Betrayed (Rosato & DiNunzio, #2)(40)

Aunt Barb’s face fell. “A hotel? I won’t feel at home in a hotel, and it might be weeks.”

“You can stay with me, at my house,” Judy offered, meaning it. She’d love to have her aunt under her roof, and she’d find a way to tolerate her mother. The only problem was the fleas, but nobody had to know about that.

Her mother lifted an eyebrow. “We’ll stay in a hotel. We’ll be more comfortable.”

Judy tried not to feel hurt. “Mom, that’s not as homey, for Aunt Barb.” She turned to her aunt. “Aunt Barb, please stay with me. The hospital’s right in town, so it’s actually more convenient, and for your doctor’s appointments, too. And I’d be able to see you after work and help out. What do you say? You like the city.”

“Yes, but I hate to impose.” Aunt Barb smiled slowly, and Judy knew she was winning the battle.

“You wouldn’t be imposing at all. You and Mom can have my bed, which is a king, and I can sleep on the daybed in my office.”

“What about Frank?” Aunt Barb asked, and Judy felt a twinge, realizing she hadn’t even thought about her boyfriend, who shared her bed.

“He can stay at his grandfather’s in South Philly. He’s over there all the time.”

Suddenly a heavyset uniformed officer opened the front door. “Detective Boone?” he said, stepping inside the living room. “Uh, got a minute?”

“Not now.” Detective Boone gestured at Judy, frowning. “I’m taking a victim statement.”

“Captain said to let you know if we found anything in the garage, and we did.”

“What did you find?” Detective Boone turned to the cop, and Judy’s ears pricked up.

“Money.” The cop lumbered into the room. “In an old trunk in the corner, under some other stuff. About thirteen grand.”

“Oh my God!” Judy said, shocked.

“Oh no!” Aunt Barb moaned.

Judy’s mother pursed her lips in a knowing line. “This is awful, just awful.”

Detective Boone rose. “What did you do with it?”

“We left it where it was. Cap said to ask you.” The cop shrugged. “He said if the homeowner wants us to move it out, we will.”

Judy got up, turning to her aunt. “Aunt Barb, don’t you want them to bring it inside? We can’t leave it in the garage.”

Aunt Barb blinked. “It’s not mine. It’s Iris’s. I don’t know what to do with it. Put it in the bank?”

The cop grinned. “Give it to me, I know what to do with it.”

“I do, too!” Officer Ramirez said at the door, and next to him, Officer Hoffman slapped him five.

Judy’s mother asked the detective, “But isn’t it evidence?”

Judy suppressed an eye-roll. “Mom, it’s not evidence because there’s no crime.”

Her mother sniffed. “I asked the detective.”

Detective Boone shook his head. “Your daughter’s correct, Mrs. Carrier. I can’t say I’ve had this situation before. I’ll double-check with the A.D.A., but my sense is we’ll leave to you what to do with the money. It’s not police business.”

Judy looked at Mary. “I’m sure we can set up a trust account for Iris’s estate.”

Mary nodded. “Right, and in the meantime, we can put it in the firm’s safe.”

“The firm has a safe?” Judy asked, surprised. “Who knew that? Is that something you have to be a partner to know?”

“Yeah.” Mary chuckled. “Like the secret handshake.”

Suddenly there was a commotion from the policemen upstairs, who were coming down the staircase, the footsteps heavy. “Detective?” called the first cop, coming into view.

“What is it?” Detective Boone turned to the stairwell.

“You know that pink bedroom in the back?” The cop gestured to the back of the house, his dark eyes animated under the patent bill of his cap. “Well, we found more cash.”

Judy gasped, catching Mary’s incredulous eye. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s like a bank in there.” The first cop shook his head, marveling, and the one behind him nodded. “There’s money in shoeboxes in the closet and a cedar chest. Plus, on the far side of the bed, you can see where somebody cut the floorboards. I bet there’s money under the floor, but we didn’t go there. We only found it because the rug looked messed up on the far side.”

Detective Boone frowned with disapproval. “Officers, why were you looking in the cedar chest? That wasn’t your orders.”

“Sorry, but we played a hunch. We cleared it with the captain, so you can take it up with him.”

“What was the hunch?” Judy interjected, glossing over the awkward moment.

“We knew there was dough in the garage, and we figured that the motherload had to be in the house. If it were me, common sense, I’d hide money in the house first, then use the garage second, like, for the leftover. It’s safer.”

“You’re right.” Judy kicked herself for not thinking of it herself.

“What the hell?” Judy’s mother turned to Aunt Barb, who was sinking into the wing chair. “Barb, how can this happen? Did you just give that woman your guest bedroom?”