Page 233 of Murder in the Family

What was it like then, Maura?

MAURA HOWARD

(her voice breaking)

She never asked me to help her. She didn’t even know I was there—

BILL SERAFINI

Hold on – what did you just say?

MAURA HOWARD

(taking a deep breath; Guy tightens his grip on her shoulder)

When I got back, I went into the kitchen and saw her in the utility room – she looked like she was rinsing something. I couldn’t see what it was, but it looked like there was blood on it. Then she opened the machine and put whatever it was inside and turned it on. It was a bit weird because I knew there were already clean clothes in there from earlier and she didn’t bother taking them out, just put it on again.

BILL SERAFINI

You didn’t ask her about it?

MAURA HOWARD

(shaking her head)

No. I didn’t want to embarrass her. Look, I thought she must have had an accident with her period. She’d only just started back then and I just assumed it was that.

BILL SERAFINI

So you just backed off? Didn’t let on you were there?

Maura hesitates then nods.

Then what happened?

MAURA HOWARD

I went straight out towards my room—

She falters, and puts her hand to her mouth again.

BILL SERAFINI

At which point you realized where the blood had really come from.

She glances up at him, then nods again.

And you decide that you’re going to protect her. You’re not going to let your 13-year-old sister spend the rest of her life in jail. Whatever it takes.

Maura reaches up blindly and grasps Guy’s hand.

So then what?

MAURA HOWARD

I went back inside and she was there, in the kitchen – she looked awful but she didn’t say anything. I told her Luke was dead and she tried to look surprised but I knew she wasn’t. Not really.

I told her I was going to call the police and that when they got there we should say we’d been at the cinema all night and had only just got back. That otherwise people might think we had something to do with it.

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