Page 73 of State of Alert

Sam kept her gaze trained on Zoe. “It’s the question I most want the answer to.”

“You don’t have to answer that, Zoe,” Dunning said.

“Of course I didn’t want her dead!” Zoe said. “She was my mother!”

“You said, and I quote, ‘She made my life a living hell.’ Was that true?”

Zoe glanced nervously at her father. “We fought a lot.”

“Can you be more specific?”

“She didn’t want to let me do anything! It didn’t matter what it was, she said no.”

“Why was that?”

“She didn’t trust me.”

“How come?”

“Because she lies as easily as she breathes,” Jada said.

“Shut the fuck up, you stupid bitch. That’s not true.”

“Girls, stop,” Frank said. “This isn’t helping anything.”

“Is that true, Zoe? Do you lie a lot?”

“A teenager lying to her parents doesn’t make her a murderer, Lieutenant,” Dunning said.

Sam never looked away from Zoe. “I’d like Zoe to answer the question.”

Zoe shrugged, seeming exquisitely uncomfortable. “Sometimes.”

“Allthe time,” Jada said.

“Dad! Tell her to shut up!”

“That’s enough, Jada.”

“I’m just telling the truth.”

Frank turned to Jada. “Enough.”

“Do you have a challenge with the truth, Zoe?” Sam asked.

“Sometimes it’s the only way to get to do anything!”

“I’d like to speak to each of you individually.”

“That’s not happening,” Dunning said. “These girls are minors.”

Sam stared him down. “Who may have information pertaining to the murder of their mother.”

“They don’t know anything about it!” Frank said. “They’re children, for God’s sake.”

Jada began to cry.

Frank looked to Dunning, his eyes wild. “I want to take my daughters home. They lost their mother yesterday! This is outrageous.”

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