I remembered the police detective’s picture of the pillbox. “Did you ever see the pillbox?”
Bre turned back toward me. “No.”
“How did they connect it to you?”
“The note and the fact that I’d bought the Benadryl. They were able to trace a purchase to my company credit card at a drugstore near Maker’s Mark. I just stopped there one morning because I remembered Reid having the sniffles, and I was trying to help.”
“Are your fingerprints on the pillbox?”
“They didn’t say.”
I didn’t understand the connection. “How do they believe Benadryl was used to kill him?”
“Reid told me that he sometimes took benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, at night. He said he did that so he’d fall asleep and Daphne wouldn’t try to…” She looked down and back up. “He didn’t want to have sex with her. The sleeping pills helped him avoid it.”
Fuck, this was above my pay grade.
“Okay. Sorry, I’m not a pharmacology major. What do sleeping pills and Benadryl do?”
“They can increase drowsiness. And shouldn’t be used in combination with high-blood-pressure medication. They claim I purposely gave him the Benadryl to make him tired. They believe Reid fell asleep driving. That’s what caused his accident.” She sat back down on the sofa. “I have a public defender. I’m so scared.”
We both turned to the opening of the front door.
Chapter 17
Vee
* * *
While Trish advised me not to speak to Bre, I couldn’t help myself. She was in my home and had information I wanted to know. Carrying two bags of groceries, I entered my condominium. Fin stood and Bre stared as I walked down the hallway to the kitchen and living room.
“Bre.” My one-word greeting came out colder than I planned as I placed the bags and my leather satchel on the kitchen island.
Slowly, Bre stood. “Vee, I hope you don’t mind I’m here. I need to talk with you.”
After taking off my coat and laying it over a dining room chair, I turned toward the living room and crossed my arms over my chest. “I should tell you that my attorney advised me not to speak with you.”
Her lower lip trembled. “Please. I was just telling Mr. Graham that I’m scared.”
I took a few steps closer. “Bre, what are your plans regarding your pregnancy? You are pregnant, right?”
She laid her hand gingerly over her stomach as I’d seen other women do. “My plans…this baby is part of Reid, part of a man I love and who loved me. My plans are to have this baby, to raise him or her, to love them with the love of a mother and father.” She brought her teary-eyed gaze to mine. “Reid did that for you. He loved you enough for both parents.”
The small hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention. “I won’t discuss my mother with you.”
“It’s all right. Reid told me all about what happened. I know he loved you, Vee. I don’t want you to feel threatened by this baby.”
I scoffed. “Are you threatening me?”
Her eyes opened wide. “No, not at all. This baby will need all the love and support it can get. I want you to be a part of your brother’s or sister’s life.” She sniffled and took a step closer to me. “That’s part of what I want to talk to you about.”
“About being a part of your child’s life?” I asked.
“Reid’s and my child, yes. I had a lot of time to think when I was in jail. First, Vee, you know I’d never hurt Reid. I wanted to marry him, to raise our child together.”
Fin placed his hand in the small of my back. “I can go into another room.”
“No.” I turned to his cobalt stare, made brighter by his blue sweater. Gazing into his eyes lifted a bit of the tension. “Please, stay here.” I looked at his phone lying upside down on the coffee table and back at him.
