one? I shifted in my seat and moved it back a few inches. “You’re sure you saw her in the lobby, not her office?
Mitch nodded. “Yeah. By the reception desk.”
“Alone?” I perked up at this bit of information.
“Yes.”
“Did she have her coat on?”
Mitch thought for a moment. “No. Not on. Maybe over her arm. Looked like she was about to leave.”
I thought about this and wondered if it meant anything. Mrs. Scott had been about to leave. So why didn’t she? What made her go back to her office and then out to the factory?
“Did you see anyone else?” I asked then.
“No. Just Elvira.”
“How about in the parking lot? See any other cars?”
Mitch shifted on the stool. “Well, to be honest, I didn’t notice. I’m not even sure I saw Elvira’s car. It’s just something I never pay attention to.”
“You went straight home?”
“No, I went to the sports center. I played racquetball with Andy.”
“Oh, right,” I said, “you said that.”
“He got there a bit late so I practiced for a few minutes. After the game, we got a couple of burgers in the restaurant they have at the complex. Then I went home.”
“Did you like Mrs. Scott?” I asked, remembering Sandy had said one of the designers didn’t.
Mitch’s expression softened. “Well, yeah. I didn’t have a lot to do with her. But you work with someone and you see him or her everyday. She seemed nice, though I didn’t deal with her so I really have no first-hand experience. Andy really liked her. She accommodated his school schedule and he appreciated it.”
“Do you know of anyone who didn’t like her?”
Mitch gave a short laugh. “Well, Emmanuelle. Have you met her yet? She’s the sales rep. She works with Richard. She couldn’t stand Mrs. Scott. Of course, not too many people like Emmanuelle. She thinks she’s pretty hot stuff.” Mitch took off his glasses, looked at an imaginary spot, and put them back on. “She sure is beautiful, but she can be so unfriendly. A real bitch. Oh, I’m sorry. Excuse me.”
Now Mitch turned red.
“It’s okay. Why didn’t they get along?”
Mitch shrugged his shoulders and folded his arms across his chest, a piece of his light hair casually falling onto his forehead. “I don’t really know. I don’t think they were ever fond of each other, but it seems to have escalated a bit in the last month. Emmanuelle’s very ambitious. Always kissing up to Mr. Poupée. I don’t know what she thought she would accomplish. This is a small company and we already have a VP of sales and marketing and I don’t see her as being a manufacturing VP or purchasing. There’s not a lot else in the way of high positions around here. She’s just one of those people. Climbing the corporate ladder and walking all over everyone is just normal behavior for some.”
The coffeepot gurgled. I had forgotten all about it.
“Mitch, have you noticed anyone acting funny, secretive in some way?”
“No, should I?”
“No. Just wondering.” I shrugged. “Trying to get a feel for what’s going on, what could possibly be a motive for what happened.”
“So you think it was an inside job. I mean, that someone here at Poupée did this?” Mitch asked skeptically. “I don’t see it. Sure, we have petty squabbles like you have in any company, and some people got along better than others. But killing each other? Sorry, Alex. I think you’re off base.”
“Do you have any ideas then?”
Mitch hopped off the stool and walked over to the coffeemaker. “No. I just assumed someone broke in here and got scared when Elvira showed up.”
“Any thoughts as to why someone would break in?”
Mitch took out a small carton of fresh cream from the tiny refrigerator. “Well, you got me on that one. It’s Christmas? Someone desperate for money? I haven’t a clue. But there’re a lot of crazies in this world. Maybe someone just wanted to get out of the cold and got scared when they realized they weren’t