Page 8 of Little Bitter Truths
Foley exhaled, a faint smile crossing his face as he said, “I’m guessing you’re here for information.What do you want to know?”
“I spoke with Mia yesterday,” I said.“She mentioned you believe the murder might have been the result of a robbery gone wrong.”
Whitlock and Foley exchanged glances.
“That was our first thought,” Whitlock said.
“He’s right,” Foley added.“At the beginning, it looked that way.There were no signs of forced entry.But a house with a visible safe in the living room that can be seen from the outside?Well, it wasn’t a stretch to think someone targeted the place.”
“And now?”
Foley folded his hands on the desk.“Now we think it’s more complicated.”
“Why?”
Whitlock leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.“Nothing was taken.Not jewelry or electronics.It doesn’t rule out a robbery, but it makes it less likely.”
“Did you tell Mia that?”
Whitlock shook his head.“We don’t want to speculate until we have something solid.The last thing she needs right now is a bunch of theories that aren’t true.”
It was a fair comment.
“What has Mia told you so far?”Foley asked.
“I’m guessing the same things she told you.Wren was house-sitting while Mia attended a work conference in Las Vegas.The last contact between them happened Monday night.Tuesday morning Mia texted her several times and didn’t hear back.”
“That lines up with what we know,” Whitlock said.
“She also mentioned Wren had separated from her husband right before she died,” I said.
“The ex, yes,” Foley said.“Cooper Mayfair.”
Whitlock pushed away from the wall.“We spoke to him two days after the murder.”
“And?”
“He seemed devastated.”
Foley nodded in agreement.“Nice guy.Soft-spoken.Works as a financial advisor out of Paso Robles.Volunteers at his church.Coaches youth baseball.”
“Brought doughnuts for the entire office when he came in for his interview,” Whitlock added.
I studied their faces.“You two sound like you’re describing a golden retriever.”
Whitlock laughed.
Foley didn’t.
“He was cooperative,” Foley said.“Answered every question without hesitation.”
“Sometimes the nicest people are the ones hiding the most,” I said.
Whitlock raised a brow.“You talk to him yet?”
“I plan to today.”
Foley leaned back in his chair.“Well, when you do, you’ll find it hard to believe he’s capable of murder.”
