Chương 11
Cole’s gaze moved over the foyer before she crossed the threshold.
She saw Elizabeth holding Alex.
She saw Lucinda seated at the dining table.
She saw the scissors on the console.
She saw the laptop.
Her attention paused on the severed ribbon tied crookedly around the rabbit’s neck.
Nothing in her face changed.
“Mr. Whitmore?”
“Yes.”
“You made the call?”
Andrew nodded.
Cole looked at Lucinda.
“And you are?”
Lucinda answered before Andrew could.
“Lucinda Whitmore.”
Cole’s eyes went back to Andrew.
“Relationship?”
“My mother.”
Lucinda’s jaw tightened at the clinical nature of the question.
Cole did not seem to notice.
“Is anyone injured right now?”
“No.”
“Any weapons other than those scissors?”
“No.”
Cole looked toward them.
“Who was holding them?”
Lucinda said, “I was.”
Bennett stepped over and picked them up carefully by the handle.
Lucinda’s face hardened.
“They’re sewing scissors.”
Cole said, “They’ll stay over there for now.”
Lucinda looked at Andrew.
He did not defend her.
Cole took a slow breath.
“Mr. Whitmore, your call described new evidence related to your wife’s death.”
“Yes.”
“How long ago did she die?”
“Seven months.”
“Name?”
“Caroline Whitmore.”
Cole nodded once.
“I remember the case.”
Andrew’s eyes narrowed.
“You do?”
“Not personally.”
She gestured toward the table.
“May we sit?”
Andrew nodded.
Cole did not sit immediately.
She looked at Elizabeth.
“And you are?”
“Elizabeth Shaw.”
“Do you work here?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of work?”
“I’m the family’s household assistant.”
Lucinda made a small sound under her breath.
Elizabeth glanced at her.
Cole noticed.
“And the child?”
“Alex.”
Andrew answered.
“My son.”
Cole lowered her voice slightly.
“Did he witness something tonight?”
Andrew looked at Alex.
The boy’s grip tightened around the rabbit.
“Tonight, yes.”
Cole’s face changed a fraction.
“And earlier?”
Andrew’s silence answered enough.
Cole pulled out a chair.
“Let’s not do this in front of him if we can avoid it.”
Andrew looked at Elizabeth.
She nodded.
“I’ll take him upstairs.”
Alex shook his head immediately.
His arms locked around her neck.
Cole watched.
She crouched, though she kept several feet between herself and the boy.
“Hey, Alex.”
He did not look at her.
“My name is Maya.”
No response.
“I’m not going to make you talk.”
His eyes moved toward her for half a second.
Cole nodded.
“You can stay with Elizabeth.”
Andrew looked at the officer.
“He spoke tonight.”
Cole waited.
“He hasn’t spoken in months.”
Lucinda’s fingers tightened together.
Cole’s eyes went to her.
“What did he say?”
Andrew’s voice became rough.
“He accused my mother of killing Caroline.”
Cole did not react visibly.
She looked back at Alex.
“Did he say that without being questioned?”
“Yes.”
Elizabeth answered this time.
Cole looked at her.
“Exactly what happened?”
Andrew rubbed one hand over his mouth.
Cole raised her palm slightly.
“One person at a time.”
Lucinda sat straighter.
“I would like an attorney.”
Cole nodded.
“You are free to call one.”
Lucinda seemed surprised by how easily the answer came.
Cole continued.
“You’re not under arrest.”
Andrew looked at her sharply.
Cole met his eyes.
“I need to understand what we actually have.”
Lucinda exhaled.
The sound held relief.
Andrew noticed.
“So she can leave?”
“At this moment, yes.”
Andrew’s jaw tightened.
Cole leaned forward.
“But if she walks out while I’m asking questions about newly discovered evidence in a death investigation, that will be documented.”
Lucinda looked at her.
Cole’s tone remained mild.
“Your choice.”
Lucinda stayed seated.
Andrew placed the laptop on the table.
“There’s an audio file.”
Cole held up a hand.
“Before we touch anything, tell me where it came from.”
Andrew picked up the memory card case.
“Inside my son’s stuffed rabbit.”
Cole looked at the toy in Alex’s arms.
“Who opened it?”
“I did.”
“When?”
“About an hour ago.”
“Who handled the card?”
“I did.”
“Anyone else?”
“No.”
“Did you copy anything?”
“No.”
“Email anything?”
“No.”
“Upload it anywhere?”
“No.”
“Play it?”
“Yes.”
Cole glanced at Bennett.
He began taking notes.
“How much?”
“Most of it.”
Lucinda looked down.
Cole asked, “Was the recording altered?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know what device made it?”
“No.”
“Do you recognize the voices?”
“Yes.”
“Whose?”
“My wife’s.”
Andrew looked at his mother.
“And hers.”
Cole nodded.
“Anyone else?”
“Not on the part we heard.”
Lucinda spoke quietly.
“Victor was there later.”
Cole looked at her.
“Victor who?”
“Victor Hale.”
Andrew watched Cole carefully.
The name produced no visible recognition.
Cole said, “Who is he?”
Lucinda’s mouth tightened.
“A man connected to my late brother.”
“That’s vague.”
“He collected debts.”
“Legally?”
Lucinda did not answer.
Cole wrote something down herself.
Andrew said, “He was here the night Caroline died.”
Cole looked up.
“That information was not in the original report.”
Lucinda closed her eyes.
Andrew’s voice hardened.
“Because she lied.”
Cole turned to Lucinda.
“Did you tell investigators Mr. Hale was here?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of him?”
“Yes.”
“Of police?”
Lucinda hesitated.
“Yes.”
Cole nodded.
“Because?”
Lucinda looked at Andrew.
“Financial matters.”
Cole leaned back slightly.
“That can mean a lot of things.”
Andrew opened the folder of photographs on the laptop.
Lucinda flinched.
Cole noticed.
“These were also on the card?”
“Yes.”
Andrew turned the screen toward her.
Cole did not touch it.
She studied the first image.
Then the second.
Then the photograph of Victor.
Bennett leaned closer.
Cole held up one finger.
He stopped.
She looked at Andrew.
“Who is this man?”
“Victor Hale.”
“You know him personally?”
“No.”
Elizabeth said, “I saw him here twice before Mrs. Whitmore died.”
Cole turned toward her.
“You’re certain?”
“I’m certain it’s the same man.”
“Did you speak to him?”
“Once.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked if Mrs. Whitmore was home.”
“Which Mrs. Whitmore?”
Elizabeth glanced at Lucinda.
“Caroline.”
Lucinda’s eyes lowered.
Cole asked, “Did he identify himself?”
“No.”
“Did he say why he was there?”
“He said he had an appointment.”
“Did Caroline meet with him?”
May you like
“I don’t know.”
Cole looked back at the laptop.
