Tears continued to slide down his cheeks as he let that thought settle.

“Is your brother on his way?”

“Yeah, he was just leaving class when I called. He’s coming.” Wes dropped his head into his hands, his shoulders heaving with sobs. “How could this have happened to Audrey? She’s the best person I’ve ever known. She’d take a bug outside to set it free rather than kill it. She volunteers to teach English as a second language to immigrant children. Who kills someone like her?”

“Someone who has no regard for human life.” Sam believed a stranger had killed Audrey, but she still had to go through the motions. “Has she had problems with anyone lately? Friend, coworker, family member?”

“No, nothing like that. She’s all about peace and tranquility and helping others. She was in graduate school to be a social worker because she’s been so moved by her ESL students. All she talks about are the things she wants to do to help make their lives better. I just… I can’t believe someone killed her.”

It would take, Sam thought, months, if not years, before Wes wrapped his head around what’d happened to Audrey.

“I’m sorry to do this to you when you’re already in shock, but the first hours of an investigation are critical, so I need to ask you some questions.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever I can do.”

“Were you home the whole time Audrey was out jogging?”

His head shot up, and his shock multiplied. “You think I killed her?”

“I’m only asking where you were.”

“I was still at work when she texted me that she was leaving. We have a huge project due early next week, and we worked most of the weekend.”

“What time was that?”

He checked his phone, seeming to realize he was looking at the last text he’d ever receive from Audrey. “Four.”

“And where do you work?”

“On M Street, for a political action committee. We lobby Congress on behalf of the natural gas industry.”

“What time did you leave the office?”

“Not until about five thirty.”

“Are there coworkers who can corroborate that you were there until then?”

“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth.

Sam pushed her notebook across the table. “If you’ll write down their names and numbers, we can contact them.”

“I didn’t kill Audrey. I loved her more than anyone.”

“I believe you, Wes, but by confirming your alibi, we can eliminate you as a suspect, which is our goal.”

That seemed to appease him somewhat. He took the pen she offered and used his phone to get the numbers she’d requested.

“Thank you. Do you know the passcode on her phone?”

“It’s zero-two-two-zero. My birthday.”