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“Um,” he mumbled,unsettled. “It was a normal day, I guess. I had meetings with clients prettymuch non-stop, like most days. First one at 9 a.m. Last one at 4 p.m. Then Iwent to an appointment with my therapist. After that I stopped at the store toget groceries for dinner and made it. I’ve been watching the bowl game eversince.”
“Which one?” Ryanwanted to know
“The Armed ForcesBowl,” he said. “Air Force versus Baylor, which is my alma mater.”
“Isn’t that gameover?” Ryan challenged.
“It is, butbecause of work, I recorded it and am watching it on delay.”
Jessie noted thatthe guy seemed to have an answer for everything.
“You seem to havea pretty packed schedule with all your client meetings,” Ryan continued,undaunted. “I’m wondering where you find the time to hand-deliver businesscards to potential clients.”
“What?” Ashtonasked, either truly confused or feigning it quite well.
“Your businesscard was found slid into the door of a woman in Marina del Rey,” Ryan informedhim. “I’m trying to understand why a successful financial advisor like yourselfwould go so far afield to put cards in the front doors of random people’shomes.”
“I didn’t,” Ashtoninsisted, sounding offended.
“Then how do youexplain this?” Ryan pushed, holding out the card.
Ashton stared atthe card for a moment before a sense of recognition appeared to come over hisface.
“I think I knowwhat’s going on here,” he said. “I periodically do a refresh of potential, newclients. I have certain markers I use to determine who might be a fit. If Idon’t know them, I try to use shared connections to make contact. If I don’thave one of those, I’ll try calling them. If that fails, I have a guy I sendout to personally deliver cards to their homes. It’s a little old school andadmittedly not the most upscale method of securing new clients. But these aretough times and I’ve had success with it in the past, so I’m not above it. ButI never personally go to anyone’s home. If you tell me where you got this card,I can explain why I selected the person.”
“The name isClarissa Langley,” Jessie said, sensing that this lead wasn’t as promising asit had seemed several minutes ago.
Ashton punched itinto his phone.
"Ohyes," he said. "I remember now. I heard through a client of mine whoworks at Creative Concepts West Marketing that she wasn't happy with heradvisors. I tried to reach out to her using his name but never heard back. Thiswas a last-ditch attempt before I crossed her off the list. Why are you askingabout her? And what does this have to do with Tabitha? Did this Langley womancomplain? Because I make sure my guy never violates any property or privacylaws."
“She’s dead, Mr.Ashton,” Ryan told him.
The man beganblinking uncontrollably and fumbled with his phone. It fell from his hand.Jessie reached out and snagged it just before it hit the ground.
"Thankyou," he said, taking it back from her. "I'm sorry, but this is alittle overwhelming. I see why you're here now, but I can assure you, I'venever met Ms. Langley. My notes say that I left her two voicemails, which shenever returned. Other than that and sending my man to deliver the card, I'venever had anything close to personal interaction with her."
Ryan was about torespond when his phone rang. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. Jessiesaw his face sink as he stepped away to answer it. Jessie returned herattention to Ashton.
“We’re going toneed you to provide a detailed, verifiable accounting of your whereabouts fromfour to six this afternoon, as well as for Wednesday from three to seven. Sendall of it to Jamil Winslow at this number,” she said, handing over a card ofher own.
Ryan hung up andstared at her urgently.
“We need to go,”he said.
Jessie noddedbefore turning to Ashton. “Get all that information to Winslow in the nexthour. Got it?”
Ashton nodded thathe did. Without another word, she turned and headed back down the path to thecar. Ryan fell into step beside her. She didn’t need to ask to know what hadhappened. Someone else was dead.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jessie cringed atthe sound of the siren.
Ryan had turned iton so that they could make better time to Playa Vista, where the latest victimhad been discovered. But after a few minutes it became clear that at this latehour, they didn’t really need it. He turned it off just as they got a call fromJamil.
“I’m hoping thatyou’re calling because you’ve got updates for us,” Ryan said.
“That depends onhow much you already know,” the head researcher replied.
