“What could any of that possibly have to do with me? Or Desireé's murder?”
“We have documented evidence of money laundering at Hudson Financial and those murders seem to be associated with them. My sources tell me that you head the investment group that owns Hudson Financial.”
“Yes, that's true. But my group are merely investors. We have no involvement in the operation of the company. Bill Hudson handles all that. But I'm glad you made me aware of these things before it became public knowledge. That will drive the stock holders crazy.”
Carmen glared at Mar
cus. “This is getting no where!”
“Carmen,” Marcus pleaded.
“No, Marcus. I told you he would do this,” Carmen took her gun out of her purse and pointed it at Roland. “We know you did it.”
“Put the gun down, Carmen,” Marcus said holding his hand out. “We don't need to do this.”
“It's alright, Marcus,” Roland said calmly. “You know I did what, Carmen?”
“I know you killed Desireé.”
“What are you talking about, Carmen? I couldn't have—”
“We talked to Paula Dent,” Marcus said. “We know she was driving your car. We know that she was the one at your house that night.”
Roland looked coolly at Marcus, then at Carmen. Then back to Marcus.
“I always knew you were a good lawyer. Smart. Had integrity. That's why I chose you. Somebody that judge, jury, and the press would believe when he said I wasn't guilty,” Roland said as he glanced at Carmen. “There's no need for the gun now, Carmen. I won't give you any trouble.”
“Why'd you kill her?” Carmen demanded. “We read her letter. She wanted a divorce. Was it money?” She spit out. “Did you kill her for money?”
“Nothing so crude. I loved Desireé. I would have given her anything. Yes, Desireé wanted a divorce. We talked about it the night before—” Roland said. Unable to say, 'I killed her.' “I told her that I didn't want a divorce. I told her that we could work it out. That I would stop,” he paused and looked away. “Stop making her do those things for me. It wasn't a problem for her. Not at first, anyway. She seemed to enjoy it. Until she met that low-life Rasheed. She thought she loved him. That night she told me again that she wanted a divorce, but this time she said that if I didn't give her a divorce, that she would see me in jail. She said she had talked to Frank Collins. He told her that Bill Hudson had Suzanne killed. She knew that my group controlled Hudson Financial.”
“So, you decided to kill her.”
“No. I was going to give her what she wanted. I had just told her that when Melissa came into the room. She told me that somebody was at the door and she thought that I might want to see him alone. She always was very protective of Desireé, ever since they—”
“Melissa and Dez were - - -?” Carmen asked, eyes wide opened.
Roland nodded his head. “Melissa used to bathe Desireé and give her hot oil massages afterwards. That’s where it began, she was Desireé's first.”
“Who was at the door?” Marcus asked, trying to keep the conversation on task.
“It was James Martin. I'm sure by now you know who he is. Martin told us that Rasheed Damali worked for him and what and whom he was doing it with. He said Damali owed him money for cocaine and he wanted Desireé to tell him where to find him. Naturally Desireé was very upset when she found out the truth about what Damali was doing. Having relations with men and such.” Roland said nonchalantly. “Martin believed her when she told him that she had no idea where he was. So after I gave him the money he was owed, he left quietly, but Desireé was still fit to be tied. She felt, quite naturally, that he should have told her what he was doing. So much potential for aids. So as you can imagine, Desireé was furious. I told her that I would handle it. She wanted to know what I was going to do, but I told her not to worry. That I would take care of everything.”
“So you got Paula Dent to drive your car, get gas with your credit card and call Connie Talbert from your house to establish your alibi.” Marcus said.
“Yes.”
“Why did you kill Desireé?” Carmen asked angrily, her hand weary from the weight of the gun.
“I asked Desireé when she was going to see him again? She told me that they planned to meet that next night. I told her to arrange to meet him at Laurel Mountain. After I met Paula I drove my other car out there. When I got there Damali opened the door. I came in carrying the club, but he didn't notice. He was naked, he didn't even bother to cover himself. And why should he. I'd seen him that way before. He assumed I was there to watch. Desireé was just getting in the Jacuzzi. She began shouting at Damali, saying that he lied to her, used her. She screamed that he put her life in jeopardy.
Fuckin' men for money. Fuckin' men! How could you do that to me? Roland recalled.
“By that time Damali saw the club in my hand. He started to back away from me, reaching for his pants. But it was too late for that. I raised the club and swung it at him. I hit him, with it over and over. The whole time I was watching Desireé. Seeing the look in her eyes. Seeing how she was enjoying watching me beat a man to death for her. I looked at her knowing that I had to kill her, too. She already knew I was involved in everything going on at Hudson Financial. She already swore to see me in jail for it. Knowing that I killed Damali would have given her too much power, to much control over me. I couldn't allow that to happen.”
Marcus looked at Carmen, her hand shaking as she pointed the gun at Roland. Tears flowed from her eyes.
“What happens now, Marcus.”