MURDER IN THE BIG EASY by Olivia Harris

Author:Olivia Harris [Harris, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-03-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

The next morning, Julia was at the D.A.’s office. She had persuaded Peter Hammond’s secretary to let her wait for him in his office. It was a regulation city government office that had a boxed in feeling with a great view of the parking lot. Someone had tried to make the room livelier with artificial ferns and a framed watercolor picture of the French Quarters, but it hadn’t worked.

Fifteen minutes past his work schedule, Julia went outside and asked his secretary if she’d heard from him. The woman was in her mid-fifties with iron-gray hair and thick bifocal glasses. In a thick southern drawl, she told her to just have a seat and relax.

Another ten minutes passed before Hammond finally walked into his office. She could tell that he’d been forewarned by his secretary because his eyes quickly darted around the room before they settled on her. He was short, maybe no more than five-foot-two with a receding hair line and a sallow complexion. He was wearing a rumpled black serge suit that looked like he slept in it all the time.

He was also carrying a large satchel case that he was holding on to for dear life. It looked like it weighed more than he did. He eyed Julia suspiciously as he scurried over to his desk, placed the satchel under it and with his right foot, slid it all the way under. Amused, Julia wondered if it carried plans for nuclear weapons.

“Ms. Howard,” he said as he rushed back from behind the desk. “I understand you wish to speak to me about a case you’re handling.”

He was still watching her closely when Julia stood and shook his hand. She could tell that as fast as he was moving, his mind was moving just as fast. He was sizing her up and assessing how much she knew and how much of a threat to him she could be. She’d seen the look before on lawyers of opposing sides. “I’m defending the young man they’re accusing of shooting the two police officers a couple of weeks ago.”

She felt rather than saw the tremor than ran through him at her statement. Hammond walked back to his desk to sit down and he motioned for her to do the same. “Yes, I read about the shooting. Nasty business, but I don’t understand how I can be of help. I don’t have any information to help you with your case.”

Julia could tell he was lying. She wished Franklin was with her, but he was tied up in court all day and couldn’t make it. She wondered how to get the truth out of him. She decided to take a chance on the direct approach. “I understand that you’re acquainted with a woman named Ida Alvarrez.”

Hammond shifted uneasily in his chair as if all of a sudden it had become too hot. “I know of her,” he said.

“So you’ve never spoken to Ida Alvarrez?” she asked.

“No, I haven’t,” he said.

Julia could tell that he was playing games.

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