"We just want to go over a few things," Nowak says, his tone conversational. "Clarify some details, fill in some gaps. Nothing to worry about."
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
"Let's start with the timeline. When did you first come to California?"
The question catches me off guard. I was expecting them to dive straight into Marcus, straight into the night at the cabin, but this feels almost mundane. Normal. Like we're just having a friendly chat.
"About six weeks ago," I say, calculating quickly. "Phoenix invited me to visit."
"And you'd been in a relationship with Mr. Crawford for how long at that point?"
"We'd just started seeing each other. A few weeks, maybe."
"How did you two meet?"
I remember the story Phoenix and I agreed on. Keep it simple and close to the truth. "At a business function in Boston. Phoenix was there for a conference, and we were introduced by a mutual acquaintance."
Reeves jots something in his notepad. The scratch of his pen is impossibly loud in the quiet room.
"And Marcus Webb," Nowak says, leaning forward slightly. "Was he at this function?"
"Yes. He was Phoenix's business partner. They were both there."
"Did you have any interactions with Mr. Webb that night?"
I hesitate for just a fraction of a second. I think about the way Marcus looked at me across the room, the way his gaze made my skin crawl even before I knew what kind of monster he really was. Should I mention it? Would it seem suspicious if I didn't?
"Brief," I say finally. "We were introduced. We exchanged a few words. That was it."
"What kind of words?"
"Just pleasantries. Nice to meet you, that sort of thing. I don't remember the specifics."
Nowak nods, his expression giving nothing away. "Did Mr. Webb ever contact you directly after that night? Phone calls? Text messages? Emails?"
"No." This, at least, is true. Marcus never contacted me. He just showed up at the cabin, uninvited. "We didn't have that kind of relationship. I barely knew him."
"But you saw him again, didn't you? At other events? Business dinners?"
"Once or twice." I keep my voice steady, my expression neutral. "Phoenix and Marcus worked together. I was sometimes present for business functions. But Marcus and I never spoke one-on-one. There was no reason to."
Reeves looks up from his notepad. "Did you ever feel uncomfortable around Mr. Webb?"
The question lands like a punch. I force myself not to react, not to let the memory of Marcus's hands on my body show on my face.
"He was a little intense," I say carefully. "The way some men in business are. But I wouldn't say I was uncomfortable. I just didn't know him well."
Nowak and Reeves exchange a glance that I can't read. Then Nowak flips to a new page in his folder.
"Let's talk about the cabin trip. You and Mr. Crawford went up to the mountains about two weeks ago, is that correct?"
"Yes. We wanted to get away for a few days. It was supposed to be romantic."
"When did you arrive at the cabin?"
I tell him the date, the approximate time, all the details Phoenix and I rehearsed until they felt like real memories.
"And when did you leave?"
