Dark Horse

53

We manage a lot of properties, Detective," Bruce Seabright said. "I have nothing to do with most of them."

"I only care about what you have to do with this one," Landry said.

They stood in Seabright's home office. Seabright turned around in a circle and heaved a sigh up at the ceiling. "I don't have anything to do with it!"

"We both know that's not true."

"I don't know where that videotape came from," he said. "Someone planted it."

"Yeah, right. You stick with that story. I'm asking you about the property in Loxahatchee."

"I have an attorney," Seabright said. "Talk to him."

"This is an unrelated line of questioning."

"And I told you, I don't have anything to do with the rental property."

"You expect me to believe that someone involved in Erin's kidnapping just happened to rent that property from your company? The same way these people you sent Erin to for a job just happened to turn out to be killers and rapists and Christ knows what all."

"I don't care what you believe," Seabright said, reaching for his phone. "I had nothing to do with any of this, nor did my son. Now get out of my office or I'm filing harassment charges."

"File it up your ass, Seabright," Landry said. "You and your rotten kid are both going to jail. I'll see to it personally."

Landry left the office, thinking he just wanted to drive the lot of these people out to Lion Country Safari and dump them inside the pen with the big cats.

Krystal Seabright was standing in the hall a few feet from the office door. For once, she didn't look stoned, but stricken. She held a hand out to stop him from passing her, her mouth opening to form words that didn't come out.

"Can I help you, Mrs. Seabright?"

"I did it," she said.

"I'm sorry?"

"That woman came to me, to my office. I rented her that property. I remember her name. Paris. I've always wanted to visit Paris."

She didn't know quite how she should be reacting to the news, Landry thought. With guilt? With shock? With outrage?

"How did she happen to come to you?" he asked.

"She told me a friend sent her." Tears shone in her eyes. She shook her head and looked toward her husband's office. "Was it him? Do you think it was him?"

"I don't know, Mrs. Seabright," Landry confessed. "I guess you have to ask him."

"I guess I do," she murmured, staring at the office door. "I have to do something."

Landry left her there in the hall, glad he was just a cop. He could walk away from this mess when it was over. Krystal Seabright wouldn't be so lucky.