As I go past the other shelf, I'm struck by a sudden brainwave, and I snatch up a second item, shoving it inside my coat along with the book before I turn back toward the camera.
Pinkers enters just in time to be too late.
'I'm here to escort you out, ma'am,' he says monotonously.
'Sure,' I say, following him back through the house like I don't know my way.
I leave, trying not to run down the steps at break-neck speed while I hold the front of my coat. I get into Mav's truck and he gives me a searching look.
'Is everything okay?' he asks.
'Everything's fine.’
It’s not really a lie.
'What did Andrew say?'
'Not much,' I reply. 'It was actually a waste of time. But I may have something else.’
‘What?’ he asks.
‘I’ll show you later,’ I say. ‘Let’s just get out of here, huh? I need to be at the police station in thirty minutes.’
He doesn’t need any more prompting. We leave the Novelle estate. Halfway back to Richmond, I open the window. I unzip my coat and take out the horrid metronome that I swiped from the office. I throw it into the road, watching in the side mirror as it smashes to the asphalt and splinters behind the truck.
Mav doesn't say a word as I put the window back up and smile a little to myself.
It’s a small thing, but it makes me feel better, makes me remember that this road that I'm on is my path, and I'm not going to let anyone derail me from my life and what I need again. Not Andy Novelle and not the police, either.
Though, as we pull up to the RPD station, my stomach twists. The last time I was in that building, my life was destroyed.
But I give Mav a small smile. ‘You’ll wait?’
He nods and gives me a kiss. ‘You don’t want me to come in?’
I shake my head. ‘The lawyer is over there. Shade sent me a picture. He told me to just do as he says, and everything will be okay. They don’t have anything on me.’
I get out of the car and walk over to the man who’s standing close to the main entrance.
‘Mr. Burrows?’ I ask.
He looks up at me and does a doubletake. ‘Marguerite Evans?’
I nod.
He looks at a loss for words.
‘Is everything all right?’ I ask.
‘Of course. I’m sorry. It’s just that I expected… Your stepfather always spoke about you as if…’ He trails off.
I snort. ‘I’m aware of what my stepfather told people about me,’ I tell him. ‘You should know before we go inside that he greatly exaggerated my mental deficiencies.’
‘Clearly,’ the lawyer mutters, seeming perplexed. ‘Uh, inside in the interview room, don’t speak unless I say it’s alright, okay? They’re just gathering information. I doubt they have anything on you.’
I nod, and put on my fake smile, as we go inside.
***
