Jill glanced at the phone in the kitchen.She often unplugged it when Grandma was napping as she had today.
“Sorry about that.Is everything okay?”
“Absolutely,” the detective assured her.“I have a few questions for your grandmother about her written statement.Some things Mr.Vanderbilt and I want to get straight before it’s brought into the trial.”
“Oh.”Jill looked behind her.“Um, she’s taking a nap.I hate to wake her up.These cold days are hard on her.”
“If you’d rather, we can always set up a meeting in town at the police station, but I was under the impression your grandmother didn’t… travel well.”
Again, Jill looked back at the little hallway where Grandma’s bedroom was.She traveled fine enough, but Jill hadn’t wanted Grandma to have to deal with the lawyer in some clinical office.Worse, a police station.It wasn’t that Glenda couldn’thandleit, it was just…
Jill didn’t have the vocabulary to explain how much she wanted to protect her grandmother from whatever had traumatized her into being incapable of speech.Grandma hated going to town, grew agitated about it.Jill didn’t want to push it unless it was necessary—like for doctor’s appointments.
Jill never wanted to push anything.
“I can wait,” the detective offered.When Jill hesitated, he gestured to his car parked out front.“I can just sit in my car for a bit.You can come get me when she’s awake.”
He was being so nice and patient.It was just foolish not to accept this was something that had to be done.
Jill shook her head, opening the door wider.“Don’t be silly.Come in.”
He stepped into the cabin.He was a large man, and it made the space feel small.Jill tried not to be nervous, but it was a hard-won thing.She didn’t quite know what about him made her nervous when she hadn’t done anything wrong.
Maybe because you’re still worried Grandma did.
She shook that thought away and closed the door behind him.“Would you like some coffee?Tea?”
“Well, if you’re offering and it isn’t too much trouble, a cup of coffee could go a long way in getting me through the day.”
“Coffee it is.”She forced herself to smile and move into the kitchen.“Make yourself comfortable,” she said, going through the steps to making coffee.The cabin was tiny, so it was easy to talk to him while she worked, and he sat on the couch.“Why are you asking the questions instead of Mr.Vanderbilt?I mean, I know he’s in court, but he handled the last statement.”
Detective Hayes nodded.“Just because the trial is ongoing doesn’t mean we’re not still investigating the case as a police department.Evidence is always a good thing.And if I take Mrs.Harrington’s statement today myself, then it’s something I can testify about as well when it’s my turn.”
Jill supposed that made sense.She finished the coffee, poured the detective a mug, and handed it to him when he said black was fine.Before she could pour her own mug, Grandma’s bedroom door creaked open.
Grandma stepped out.Jill tried to smile cheerfully.“Grandma, Detective Hayes is here.He’d like to ask you a few more questions about your written statements.”
Grandma was still for a moment, then gave a sharp nod, and held up a hand in a sign to wait.Then she shuffled down to the bathroom.
“She’ll be right with you,” Jill told the detective.
“Is there a room you could go to, so I could talk to her one-on-one?”
Jill frowned at him.“But… she doesn’t talk.”
“I know, but she writes.I know some sign language as well.It’d go a long way if it was just me and her in the room.Easier for the testimony.Cleaner.”
Jill stared at the hall, then him, shaking her head.“I’m sorry, I don’t like the idea of you interrogating her alone.”
“I won’t be interrogating her,” the detective said with a gentleness that Jill had to admit was soothing.“You’re friends with Aly Cartwright, aren’t you?”
Jill nodded.
“Then we’re all on the same side.I’m not going to unduly upset your grandmother.”
Jill wrinkled her nose.“Unduly.”
The detective’s smile was sheepish.“Well, the whole trial is upsetting.But the goal is not to upset.It’s to seal this case tight.To put Benjamin Bennet away for good.I realize thatcanbe upsetting, since your grandmother knew the deceased.But we’re all working toward the same goal, right?”
