I wasn’t,” he said, glancing at Sylvia, “for a very obvious reason.”
“We understand,” said Joe.
Personally, Julie thought Lee was a cliché, regardless of his misery.
“Would you tell us what you told the police?” asked Julie.
“I told them about our affair and about leasing the condominium by the lake. I told them that she stayed there that night, that I was planning to join her but I never went there. Sylvia and I were at a late dinner party, and then we came home here together.”
Lee’s forearms were resting on the arms of his chair. He unconsciously turned his palms slightly upward as he spoke but not in an exaggerated manner.
He’s relaxed, blinking at a normal rate. The pitch of his voice is normal. He got right to the point, no irrelevant information. His feet and legs are still. His body language is congruent. He’s telling the truth…but a censored version…because of Sylvia?
Julie turned to Sylvia, who was a statue with a teacup on her knee.
“So the two of you were together all night?”
If looks could kill, I would be dead right now.
“Yes,” said Sylvia, placing her cup on the ottoman tray. “For a change, Lee was with me the entire night.” She stood up, straightening her skirt. “Now that I’ve told the police and the two of you, I think I’ll leave. Unless there’s something else you need me for? Lee?”
Her tone was icy, but there was no mistaking the truthfulness of her statement.
“No. Thank you, Sylvia,” said Lee.
Sylvia walked out of the room.
“Well,” said Lee, “that’s it. I couldn’t get away. I don’t know what else to tell you.”
NOW you’re lying. Your hand just went to your face, you shifted in the chair. I can see the whites on the bottom of your eyes. You’re lying.
“Excuse me for being blunt, Lee, but there is something else. Dianna wasn’t waiting in a bar. Evidently, she spent the whole night in your condo, so it didn’t matter if you were late. Exactly why didn’t you meet her?”
His first phone call to Dianna was at ten o’clock.
“I can’t believe it. We’re just sitting down to dinner! I thought they’d never get past the damn cocktails. I’m calling from the bathroom. I’m sorry, honey, I’m going to be late.”
“Don’t worry, Lee. It’s alright. I’ve got clothes here and everything I need.”
“Okay. Maybe another hour…I’ll be there soon.”
He made the second phone call from his car at quarter to twelve. She was sleeping. She sounded a little groggy. Maybe she had some wine?
“Sorry to wake you, honey. I’m almost there.”
“Good. I was dreaming. I have good news, Lee,” she said, sleepily. “I’m pregnant. I love you so much. See you soon.”
Lee pulled off the road. He sat there for a few minutes.
Then he did a u-turn and headed for Winter Park.
“So that stopped you from going there?” said Joe, shocked and not a little disgusted.
Lee turned and looked right at him.
“Yes, it did. I had a vasectomy four years ago.”
* * * * *
Chapter 24
“W ell that was fun,” said Joe, heading back to the office.
“At least we know why Dianna was at Lake Eola,” said Julie.
“Which means it was a crime of opportunity or she was followed,” said Joe.
“Right. But I don’t think it was random. We already decided that, remember? No robbery, no sexual assault.”
“Yeah, but this changes things, Merlin. We know that the killer didn’t lure her there. The odds are that Dianna woke up and realized Lee wasn’t coming, so she headed to her car. That makes other scenarios more likely. It could have been a mugging gone wrong, someone drunk or strung out on drugs. That would fit with a switchblade, too; they don’t usually have guns.
“And I know you don’t want to hear this, Julie, but it also strengthens the current theory. Dianna may have realized that Lee didn’t come because of the baby. What would that have done to her romantic dreams of a ‘happy ending?’
“We understand,” said Joe.
Personally, Julie thought Lee was a cliché, regardless of his misery.
“Would you tell us what you told the police?” asked Julie.
“I told them about our affair and about leasing the condominium by the lake. I told them that she stayed there that night, that I was planning to join her but I never went there. Sylvia and I were at a late dinner party, and then we came home here together.”
Lee’s forearms were resting on the arms of his chair. He unconsciously turned his palms slightly upward as he spoke but not in an exaggerated manner.
He’s relaxed, blinking at a normal rate. The pitch of his voice is normal. He got right to the point, no irrelevant information. His feet and legs are still. His body language is congruent. He’s telling the truth…but a censored version…because of Sylvia?
Julie turned to Sylvia, who was a statue with a teacup on her knee.
“So the two of you were together all night?”
If looks could kill, I would be dead right now.
“Yes,” said Sylvia, placing her cup on the ottoman tray. “For a change, Lee was with me the entire night.” She stood up, straightening her skirt. “Now that I’ve told the police and the two of you, I think I’ll leave. Unless there’s something else you need me for? Lee?”
Her tone was icy, but there was no mistaking the truthfulness of her statement.
“No. Thank you, Sylvia,” said Lee.
Sylvia walked out of the room.
“Well,” said Lee, “that’s it. I couldn’t get away. I don’t know what else to tell you.”
NOW you’re lying. Your hand just went to your face, you shifted in the chair. I can see the whites on the bottom of your eyes. You’re lying.
“Excuse me for being blunt, Lee, but there is something else. Dianna wasn’t waiting in a bar. Evidently, she spent the whole night in your condo, so it didn’t matter if you were late. Exactly why didn’t you meet her?”
His first phone call to Dianna was at ten o’clock.
“I can’t believe it. We’re just sitting down to dinner! I thought they’d never get past the damn cocktails. I’m calling from the bathroom. I’m sorry, honey, I’m going to be late.”
“Don’t worry, Lee. It’s alright. I’ve got clothes here and everything I need.”
“Okay. Maybe another hour…I’ll be there soon.”
He made the second phone call from his car at quarter to twelve. She was sleeping. She sounded a little groggy. Maybe she had some wine?
“Sorry to wake you, honey. I’m almost there.”
“Good. I was dreaming. I have good news, Lee,” she said, sleepily. “I’m pregnant. I love you so much. See you soon.”
Lee pulled off the road. He sat there for a few minutes.
Then he did a u-turn and headed for Winter Park.
“So that stopped you from going there?” said Joe, shocked and not a little disgusted.
Lee turned and looked right at him.
“Yes, it did. I had a vasectomy four years ago.”
* * * * *
Chapter 24
“W ell that was fun,” said Joe, heading back to the office.
“At least we know why Dianna was at Lake Eola,” said Julie.
“Which means it was a crime of opportunity or she was followed,” said Joe.
“Right. But I don’t think it was random. We already decided that, remember? No robbery, no sexual assault.”
“Yeah, but this changes things, Merlin. We know that the killer didn’t lure her there. The odds are that Dianna woke up and realized Lee wasn’t coming, so she headed to her car. That makes other scenarios more likely. It could have been a mugging gone wrong, someone drunk or strung out on drugs. That would fit with a switchblade, too; they don’t usually have guns.
“And I know you don’t want to hear this, Julie, but it also strengthens the current theory. Dianna may have realized that Lee didn’t come because of the baby. What would that have done to her romantic dreams of a ‘happy ending?’
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