“What time was that?”
“Two in the afternoon.”
“What friend did you meet?”
“Collette Hamilton.” He explained that she was worried about Damen hurting her and that they had made plans to meet back at the restaurant this morning, when he’d help her get out of town. He checked the time. He wasn’t going to make it now.
“She came to you for help?”
Did that seem strange? “Yes. We’re friends.”
“Romantic friends?”
“No.”
“Has this Damen Ricchetti been violent with her before?”
“I wasn’t aware of his abuse until she told me yesterday.” But he explained how Damen had been behaving differently, leaving out why.
“Why did she go to you for help? Why did she need your help? I guess I don’t understand why she couldn’t leave on her own.”
“She trusts me. And she’s afraid of Damen.”
“What were you going to do to help her?”
“I found her a place to stay where she’ll be safe for a while.” He didn’t mention the fake ID. “And I’m going to give her some money.”
“She knew you had money?”
He nodded.
“Please respond verbally for the recording.”
“Yes, she knows I have money. Look, I need to get out of here so I can help her.”
The detective stared at him for a long moment. Korbin hoped Collette’s knowledge of him having money would provide enough of a motive for her to come to him for help.
“What do you do, Mr. Maguire?”
“I have a degree in computer science, but I’m not working right now. I have a trust fund.”
The detective nodded, watching him again. “After you left the restaurant...which one did you say it was?”
“The Laughing Grass,” he said. “Pizzeria.”
“Don’t they sell pot there?”
“They don’t sell it, but you can bring your own and smoke it in a private room. As long as you’re a member of their club, it’s legal.”
“Do you smoke pot?”
Was he trying to establish something about his character? “No.”
“Did you smoke some pot yesterday?”
“No.”
Korbin suffered another of the detective’s stares. “Where did you go after you left the restaurant and what time was that?”
“Around three. I went straight home. I did some internet searches on places for Collette. A place to rent. And I withdrew some money for her.”