“Her neighbor thought it was going to Tyler, not Barry Davidson.”
“Still could be a motive, since Barry might manage that money and burn through some of it until Tyler comes of age.”
“He looks to be doing pretty well all on his own.”
“Looks can be deceiving. And even if Tyler gets it all, there could be personal reasons for the killing that we don’t know about yet. They were divorced and it didn’t sound like it was all that amicable.”
“True.”
“And I’ve got a hunch Gamma is going to stonewall us on our queries.”
“I gotta feeling Gamma is gonna stonewall us on a lot of things.”
Decker nodded but said nothing. He stared at his fresh beer like it was a clue.
“Hopefully, we’ll find something on the judge’s computers or phone that will help us.”
“Yeah,” Decker said unenthusiastically.
She stared at him. “Alex described you as relentless. You get going on a case and nothing, not God himself, is going to stop you.”
He did a sideways glance at her. “And?”
“And, don’t take this wrong, but you don’t seem to be that guy right now.”
He took a long swig of beer. “Maybe right now I’m not.”
“Is it Lancaster’s suicide?”
He rose, dropped cash for his drinks, and walked off.
Chapter 24
S?HE WATCHED HIM GO, THIS huge man lumbering along. He had been described to her by many people she respected as far and away the most dogged investigator the FBI had. Yes, annoying, frustrating to deal with, fragile at times, cutting unnervingly right to the edge of the legal envelope. But the man got the job done. He would walk through walls and over anyone standing in his way, no matter who it was, or how high up in the pecking order they were.
And while he had been somewhat like that today, he did not look like that man right now.
And he was her brand-spanking-new partner.
She sipped her G and T but didn’t really taste it.
Shit, am I screwed or what?
She pulled out her phone and called home. Her mother, Serena, answered. She asked about the kids, who were asleep at this hour.
“They’re fine, but from the sound of you, you’re not fine, Frederica.”
Her mother had resolutely declined to ever call her daughter Freddie.
“Just the case. Issues.”
“All your cases have issues, especially in the beginning. What’s different now?”
“My partner is different.” She went on to explain about Decker, including his brain trauma and personal losses. “He seems disengaged. And if this investigation goes into the toilet, so do I. I didn’t want a transfer. I don’t even know why they picked me to partner with him.”
“You don’t? Really?”
White’s brow crinkled. “What exactly are you saying, Mom?”
“Do you remember what happened to you when Donte was killed?”
“How the hell could I ever forget that?”
“Well, you apparently have. Just think on that. And pray on that. I feel sure you’ll get there in the end.”
“How can you stay so positive with all the shit that’s happened to our family?”
“You think we’re the only family that’s had bad things happen?”
“We’ve had more than our share.”
“I know some folks that have lost all of their children to violence.”
“A racist white cop put a bullet in Daddy’s head because Daddy stood up to him. And he didn’t spend one damn day in prison for it because the department thought it would be really bad for morale, and so they covered it up to look like an accident. Yeah, we got money, but that doesn’t cut it. It didn’t bring Daddy back.”
“Everything you said is exactly right, Frederica. And you will carry that with you for the rest of your life, as I will. But if you let it be what leads your life and defines who you are, then your existence on this earth will not be nearly as positive or productive as it could be.”
“I don’t get you, I really don’t.”
“Just like maybe you don’t get your new partner.”
“If he blows this, my trajectory gets stalled out real fast. My kids are going to college. I need to keep moving up.”
“I got the money for college for your kids.”
“No, that’s your money. That’s Daddy’s money. I don’t want it.”
“You’d be so stubborn over that you’d risk your kids’ not getting ahead?”