Chloe watched as her attorney exchanged business cards with the oversized detective who’d come into the room. The guy’s hands were as large and thick as baseball gloves, and he was tall enough to play hoops, and with his girth, he’d be perfect for a football defensive tackle.
She didn’t feel any comfort when her lawyer seemed flustered and uneasy during the info exchange.
The giant settled into his chair and smiled at her.
“So, I’m sure you’re a bit nervous, and I want you to relax. My understanding is that your car was stolen yesterday.”
She looked at her lawyer.
He gave her a slight nod.
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“In Glendale.”
“Why were you there?”
She got another head bob from the lawyer.
“My friend and I had made plans to go to the beach.”
“Who is your friend?”
Before she could turn to her legal advisor, he was nodding.
“Eloy.”
“Does he have a last name?”
This time, she didn’t even glance away.
“Beglerman or something. I’m not sure exactly. It’s foreign.”
The giant made notes on a yellow pad of lined paper.
“How long have you known him?”
She glanced at the attorney, who nodded like a bobble-head doll. She shrugged. “A month. Maybe a little more.”
“Okay, so tell me about your beach visit.”
She recounted the trip to Simi Valley for breakfast, the noise in her car, and driving back to Glendale to pick up Eloy’s Jeep.
The detective wrote the name of the café and their approximate time of arrival and departure. “So, you drove all the way back to Eloy’s house, parked your car on the street in front of his house, and took his vehicle to the beach?”
“Yes.”
“What time was that, and what route did you take to get to his house?”
“Um, I don’t remember. We went on the Simi Freeway, but he had to tell me how to go after that.”
“When did you arrive, and how long were you there?”
“I’m really not sure. Whatever time it took to park my car and move our stuff to his Jeep.”
“What kind of ‘stuff’?”
In her memory, all she saw was Eloy’s backpack. “Well, we had a couple of towels, my purse, and a small cooler of soda.” She knew she shouldn’t improvise, but it wouldn’t make sense to drive to the beach without supplies.
“Once you had his vehicle set up, how long did it take you to get to the ocean?”
She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say. She looked at her lawyer.
As usual, he nodded his head.
“Um, I really don’t remember.”
“Okay. How long did you stay at the beach?”
She shrugged. “A couple of hours. Then we drove through some streets to see the houses.”
The detective’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you drive through neighborhoods?”
She sat a little taller. “Because we liked spending time together, and it was fun to look at houses we’d never be able to afford.”
“What time did you return to Glendale?”
“Gosh, I don’t know. It seemed kind of late. Maybe eight? Eight-thirty?”
“And your car was gone from where you’d left it?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have contact information for your friend?”
“I have his phone number.”
He pulled his legal pad close and poised his pen. “Go ahead.”
She didn’t want to give him Eloy’s information, but her idiot attorney was bobbing his head again. She grabbed her cell and recited what was on her screen.
“What about his address?”
She looked the detective square in the eye. “I know how to get there, but I don’t recall the exact numbers or street. Can’t you find it on the stolen car report?”
“Smart young lady,” he said, smiling. “Your Toyota was involved in the incident at the Porter Ranch Promenade. What I want to determine is who was in your vehicle at the time of that incident. What can you tell me about that?”
“Nothing. I wasn’t there.”
“Okay,” he said, and set down his pen. “I need you to understand that if you’re caught lying to the police, that works against you in negotiating any kind of deal—and we’re talking about the murder of a policeman.”
Chloe’s gaze shot to her attorney.
“I think she’s told you everything she knows. We’re done here,” the lawyer declared. He closed his custom-tooled, leather portfolio and stood. “Come along, Chloe.”