Woman on the Edge(38)
I refuse to answer him. I snatch my phone from my purse and bang out a text to Jessica, telling her to come to Nicole’s.
On my way. Do NOT say a word.
I can’t just stand here wobbling like an idiot on my throbbing ankle, so I sit in a chair. Ben and Martinez take seats, too.
“Morgan, I have a few questions for you.” Her intense expression is eager, almost excited.
Frightened, but trying to hide it, I make my expression as blank as possible. “You can’t speak to me without my attorney present.” My tone is firm, but my voice betrays my nervousness.
She scoffs.
Ben puts his hands on the table and looks at Martinez. “I told you everything already about the blue Prius, Amanda, and Donna Taylor. And that Morgan was rear-ended by a redhead in a Prius on the highway. But just now we, I, found this in Nicole’s pantry.” He leads Martinez to the open doors, and they disappear inside.
I strain to hear their hushed voices. I know they’re talking about me. I can’t defend myself until Jessica gets here. Anything I say to Martinez she will use against me.
They’re in the pantry for about fifteen minutes when there’s a loud knock on the door. Martinez leaves the kitchen, coming back seconds later with Jessica, resplendent in a fitted red dress. She marches over to me. She puts a hand on my back. “What’s this about, Detective?”
“Are you aware your client was named guardian and executor of Quinn Markham’s significant shares of Breathe? That Nicole Markham changed her will mere days before she fell onto the tracks at Grand/State?”
My mouth drops open before I can stop it. She knows. Rick Looms must have called her. And I haven’t yet informed Jessica. Damn it, how much trouble am I in now? I’m afraid to look at Ben, but I can feel his shocked glare.
Jessica swivels her head to look at me. I nod, almost imperceptibly.
“I’m not sure what your point is,” she says to Martinez.
I marvel at her cool, calm tone, because I’m a raging inferno inside.
“I think you know my point, Ms. Clark. It serves your client’s best interests to just be honest about how she knew Nicole. Why she’s harassing Ben Layton. Gaining custody of Quinn and her fortune is, of course, motive.”
I sneak a glance at Ben, whose face has paled. He walks to the vibrating chair, lifts Quinn out, and holds her close. He averts his eyes from mine.
“My client has no statement to make at this time. Is that all?” Jessica puts a hand on my shoulder, turning me slightly so I’m facing her and not Martinez.
“That’s all for now. But we will find out the truth. It’s beneficial for Morgan to come to us before we come back to her.” She gestures toward the front hall. “You need to leave the premises. The Crime Scene Unit are on their way. You can file a report about the accident.” She spins on her heel.
Jessica raises an eyebrow, but follows, and I’m about to limp after her, leaving Ben and Quinn. I feel his eyes on my back, and if I turn around, I’m sure they’ll drill his mistrust and disbelief right into me.
I tap Jessica. “Can you give me one minute to talk to Ben?”
She turns around to face me and sighs. “I’m staying right here.”
I nod and meet Ben’s gaze. “Nicole’s attorney contacted me this morning. I swear that everything I’ve told you is true. I didn’t know your sister. But she wrote a legal petition making me Quinn’s guardian and executrix of her shares of Breathe. It doesn’t make sense to me at all.”
Ben’s face reddens. “Why did you hide that from me? And why would she do that when she had me? Why would she choose a total stranger to raise my niece rather than her own brother?”
Everything he’s saying is tinged not just with his lack of trust in me but with his own guilt. I can hear it. His raw pain is almost visceral.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the petition sooner. I didn’t want to hurt you more than you’ve been hurt already. I haven’t filed, obviously. I don’t even know what to do about it. You seem like a great person, and I’ve seen with my own eyes that you care about Quinn. All I can say is that something awful happened to your sister inside this house. And she wasn’t herself when she drew up those papers.” I look into his sad, weary eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong. And I certainly didn’t, either.”
He sighs. “You don’t seem like a criminal.”
“That’s because I’m not,” I reply. “Look, I just want to make sure we’re all safe, okay? Can we exchange numbers just in case?”
He hesitates for a moment, then agrees.
After I add him to my contacts, Jessica and I leave the house immediately. As we’re making our way to the driveway, Martinez comes out onto the stoop, watching us. She says, “Whoever gets custody of Quinn has access to her money. Someone is lying here.”
When we get to my car, Jessica stands in front of me, hazel eyes blazing with anger. “Let’s go to your apartment and talk.” She points to my foot. “Can you drive?”
“I’ll manage.”
My ankle throbs as I navigate back to my building, Jessica’s white Mercedes right behind me. We arrive and park. Jessica silently follows me to my apartment and takes a seat on my fuchsia couch. I sit on the other end, my nerves crackling with fear.