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speak to the District Attorney and No, you do not need a lawyer at this moment in time, unless you think there is a specific reason you require one.’ Joe gets all this out in one long breath. I add there is no smoking in the building when he pulls a pack from inside his jacket. I remember him as one of the outspoken lobbyists which succeeded in banning the habit from all public buildings. The thought crosses my mind how things often come back to bite you on the ass in the most unexpected circumstances. The evenly tanned Mr. Grainger eventually gets the message that he should at least attempt to answer our questions. This earns him a cup of coffee from Starbucks next door as opposed to our vending machine. Not realising how lucky he is, his face twists as he takes a sip. We find out he’d left for Florida on Friday August 5 th, due to return on Tuesday August 9th which by no coincidence is today. Suspicious minds that we have also inform us that he had time to make a return trip and arrive again a second time to keep within that timeframe. He also didn’t need to be present for an arranged killing. Most people who have their spouses meet their maker decide not to be around at the time, either to watch or take a chance on finding themselves implicated. Best to be somewhere far away where an alibi was easier to provide. Having learned the C.S.I. is finished with the house, we let him return to collect a few belongings as he plans to stay at a nearby hotel. He gets the usual warnings not to leave town, be ready for more questions from us and be prepared for the media bombardment. We have him accompanied by Officer Mitchell and met at the scene by the officers on guard duty. I don’t envy him the collateral damage he is about to encounter inside his house left behind by our technicians. Or the view through the yellow-taped patio doors that overlook the murder site, which although cordoned off would be upsetting. Joe places Grainger’s photo alongside the house and neatly writes his details underneath.
theincubatorjournal.com
Issue 1