“What about Max Chandler? The drug scandal caused a plunge, but it was his death that destroyed the value. Knowing of his impending death would have helped an investor.”

“You can’t be serious.” Scott’s eyes went wide and shifted his gaze between Gavin and Warren.

“Do you know a Melinda Holbright?” Warren asked.

“No.” Scott said nothing further.

“She owns WNR LCC. This is who bought the stock,” Warren said, and then smiled. “WNR, it’s like she’s saying winner.”

“Shit, detective, we don’t sit down and shake hands when stock trades occur. It happens electronically. I don’t know who these people are. Or what their acronym is trying to say.”

“Yet Melinda made a tremendous amount of money from this deal and Gabrielle lost everything. And if Max had been alive, that might not have happened,” Gavin said this time.

“Are you suggesting I killed a man to make someone I don’t know rich. Take a good look at me, detective, do I appear rich myself? Why on earth would I have done that? Are these the kind of things they teach you in detective school because maybe you should take a refresher course somewhere else.”

A silent moment hung in the air between the three men before Gavin spoke. “Blackmail and double cross are some things they teach us too.”

“I can’t believe this bullshit,” Scott huffed. “I’m assuming you have no proof of either, otherwise you wouldn’t be on this fishing trip. Casting the line out there, aren’t you? No fish in the pond, detective. I did nothing wrong and I didn’t kill anyone. Let me tell you how by the record that short sale was. The maintenance margin was set at the required twenty-five percent and I called the margin once the value plummeted. I’ll stress again that I had nothing to do with the continued decline of the stock value.”

“And I’ll stress again that some speculated it would have rebounded if Max Chandler hadn’t died.” Gavin locked his gaze on Scott’s.

“All stock sales and purchases are speculations, detective. Some win, some don’t. I brokered a deal within the parameters of the law. I’m sorry if one of those deals was unfavorable but that’s the risk one takes when they trade and buy stock.”

“I have to disagree with you, Mr. Payne. On brokered deals, the broker makes guaranteed money by way of the commission. The sellers and buyers are the ones who take the risk.” Gavin watched Scott’s eyes narrow, waiting for what Gavin was going to say next. “You did get fired after this, correct?”