Read Body Of Truth for Free Online Page B

had probably cost as much as Jonathan made in a week. According to an article Jonathan had read, Banks made seven million dollars last year playing a number of bad guys in a variety of movies. If that were true, he might be more well off than his sister had been.
    Banks looked around with an expression of disdain before his gaze settled on him. “Detective Stone?” Banks checked his watch. “Is this going to take long?”
    Beside him, he felt Mari bristle. To her, family was family, which meant you showed a little respect.
    Jonathan stepped forward and extended his hand toward the man. “Mr. Banks, my condolences on your loss.”
    Banks ignored his hand. “Can we get this over with?”
    Jonathan brought his hand to his side. “In a moment. We have a few questions for you first.” Although he could just as well ask his questions inside the air-conditioned building, Jonathan decided to use the man’s discomfort to his advantage. “When is the last time you saw your sister?”
    Banks shrugged. “A couple of years ago, I guess. We ran into each other at some function. I haven’t seen her since then.”
    â€œYou and your sister weren’t close?”
    Banks shook his head. “Amanda and I decided a long time ago that she’d stick to her coast and I’d stick to mine. When she was alive, our mother had expressed the hope that one day we would learn to get along. For that reason alone we used to call each other twice a year, Christmas and Thanksgiving, and speak for approximately five minutes. Aside from that, we don’t have much to do with one another. Amanda was a pain in the ass, but I didn’t kill her, if that’s what you’re implying.”
    He hadn’t implied anything, and he found the man’s defensiveness telling. “These are standard questions, Mr. Banks. We ask them of everyone.”
    â€œLook, I’ve been in enough cop dramas to know how this goes. The first people you people suspect are spouses and relatives.”
    â€œBut that’s not true in this case?”
    â€œDetective, my sister made her living pissing people off. Does it surprise you that one of them finally had enough?”
    No, it wouldn’t surprise him if that were the case, but he wasn’t willing to concede that it was—yet. Time might prove him right or wrong, but he wasn’t willing to close off any avenues just yet. “Do you have any reason to suspect anyone in particular?”
    â€œI wouldn’t know. Last I heard she’d set her sights on Will Hudson. The one who turned up in that hotel room with two underage girls last year. That’s what I heard, but you’d have to ask her assistant what she was working on. His name is Eric Bender.”
    Jonathan took down the man’s name and contact information on his pad then returned it to his breast pocket. “Thank you.”
    Banks issued an impatient sigh. “Can we go in now? Or was there another standard question you wanted to ask me?”
    Inwardly Jonathan shook his head, but didn’t comment. He referred to Pierce’s corpse as the body, not Amanda’s or even my sister’s body. He gestured for Banks to precede him toward the building.
    Jonathan felt Mari come up beside him. “It’s a wonder Pierce didn’t off him.”
    Although he doubted Banks had heard her, he whispered, “Behave.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    Once inside, Jonathan led the way to the small room set up for family identification of the deceased. The viewer stood on one side of a large window with the body on the other side. Once the blinds were opened, the viewer could make the identification.
    â€œMr. Banks, how much have you been told about the way your sister died?”
    â€œShe was strangled and left in some alley.”
    â€œSomeone also beat her pretty badly. You may not recognize her.”
    For the first time, Banks’s face registered