“Because he killed him or had him killed perhaps?” she tossed out.
“Maybe? Not sure. That’s why I thought it best you have a go at him. But he did say something to the effect of Palmer wasn’t exactly an angel.”
“Go on.” She didn’t want to dwell on that because it would just lead her into the darkness.
“He confessed that he and Palmer had a business disagreement before Palmer went to jail, but things were all good now.”
“So should we assume Palmer owed him the twenty-five grand and paid him back? Though Palmer would have had to dip into it to pay for his stay at Denver’s Motel. Freddy was okay with being short-changed?”
“I thought of that too and asked about it. All he’d say was they were good.”
If the money was paid back, she had to wonder what Freddy’s motive might be for killing Palmer, but there were other ways Palmer could have burned Freddy. “Short-changed, but ‘they were good.’ Hmm. Sounds to me like Freddy might have gotten something else of value from Palmer. Maybe he had him doing a job for him.”
“All I know is Freddy said he had no reason to want Palmer dead. He asked me when the murder happened and said during that time he was shooting pool at Corner Pocket Billiards with Rat.”
“And you questioned him too, like I asked?”
“I did, but he didn’t set off any alarms.”
“Okay. We’ll need to verify the alibi.”
“Yeah, still haven’t had a chance, but it’ll be easy enough to make a call.”
“Do that now, before I go in.”
She looked through the one-way mirror at Freddy. Just watching him made her skin feel slimy. She was still wearing her jacket with the pills in the pocket and was doing all she could to put that out of her mind. “I’m still not entirely sure what made you drag him down here.”
Trent huffed out a breath but didn’t say anything until he had his phone to his ear and the person on the other end had picked up. She listened as he asked about Freddy’s presence at the pool hall. “Okay, thanks.” He hung up. “He was there.”
“Wow, so we’re here for what reason?” To say she was a little disappointed in Trent’s rash decision to drag Freddy in would have been an understatement.
“I hadn’t… hadn’t expected the alibi to stand.” His cheeks flushed but he met her gaze. “What’s the deal with you and this Freddy guy anyway?”
“What do you mean?”
“He obviously gets under your skin. I figure you must have a history there.”
“What are you suggesting? That he’s my drug dealer on speed dial?”
“I never said any such thing, nor would I suggest—”
“Good.”
Trent kept his gaze on her, and she regretted making any deal about Freddy. From the second his name had come up she would have been better off pretending to know nothing about him. But her emotions had become involved and dissolved her logic.
“There’s something else that’s missing here, besides the money and the bracelet. Palmer’s car. Did you ask Freddy anything about it?”
“Yeah, he claimed not to have a clue where Palmer obtained it or how.”
“Huh. I see.” She thought about what Courtney had told them about Freddy’s arrangement with Palmer and Webb and wondered if the business he’d referred to was robbery and subsequent fencing of the stolen goods, but it wasn’t like Palmer still had a pawnshop or legit business front to make him valuable to Freddy. However, if Palmer had been forced to hand over the rest of the twenty-five K to Freddy, that would have left him with zilch to live on. Maybe Palmer was going to become a part of Freddy’s team and start stealing. She’d press Freddy on that when she got in there. But if Palmer had stolen from the wrong person or made off with goods he was supposed to liquify, that could spell motive for murder. But that wouldn’t gel with the MO. That type of motivation would likely lead to a bullet to the head.
In the interrogation room, Freddy got up and took off his coat. He set it on the back of the chair, but it was what she saw on his wrist that had her on the move.
“Amanda?” Trent called out to her. “Wait. Should we talk a bit more before you go in there? His alibi did check out.”
She stopped and spun around. “Freddy could have that billiard hall in his pocket, but—look at his right wrist.” She watched him follow her direction.
“A silver bracelet,” he said.