Can I get you two some water?”
“That would be great,” Kitally said, eliciting a sigh from Hayley.
As soon as the woman walked off, Hayley said, “She’s not being cooperative and we don’t have much time. If she offers you a sandwich, the answer is no, thank you.”
“OK, Mom.”
For the first time ever, Hayley wished Jessica was still her partner.
Robin brought them water, and then took a seat on the chair across from them. Once again, she looked at the clock.
“Could you give me the name of this other woman?” Hayley asked.
Robin shook her head. “I have no idea who he ran away with. There were so many women, it would be impossible to narrow it down.”
“He was an accountant?”
“That’s correct.”
“Did he have any close friends?”
“If you count hookers and one-night stands, then yes. He was seldom home, so I really don’t know.”
“What about your neighbor, Helen Smith?”
“What about her? She’s a nosy busybody. My husband talked with her every once in a while because he felt sorry for her.”
“According to the police records, Helen told police that he worked from eight to five, came straight home every night, and rarely left his house.”
“Helen Smith doesn’t live here, does she?”
Hayley frowned. The woman seemed dead set on being as unhelpful as possible. She obviously had no interest in finding her husband—that much was clear. “I would like to talk to your daughters.”
“Absolutely not. I forbid it.” She stood. “That’s enough. It’s time for you both to go.”
“You do realize we’re only trying to find your husband so you can collect child support?”
“I understand my brother was trying to help when he hired a private investigator. It’s true that I have no idea how I’m going to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table, but the thought of ever seeing that man after what he did to my—to me—it’s more than I can handle right now.”
Hayley looked over her shoulder as they walked back to the car. Robin Santos peered through the curtains, watching them leave. “That is one strange woman.”
“You think?”
Hayley shot Kitally a look. “Yeah. I do. She’s hiding something.”
“Like what?”
“I’m not sure yet, but she’s got something. That was like interviewing a suspect, not a client.”
“Maybe she’s just bitter,” Kitally said. “Her no-good husband slept around and she’s pissed off.”
Hayley shrugged. Kitally had a point, but still. There was something running under the
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