“He loved her. Dez was twenty-two, fresh out of college; he was in his late forties, recently divorced. When I met him he said that Dez had made him feel reborn. And he went on about how beautiful and full of life she was.”
“How old was Ferguson when they married?”
“I think she said he was forty-nine. Maybe that's why he didn't mind her having toys?”
“
Maybe, but if it was me, even if I knew and accepted it, inside it would always bother me. The woman you love, with another man. That would give him the motive to commit murder,” Marcus said, sounding cold and distant. Carmen looked curiously at him.
Marcus thought about Randa. What if he found out that Randa had always had somebody, a toy? The neighbor woman sure hinted at the possibility. If things had happened differently that day, could he have killed both of them in a violent rage? He thought back to when Roland Ferguson first approached him about taking the case. Marcus was still numb. It had only been two months since he returned from his quest for answers about Yvonne's death. He and Randa were in the heat of battle via their lawyers. He was intrigued by Roland's case. Marcus felt sort of a kinship with him. He remembered imagining what it must have felt like to kill your wife.
“A pretty compelling motive for murder. But that's probably what the police thought. No need to look any further. Izella probably thought this was a slam-dunk. But there's got to be more and we're gonna find it.”
“Let's hope its right around the corner. This is your exit.”
They turned on to Rocky Creek road and pulled into the drive way. Marcus and Carmen got out and rang the doorbell. Not too much time had passed before a woman answered the door.
“Yes?”
“I'm sorry to bother you. My name is Carmen Taylor. Desireé Ferguson was my sister —”
Before Carmen could finish, the woman reached out and hugged her.
“Carmen, please come in.”
And practically pulled Carmen inside. Marcus followed behind them.
“I'm Helen Watts, Suzanne's sister-in-law. Your sister used to talk about you all the time. She was so proud of you.”
The woman led them into the living room and offered them a seat. Helen sat down on the couch next to Carmen.
“I want to tell you how sorry I am about your sister.”
“Thank you,” Carmen said. “This is Marcus Douglas.”
Helen looked closely at Marcus. “I thought I recognized you. You're the one who let that bastard get away with it.” Marcus started to say something. “And don't go telling me about no damn time line, because I don't wanna hear it.”
“So you think he did it?” Carmen asked.
“Who else could have? Who else would do something like that?”
“A jury found Mr. Ferguson, not guilty. And you still think he's guilty, Ms. Watts?” Marcus asked.
“A man like that, rich, and powerful, he has a way of getting the things he wants done. If he didn't do it, he knows who did.”
“That's what we're trying to find out,” Carmen said. “Mr. Douglas has agreed to help me find out who did it. The police don't seem to be interested.”
Helen looked angrily at Marcus, and then she turned to Carmen. “So what can I do for you, Carmen?”
Carmen sat forward in her chair. “Well, I was going over the police reports and I noticed that the police never talked to Suzanne.”
“We we're hoping that we could talk to her, Ms. Watts,” Marcus said, and Helen gave him a dirty look.
“You don't know, Carmen?” Helen asked looking curiously at Carmen.
“Know what?”
“Suzanne is dead. She died two weeks before Desireé. I thought you knew?”