“Fair enough,” Will said. “But I warn you, people move to Cincinnati and dislike it, but after two years you couldn’t pry them out. They fall in love with the city.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. What did your chief tell you, Borders?”
“He said to do what I felt needed to be done, counselor. So let’s cut the bullshit. I have a murdered police officer. I suspect they take that seriously even where you come from. It so happens that your cell phone called Kristen Gruber at 2:21 p.m. Saturday, a few hours before she was killed. Those are the facts, unless you want to tell me your phone wasn’t under your control during that time, and then we can have a different conversation.”
He handed back the badge case and sat in silence for a good five minutes. Will was happy to let him stew.
“I called Ms. Gruber,” he said. “She berths her boat next to mine. I wanted to ask her a question about the marina management. They can get pretty sloppy.”
Will watched him lie smoothly, not even a blink to his eyes. He said nothing, letting the silence do its work.
He finally couldn’t stand it. “Are we done, Detective?”
“No, we’re not done. We have records of you calling Kristen Gruber more than a hundred times in the past three months. You must really have issues with the marina management.”
He sighed. “Off the record?”
“For now.”
“Look. Do you have any idea who my wife is?”
“Actually, I do. I was talking with her this morning, Mr. Buchanan.”
He sat up straight and stared ahead at the trees and, beyond them, Riverside Drive.
“It was about another matter,” Will said.
“And you say these phone records showed a call from me Saturday?”
“That’s right. Did you make it?”
Kenneth Buchanan hesitated, ran a hand with long fingers across his face, and pinched the bridge of his nose. The dark eyebrows inched together.
“I had an affair with Kristen,” he said. “It started about a year ago. I’m willing to cooperate with the police, off the record, but my wife can’t know about this. I want your guarantee.”
Will looked at the man. He might have been old enough to be Kristen’s father, but he supposed that was one of the perks that came with money and power.
“I can’t make that guarantee, sir. All I can say is that I’ll do my best.”
“Well, I was golfing with friends on Saturday, then I went home, where my wife and I had a quiet dinner and spent the evening and night together. So this should cover the entire period you’re talking about, if what I read in the newspapers is true.”
Will watched for tells that he was lying, saw none.