Page 10 of Summer Shivers
THIRTY MINUTES LATER
The officers don’t return to the room they’ve stashed me in until they have Grant in tow.
He hands me a cup of coffee. “Just so we are all clear. I’m not a criminal defense attorney. There is no attorney-client confidentiality privilege. I am a friend of the family.” He takes a seat next to me, leans in and whispers, “Have you said anything?”
I shake my head in response.
“Is this an interrogation?” he asks the officers.
“No,” the female officer says. “We just want to ask her a few questions.”
“I’d like a minute alone with her first,” he responds.
The officers step out and Grant turns to me. “Did you do it? Wait, don’t answer that. What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know.” Tears start to slip down my face. “I woke up this morning, and he was dead in the pool. I called 9-1-1, and now we’re here.”
“Anything happen last night?” he asks.
“Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Where’s your passport?” He frowns as writes a few things down.
“The house. In the safe.” I rub my eyes; I can’t recall the last time I’ve cried so much or so hard.
He continues talking, seemingly oblivious to my state of mind. “You may have to surrender it if this goes any further. I’m sure the accounts will be frozen. I hope you have access to cash because you’re going to need it to secure the lawyer and a good private investigator. I can recommend some defense attorneys.” He lays his pen down on his notepad and looks at me.
“Why?” I ask.
He sighs. “Genevieve, they didn’t bring you down here to ask a few questions, despite what they say. They brought you down here so they can arrest you as soon as you say something incriminating.”
“But I didn’t do anything.”
At least, I don’t think I did.
“When has that ever stopped them?”
“Why can’t you help me?”
“I’m not a criminal defense attorney. And you aren’t technically under arrest. But . . .”
“It doesn’t look good, huh?”
Grant shakes his head. “Not even a little. If it makes you feel better, I know you adored Harrison and I have never known you to be violent. I’ve even seen you save a spider. Do you remember that time you coaxed it into a cup and then brought it outside instead of letting Harrison just step on it?”
What an odd thing for him to remember. And bring up. I blink. “Thank you. I think.”
He nods before slipping me a pill from across the table. I swallow it down with the coffee and smile, grateful for whatever it is, not bothering to ask.
“Xanax in case you’re wondering,” he mutters.
“I’m not.” I don’t care what it is if it numbs my mind and fills the emptiness I feel inside.
Grant moves to open the door for the officers, “Alright, let’s get this over with.” He waves an arm in the air as if to say, go ahead, and takes a seat next to me.
The other officer is the first to talk this time. “Why don’t you start from the beginning and tell us what happened.”
“I woke up this morning—”
