Keller released her own annoyed breath. “I’ll be right out.” She made her way down the hallway. Through the glass security doors she got a look at her visitors.
Judy Adler was probably in her late fifties. She wore black, and had dark hair with severe bangs. With her was a man of a similar age, who wore slightly tinted eyeglasses and had disorderly gray hair.
In the reception area, Judy approached with a confident stride, sticking out her hand.
“Special Agent Keller, thanks for meeting with us. I’m Judy Adler. This is my husband, Ira.”
Keller was tempted to say that she knew who they were, but just shook both their hands, nodded politely. “What can I do for you?”
“We hoped we could talk”—Judy looked around the empty reception area as if to confirm no one was listening—“about the Pine investigation.”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to.”
Judy Adler gave Keller a knowing smile. “There’re photos of you with Matthew Pine all over the internet. It took our people about five minutes to identify you.…”
The damn paparazzi from the dorm.
Before Keller responded, Judy Adler said, “We’re filmmakers. We made a documentary about the Pines. Maybe you’ve seen it—‘A Violent Nature’？”
“Some of it,” Keller said, not offering a compliment. She actually thought it was well done—the Adlers were good storytellers. The old family photos of the Pines, the eerie string music, the interviews and news clips expertly interspersed for dramatic effect. Keller realized that Judy Adler was the interviewer, the faceless voice off-screen who’d probed subjects about Charlotte’s death.
“We had our investigator go down to Mexico,” Judy said. “He found something, and our lawyer said we should talk to the FBI.”
She had Keller’s attention now. By the look on Judy Adler’s face, she knew it.
“Why don’t you come back to my office.”
The Adlers signed in and secured guest badges, then followed Keller to her office. Keller gestured to the visitor chairs and took her seat behind the desk. She subtly closed the computer research file on the Pine family.
Keller said, “Just so we’re clear, whatever we discuss is off the record.”
Judy frowned but gave a resigned nod. Her husband still hadn’t said anything. They struck Keller as one of those couples where the husband needed to be the strong, silent type.
“You sent an investigator to Mexico?” Keller asked.
“We stuck him on the first plane out after we heard. We’re making a sequel to the documentary. And obviously, what happened is relevant to the story.”
“What’s the sequel about?” Keller asked.
“Today?” Ira Adler said, speaking for the first time. He had a husky, breathy voice, friendly, nonthreatening. “We started off focusing on Danny’s appeal,” Ira said. “There were some famous appellate lawyers working the case, and we had lots of public support.”
Judy spoke now. “But it turns out famous appellate lawyers”—she put the word in air quotes—“are about as interesting as Nebraska. Do you know the state’s official slogan?”
Keller shook her head.
“I swear I’m not making this up.” Judy raised her hand like she was taking an oath. “Nebraska’s slogan is ‘Honestly, it’s not for everyone.’” She coughed out a laugh, then said, “I’ve spent months there and they aren’t lying. We’re going back tonight.”
Keller suppressed a grin.
“Anyway,” Judy continued, “our big climax—the Supreme Court’s decision—went to shit when those nine idiots denied Danny’s appeal, so we almost scrapped the whole project.”
“But then we decided to focus on the girl,” Ira said. They had the rhythm of a couple who had been married a long time.
“You mean Charlotte?” Keller said.
“Right,” Judy continued. “I mean, one of the criticisms we got over ‘A Violent Nature’—and it wasn’t totally unfair—was that Charlotte seemed to get lost in it all. We were so focused on that awful interrogation of Danny Pine and the Unknown Partygoer and Bobby Ray Hayes that we never really gave the victim her due.”
“So what does the accident in Mexico have to do with Charlotte?” Keller asked.
“Well, what if it wasn’t an accident?” Judy said, holding Keller’s gaze.
Keller felt a flutter in her chest. Always trust your gut. “The Mexican authorities haven’t said anything about foul play,” Keller said.