Page 33 of Hell Hath No Fury

For the second time that day, Matthias couldn’t believe the advice he was giving. “You should have an attorney present.”

Fergusson’s eyes turned fierce. “You’re saying Mr. Baker needs an attorney, too? I only want to have a friendly conversation. There’s been a homicide, and he might be able to offer some insight.”

“Then I want Matthias here while we talk,” Eric said.

“Fine.” Fergusson lifted his gaze. “Ms. Anderson, where’s your sister? I need to speak with her when I’m done with Mr. Baker.”

“I have no idea,” Emma replied from the second floor.

Matthias concealed a grin. He’d been right about Emma watching from the walkway above. And she was lying. Not that he planned to contradict her.

Fergusson didn’t appear to believe her but chose to let it slide for now. His focus returned to Eric. “Do you want to talk right here?”

Eric looked to Matthias. He shrugged.

“We can sit in the living room,” Eric told Fergusson.

They moved silently down the short hallway to the book-filled room. Fergusson took a seat on an overstuffed white chair and set his notebook on the matching ottoman. Eric sank into one end of a sectional. Matthias claimed the other end.

“What was your relationship with Greyson Jones?” Fergusson asked.

“We occasionally worked on the same projects. Beyond that, we had no relationship.”

“Same projects? I know Mr. Jones was a land developer. What exactly doyoudo?”

“I run a real estate consulting firm.”

“Which means what?”

“We offer advice and guidance to our clients on all aspects of the real estate market. Buying. Selling. Investing. Developing.”

Fergusson scowled. “That seems pretty vague.”

“Our services and capabilities are very broad.”

“What kind of advice and guidance has Mr. Jones needed from you?”

“I don’t—didn’t—represent him directly. His company has been seeking to expand its real estate holdings. He occasionally reaches out to me.”

Matthias noted Eric’s continued confusion of present and past tense.

Fergusson scrawled on his notepad. “When was the last time you had business dealings with Mr. Jones?”

Eric shifted in his seat. “We’d been in touch a few times over the last month.”

“What about?”

Matthias could tell Eric didn’t want to answer.

But he did. “Sonny has been buying up properties in the area. Specifically, farms that are fallow. He approached me about the Anderson farm.”

“Why you? You don’t own that property, do you?”

“No. I don’t, as I’m sure you know. Emma and Nell Anderson own it. Neither of them are currently residing nearby, so Emma asked me to oversee the upkeep of the land in her absence.”

“That oversight includes making arrangements to sell the property?”

“No,” Eric replied sharply. “I’m merely the go-between. Sonny contacted me. I passed his offer along to Emma.”