“You sure?”
“No.”
“It might be nothing, and besides,” Patrick laughed, “you and Mike have been playing nicely in your own sandbox lately.”
“That we have,” Shy giggled. “And I will call you and let you know how it goes.”
“Please. And let’s hope that call isn’t made from the precinct.”
“You know what I’m saying,” Shy said, and ended the call with Patrick; and then she called Lenecia and told her to send the detectives back.
“Mrs. Black, I’m Detective Sanders, and this is my partner Detective Ross, and we’d like to ask you a few questions, if that’s all right with you?”
“Sure. Please, have a seat,” Shy said; and made particular note of the fact that they didn’t introduce the third man. “What can I do for you, gentlemen?”
“Yesterday you had a meeting with Andrade Ferreira,” Ross began.
“Yes,” Shy said cautiously.
“Can you tell me what that meeting was about?”
“We met to discuss him importing cigar rolling machines from China for use in his business in Brazil,” she said, and since the proposal from Changpu Zhao and China Tobacco was still on her desk, she handed it to Detective Sanders.
“Brazil,” the third man said softly.
“How long have you and Mr. Ferreira been doing business?” Sanders asked, handing the proposal to Ross.
“I met him for the first time yesterday.”
“And prior to that, you’ve had no business or personal dealings with Mr. Ferreira or any of his associates?” Sanders asked.
“No. As I said, Mr. Ferreira and I met for approximately forty-five minutes to discuss the proposal in your hands. Prior to that, I didn’t know him, and I have no knowledge of any of his associates,” Shy paused. “Can you tell me what this interview is in reference to?”
“I’m sorry to inform you that Mr. Ferreira was murdered in his office yesterday,” Ross said.
“Right around the time you were allegedly discussing this proposal,” the third man said, holding up the papers.
Sanders and Ross looked at him because he was supposed to be along just as an observer. They turned their attention back to Shy.
“After you left the office, did you see anybody go in the office or was anybody in the area?”
“No, I didn’t,” she said, thinking that this was why Black was very leery of anything having to do with Valencia DeVerão.
Now that the detectives had asked all the preliminary questions that they had for Shy and knowing that they would have more questions to ask her later, they were about to thank her for her time and leave. But the third man had other plans.
“Mrs. Black, I’m Agent Dietrich. I’m with the DEA. Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“You’ve been arrested and charged with several counts of murder, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance—” he began, and Shy quickly shut it down.
“I think that we’re done here, gentlemen.” Shy reached in her desk drawer and took out Patrick’s card. “If you have any more questions for me, please contact my lawyer, Mr. Freeman, and we’ll schedule another interview.” Shy stood up and handed each of them a card. “But right now, I’m going to have ask you gentlemen to leave.”
The detectives and the agent stood up.
“Thank you for your time, Mrs. Black,” Sanders said, as Agent Dietrich sprung to his feet and left the office.
“We’ll be in touch if we have any more questions,” Ross said, and then the detectives left the office.