Spindrift

Chapter Fourteen

1265

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Kent arrived at his home, with his divorce lawyer in tow, to find Marisol and serve her the notice of divorce.

"Marisol," Kent called, opening the door.

The foyer of the house was as pristine as he left it; there were no obvious signs that Marisol even lived here anymore. He hoped he wasn't too late to serve her the papers, that she hadn't run off to some other island – or to some undersea grotto – in order to bring her the documents she agreed to when she signed their pre-nuptial documents.

"Does she work, sir?" the lawyer asked, adjusting his glasses as they entered yet another room.

"As in actually having a job, no, she's never worked as long as we have been married," Kent said. "Marisol."

Room by room, they look. Until they found her in the office, seated on the couch facing the print that she loathed so much.

Before the two men even rounded the edge of the couch, it was clear that Marisol existed on this side of heaven only as a soulless body. The white rope was still twisted about her neck, head lulled back against the couch.

She wore the bikini top she was so fond of and the discreet skirt.

Kent turned to his lawyer.

"I have a feeling you went from my divorce lawyer to my criminal lawyer."

"I don't have an expertise in that field. You make the call to the cops, I will make the call to my associates," the lawyer said. "As your current lawyer, however, don't touch anything else at all."

Questioned, detained, Kent sat on the couch outside the house as he watched police and the crime scene investigators comb through his life. This was a not a first time, and he had hoped before never to go through such a nightmare again.

"Mr. Harvetti," a woman said, approaching him from the house. She showed him her badge. "I am Amelia Baron, and I am the lead detective that is taking over this case."

"I am pleased," Kent cleared his throat. "To meet your acquaintance, despite the circumstances.

"This is Sari Cummings from crime scene. We have to ask you a few questions, as per protocol," Amelia said.

Kent motioned to his lawyer standing now just off to his right.

"This is Sam Vlink, my lawyer. You may begin, although when he says stop, I will."

Amelia gave him a tight smile. "Marisol Harvetti is your second wife?"

"Yes. Two years."

"And you were serving her divorce papers?"

"This afternoon, yes. Tom Thrace has them," Kent said.

Sam grunted, with the intention to remind Kent to stay just to the question.

"When was the last time you saw your wife alive, Mr. Harvetti?" Amelia asked, glancing at the lawyer.

"Six nights ago."

"Alone?" Amelia asked. "Where were you?"

"No, we were not alone. We were to dine with the former Captain Leland Khols and his wife Ariel. The restaurant was Michel's."

"Did you come home with your wife?" Sari asked.

"No. She stormed out of dinner, after the salad course and before we ordered the main course. As far as I can tell, she came here, having taken a cab."