The attorney said, “My client will not comment on the charges against him.” He glanced at Jasper. “You are under no obligation to answer any questions.”
Jasper nodded. “I know.”
Matt changed tactics. “Don’t you even want to know why we came to your house?”
Jasper’s head bobbed. “Yes.”
Matt continued. “Your brother, Spencer LaForge, was found dead at his home this evening.”
“Spencer is dead?” Jasper’s mouth hung open. “You’re not shitting me?”
“He’s dead,” Bree assured him.
Jasper looked from Bree to Matt and back again. Confusion flashed in his eyes. As a reaction to learning of his brother’s death, it seemed weak, but at least they’d provoked an emotion.
Considering the circumstances, Matt’s next statement felt ridiculous, but he said it anyway. “We’re sorry for your loss.”
“I can’t believe it.” Jasper leaned back, as if distancing himself from the conversation.
“When was the last time you talked to your brother?” Bree asked.
“I don’t know.” Jasper blinked hard. “We weren’t close.”
Matt picked a soft question, one that didn’t feel important. He needed to get Jasper talking. “Are your parents still living?”
“No.” Jasper’s mouth flattened, and his eyes went hard. “Spencer didn’t even show up at Dad’s funeral last year. He was embarrassed by his family. He didn’t want to be reminded of where he came from.”
Gee, wonder why? Matt swallowed the sarcastic response. They needed information. They needed Jasper to cooperate. With most subjects, coaxing was more effective than hostility. But at least Jasper apparently did care about his brother’s estrangement from the family.
He was angry. How could Matt poke at that sensitive subject?
Bree sat back, her posture deceptively casual. “When did you see him last?”
Jasper lifted both hands, and the effort to return to his relaxed posture looked forced. “Before last month, I hadn’t seen him in years.”
“What happened last month?” Bree asked.
Jasper leaned sideways and whispered something in his attorney’s ear.
The attorney held up a hand. “My client isn’t going to answer that question.”
“How many times did you see him last month?” Bree asked.
Jasper cocked his head and contemplated her question for a few seconds. “Once.”
“Phone calls? Texts?” Bree asked.
Jasper exhaled hard through his nose. “We had a couple of phone calls before and after.”
Matt leaned forward. “Did Spencer call you or did you call him?”
“He called me,” Jasper said.
“About reptiles or guns?” Matt guessed.
“Nope.” The lawyer shook his head. “We’re not going there.”
But Jasper didn’t flinch. His lie came out as smooth as satin. “He just wanted to catch up.”
Matt’s guess was reptiles, since they hadn’t found any guns at Spencer’s house.
Bree made a note. “Prior to that, when did you communicate with him last?”
“I called him on his birthday back in July. He didn’t answer. I left a message. He didn’t call back.” Jasper scratched his chest. “Did he fall or something? I can’t imagine he had a heart attack. He’s always running and shit.”
“No.” Matt watched his eyes. “Your brother was murdered.”
Jasper didn’t respond for several seconds, then he blinked. “What?”
“He was murdered,” Bree repeated.
“How?” Jasper’s shock seemed genuine.
With the investigation still in its infant stage, Matt didn’t want to give out any information yet. Jasper’s attorney would want to draw on any incident that might help Jasper’s case. The attorney would contact the press if he felt that would benefit his client’s defense. Matt stuck with a vague, “The medical examiner hasn’t officially declared a cause of death at this time.”
Anger flashed in Jasper’s eyes. “But you saw him. Was he shot?”
“No,” Bree said. “He wasn’t shot.”
Jasper’s brows dropped. “Then how was he killed?”
“He suffocated.” Matt left out the details in case they needed to differentiate false leads or confessions from real ones.
Jasper’s brows shot up. For one brief second, he actually looked horrified and speechless.
While Jasper’s emotions were engaged, Matt dived in. “Where were you between four thirty and five thirty p.m. yesterday evening?”
The ME had narrowed down the time of death to a one-hour window.
Seemingly surprised, Jasper touched his own chest. “Me?”
“You don’t have to answer that question,” the attorney interrupted.
Jasper ignored him. “I was home. Why?”
“Can anyone verify that?” Matt asked.
“Stop talking.” The attorney put his hand on Jasper’s forearm.
Jasper stiffened. “You aren’t going to pin Spencer’s murder on me. I didn’t kill that little prick.”
The lawyer looked bored. “They have zero evidence. They’re fishing, and you don’t have to answer any of these questions.”
“If you didn’t kill Spencer”—Matt shifted forward—“help us find who did.”
Jasper didn’t break eye contact. “How?”
“Do you know of anything dangerous your brother could have been into?” Matt asked.
Jasper scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know what he’s been doing recently, but Spencer liked to spend money. He liked fancy clothes and shiny shoes. When he was younger, he was always running some kind of scam.”
“What kind of scam?”
Jasper turned up a palm. “Little side gigs, like telling old people their computer is compromised, then charging them to fix it.”
“But there was no problem,” Bree said.
“Exactly.” Jasper tapped a finger on the table for emphasis. “Or if there was, Spencer caused it.”
“Was his business profitable?” Matt asked.
“What business?” Jasper swept a hand over his sweaty, stubbled head. “Last time I saw Spencer, he was the assistant manager at Electronics Depot.”
“Wait.” Bree lifted a hand. “He’s not a digital marketer?”
Jasper lifted an indifferent shoulder. “Not that I know of.”
“Did he know about your reptile business?” Matt asked.
“Don’t answer that,” the lawyer interrupted.
Bree jumped in. “Did your brother breed reptiles?”
“Don’t answer that,” the lawyer said.
“Why do you like snakes?” Matt asked.
Jasper scratched his arm. “Our old man always had reptiles. We grew up with them, and we both like them. It’s probably the only thing we have in common.”
Bree flattened a hand on the table. “So, you didn’t sell or give him any rare species?”
The lawyer leaned closer to his client. “Don’t answer that.”