Meghan stared at him in shock. She was dimly aware that her mouth was hanging open and her companions were in a similar state of disbelief.
Chang was the first to recover.
‘You can’t be.’
A frown appeared and swiftly disappeared on the man’s face.
‘I most assuredly am, sir!’
Chang looked at Pizaka and then at the twins. ‘Maybe we should discuss this someplace else?’
The man pivoted on his heel and walked down a hallway toward his office. A few people greeted him on the way and looked curiously at those with him.
They call him Josh.
The man calling himself Josh Kittrell pushed opened the door to his office and ushered them into a room that was half the size of a tennis court.
A large wooden desk, burnished and polished to a rich shine, was at one end. Floor to ceiling picture windows brought the city inside the office.
The man gestured at several chairs, went to a side table and brought a silver salver on which was a carafe filled with coffee, and several cups.
Meghan took the seat opposite him, declined the offering, and watched him seat himself.
The man crossed his fingers, steepled them and a helpful expression came across his face.
‘What’s this about?’
Meghan told him.
He listened silently, his face expressionless but for a well-shaped eyebrow lifting.
‘That’s one heck of a story,’ he exclaimed when she had finished. He turned to the cops.
‘Presumably you are investigating.’
‘It’s why we are here,’ Chang said baldly. ‘Where were you yesterday? You didn’t get our messages?’
‘I was out of the country. Just got back this morning.’
The wide smile flashed again. ‘Detective Chang, I hope you aren’t suggesting I am involved in any way.’
Pizaka’s shades trained on Kittrell. ‘No suggestions, Mr. Kittrell. Josh Kittrell is the missing dad. He works here. That’s why we are here.’
The man chuckled. ‘I can assure you I am the only Josh Kittrell in this firm. You can confirm for yourself, if you wish.’
He lifted a phone, spoke quietly in it and after a short while there was a discreet knock on the door and an elderly woman entered. She was dressed in a cream-colored suit and was carrying a folder.
‘Helen Limbaugh. She heads our HR,’ Kittrell introduced her.
‘Helen, these folks are from the NYPD. Can you tell them how many people we employ?’
Limbaugh looked at him for a moment.
‘It’s alright, Helen. They are investigating a missing person who is apparently connected to our firm.’
‘Mayo and Kane has two thousand eight hundred and fifty staff all over the country. Three hundred are partners. Over fifteen hundred are lawyers. Mr. Kittrell is Partner of our Settlements Division.’
Limbaugh’s voice was dry and precise as she recited the figures while looking at Meghan.
It must be in her contract. No emotion to be shown.
‘And how many Josh Kittrells do we have, Helen?’ Kittrell grinned.
‘Just you.’ Limbaugh smiled slightly.
Smiles are allowed. Small ones. Except when you make partner. Then, large ones are mandatory.
They spent an hour more at the law firm and got nothing useful out but for the fact that Amy Kittrell’s husband didn’t work there.
They showed photographs of the husband. No one in the law firm recognized him.
The number that the mother and Pizaka and Chang had rung, belonged to the firm. Kittrell had no explanation for that. The mobile number for the missing father wasn’t the firm’s.
‘Something you should be looking into, detectives.’ Kittrell was amused. He seemed to be enjoying himself and at one point nearly rubbed his hands together.
Probably a change from advising stuffy corporate types, Meghan thought. Beth looked at her sideways. She had the same thought.
‘What’s the settlements division?’ Meghan asked him and braced herself mentally for a lengthy reply.
The partner didn’t disappoint her.
The firm worked with defense outfits, he explained. Many of them supplied military contractors to the Army.
‘Mercenaries,’ Beth interjected.
‘Not at all,’ Kittrell refuted smoothly. ‘That word doesn’t do justice to the people our clients provide. Their contractors are professionals, ex-military, highly trained and disciplined. Not the picture that Hollywood paints.’
‘Unfortunately some of these contractors get injured or killed when deployed. My division makes sure their families get all the benefits due to them.’
In many cases family members had to be traced, dependents had to be identified, before benefit payments could be made.
‘I was in the Army myself. Three tours of Afghanistan.’
‘Got a law degree when I left, worked my butt off, and here I am.’
‘I know what families go through when their men or women are away, or don’t return.’
He glanced at a family picture on his desk with a sombre expression. He did righteous work even if he charged a fortune for it.
He answered a few more questions and then flicked a cuff back to reveal an expensive wristwatch. He rose. Non-chargeable time was over.
‘Your man never worked here.’