Page 26 of Forever Gone

Tomes nodded. “Sure. We sat up all night drinking.”

Selena leaned back in her chair. “What time did you start?”

“Seven or so. Kept going past midnight.”

“Did either of you leave?”

“No.”

“Did anyone call or visit?”

Gerry rubbed both palms down his jeans. “I don’t remember. Mel ordered food. Some pizza place delivered around nine.”

Connor said, “We’ll need Mel’s number and the name of the restaurant.”

“I’ll give you both.”

“How was your relationship with Karen?” Connor asked.

“There wasn’t one. Not for a long time.”

“You were married until recently?” Selena said.

Gerry scratched his chin and then subtly shook his head. “On paper. It was over before either of us moved out.”

Selena kept her voice level. “Was the relationship ever violent?”

Gerry turned toward her. “What the hell? You think I did this?”

“We have to ask these sorts of questions to rule you out, Mr. Tomes,” Connor added.

“Then no. I was never violent towards her. I wouldn’t raise my hand like that.”

Connor studied him. “I sense there’s a but coming.”

Gerry stared at the wall. “You know how women get. They see violence differently.”

Selena’s pen stopped. “Explain what you mean.”

A nervous smile came and went from Gerry’s face. “I threw some things. That’s all. Once I put a TV remote through a window during an argument. She said that was violent. Can you believe that?”

“Yes, I can,” Selena answered.

His attention snapped back to her.

Connor said, “Did you ever put your hands on Karen?”

“No! I told you! Never. I never hit a woman.”

“Did you threaten her?” asked Connor.

“No. But she drove me insane.”

“Damage anything else like her property?” Selena prodded.

“A plate, maybe. A cabinet door. We had arguments like any married couple. It was all very plain Jane stuff.”

Selena wrote each item down. “Did Karen ever seek a protective order against you, Mr. Tomes?”