Elizabeth almost laughed, and once she’d run a washcloth under cold water and pressed it to the back of her neck, shesteadied.
Just outside the parlor, raised voices met herears.
“This is foolish, Mr. Fairhaven. The police haven’t found any sign of the man who attacked her. He’s still out there somewhere,” Carolasnapped.
Alexander swore. China rattled. “So findhim.”
“We’re working on it,” Tyler assured him. “There was enough blood on the heel of Elizabeth’s shoe and her dress to run DNA. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a match for anyone in the system. Whoever he is, he hasn’t been arrested before. And without a detailed description, we’re going to have a hard time searching forhim.”
“Which is why we need her to agree to protective custody. I don’t care how many former SEAL team members you have,” Carola said. “I won’t be responsible for her safety if she doesn’t agree to come with us thisevening.”
“No.” Elizabeth stepped through the doorway into the parlor, and everyone turned towards her. “Once I give my deposition, nothing they do matters, right? They could kill me, and it won’t damage your case againstthem?”
No one in the room said a word for several tense breaths until Carola broke the silence. “We’ve got them dead to rights. We want you to testify so CPH can’t sue you. Once you give your statement, under oath, the only legal challenge they could possibly have goesaway.”
“They’re not stupid,” Elizabeth said. She limped back to Alexander and sank down on to the leather sofa. His arm curled around her, soothing her in ways she’d come to depend on. “I don’t think they’ll come after me again. If anything happens to me now, they’d be the prime suspects. And they’ve taken too much already. They took my job. They broke into my home. I don’t even know that I’m going to be able to sleep there again without thinking about the asshole who tried to kill me. I won’t lose anything else to thosebastards.”
Especially notAlexander.
Alexander’s shoulders melted away from his ears, and he blew out a relieved breath. Elizabeth straightened as best she could. “I’ll come in for the deposition tomorrow, and I’ll testify whenever you need me to, but other than that, I’m done. You have my computer, and you can request copies of my bank records, tax returns, and any other personal data you need to prove that I had nothing to do with the tax fraud. I don’t have anything to hide. I’d like to see the papers you found under my floorboards. You said there were notes onthem?”
Tyler withdrew a stack of papers sealed in plastic and passed them to her. On the top sheet, a Post-it contained a hastily scrawled note. “We’ve tested it for fingerprints, but it’sclean.”
Per our agreement. This is the last remaining copy of the original return. —E.Bennett
“That’s not my handwriting,” Elizabeth said. “Ask anyone in the office. I don’t use blue pens. Ever. I don’t own any. Red and black only. And at CPH, I went by Lizzie. If I were going to put my name to something it’d be L.Bennett.”
Tyler pulled out a legal pad and a blue pen. “Will you submit a handwritingsample?”
“Of course.” Elizabeth copied the text verbatim. There were subtle differences in the curve of her l’s, the serif on her t’s and the slant of her n’s. Tyler sealed the sample in another clear plastic bag and signed his name across the flap. “Is there anythingelse?”
“I have a list of questions,” Carola said, withdrawing two printed sheets of paper from her black leather briefcase. “I’d like to go over themnow.”
For the next two hours, the prosecutor peppered Elizabeth with questions. By the time they were done, darkness had fallen beyond the large picture windows. Goodbyes were exchanged, and Carola, Tyler, and Foyle left together. Ben and Nicholas remained behind for the pressconference.
Alexander turned to Elizabeth and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Your friends will be here shortly. How are you holdingup?”
“I feel a little better. Knowing—deciding—that I’m not going to have to give up any more of my life helped.” Her stomach growled. The scents of rosemary, chicken, and butter wafted through the house. “And I really want to get the next hour overwith.”
“The press conference or dealing with your friends?” Alexanderasked.
“Both.”
