Chapter 30 - Grilling a Friend

"Is there a reason that Rachael might no longer feel safe around you?"

"No."

"Have you been dating anyone?"

"No, no one seriously anyway. If I had, I wouldn't have been marrying Melanie. Do you suddenly doubt me?"

"I nearly got killed driving your car last night, only to run into another dead body."

"You were going to take Mel's car. That's not my fault."

"Hers had a convenient flat."

"I haven't even been home since the wedding! What are you getting at? Why would I rig my own brakes?"

Lee shrugged. "Saul keeps reminding me that murder is usually of two kinds: for money or for passion. You didn't stand to benefit financially from Mel's death, did you?"

"You have got to be kidding me? No."

"You didn't take out a reciprocal policy on Mel?"

"No, I told you before. I didn't. Lee, this is nuts. I didn't want Mel dead. I can't believe you would think that."

"Then maybe someone wanted her dead for you?"

"There is no one. I wish to hell there was, Lee, but there isn't."

"There's Rachael."

"We know that she didn't have the gun, Lee."

"No, we don't. She could have searched the apartment. She could have found it. Mel could have given it to Rachael with a suggestion to use it on herself. Even you could have even given it to her. The irony then would be that Mel set up a potential alibi for the gun being out of Rachael's possession."

"Lee, Rachael and I did not conspire to kill Mel. Rachael did not kill Mel. You have to know that."

"Maybe you have a stalker of some sort."

"I'm a trained professional, Lee. I'd know."

"What if you didn't?"

"Rachael would have known. Are you daft?"

"Daft. Sore. Tired. Confused beyond all get out."

"Me too," Roger plopped on the bed.

"Maybe Rachael did kill Mel. Maybe Johnson's lackey told her to."

"Why would he do that?"

"Maybe as a test? Kill a pregnant woman. Survive better than the last time. Be at our beck and call to kill again."

"I can't believe Johnson would stoop to that. Rachael's good at what she does, but she's hardly the only agent who can point a gun and shoot accurately. It makes no sense."

"If she fails, her mental state makes her disposable. Unaccountable. Rogue even."

"No. I don't believe he'd go that far, Lee. The absurdity of using a prominent Navy contractor's pregnant daughter as a test assassination subject is too far out there even for Johnson."

"I can't put it past him."

"Lee, you're part time. I work for the man 24/7. I know that he cares about his agents. He cares about Rachael."

"I've been waiting to hear those details."

"I don't have details. I just know that Rachael and Johnson have a connection of some sort. I couldn't put a name to its nature or how far it has gone, but I think you nailed it when you suggested my unpaid leave was for her benefit not my punishment."

"Well, as it turns out, not so much," Lee smiled.

"Laugh it up, buddy. If you and Rachael did what I suspect here, Johnson will probably be gunning for you next," Roger flung a pillow into Lee. "Ooh, unless it was his idea?"

"Of safe?" Lee rubbed his forehead. "I may need to see a psychiatrist now!"

"You should be flattered. Johnson or his agent deemed you were safe. Now, did he mean that in a no emotional entanglement way or was he judging your probable technique?"

Lee whacked Roger back with a pillow. They both cracked into laughter.

"I feel so used!"

"Well used, at least," Roger snickered. "Rachael, she was really okay?"

"Do we need to have this conversation?"

"Uh, no. I trust you, and I'm hoping that despite your earlier efforts to break me into confession, you still trust me."

"With my life. Sorry. Saul pushed me to push you."

"Well, I suppose I should appreciate that gesture from him. You too."

"Indeed. Listen, I still have an itch about Mel's cousin, Randall. Is there some way you can find out for certain which of the brothers is, you know?"

"Gay as three dollar bill, you mean?"

Lee nodded.

"A phone call or two should do it. You think it might be relevant?"

Lee shrugged. "Who knows? Sometimes it's just better to scratch the itch than ignore it." Lee's phone rang. "We'll be there in a couple. Yes, we. Remember the car I was last using went off a cliff. Roger just swung by to give me a ride."

"Awkward moment?" Roger laughed as Lee hung up.