Fred glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
"I wasn't here for you, Annie," he said, his voice steady and matter-of-fact. "I was investigating Ronald's death. I had no idea you were involved or even in Crescent City. It was only by chance that I stumbled upon your trail."
Annie's heart skipped a beat. "So, you didn't know?"
Fred shook his head. "No. Not until today. But it's fortunate that you surrendered yourself. It saves everyone a lot of trouble."