Page 32 of Southie
“Camilla! Camilla!”
As soon as I saw Liam, I ran to him. I didn’t know what possessed me to do it other than the tug at my heart to comfort him and for him to comfort me. The pained expression on his beautiful face was heartbreaking. Even if she wasn’t my relative, Mrs. Daugherty had become a close friend, and someone had taken her away from both of us.
Engulfed by his firm arms, my face wet with tears, I buried my head in his broad chest, inhaling his scent. I sought the solace of his heart and the warmth of his body as mine shuddered against his in relief and heartache. Content in his arms, my body finally relaxed. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe.
“It’s all right, baby. It’s all right. I’m here,” he repeated, over and over again.
His enormous hand raked through my hair, his calloused fingers gently massaging my scalp as he whispered soothing words until my trembles and sobs subsided.
He kissed me on the top of my head. “Any news?” he mumbled against my hair as more officers began to arrive.
I shook my head and stayed wrapped in his arms until the police approached us. As the officer handed me my portfolio and camera bag I’d left on Mrs. Daugherty’s stoop, I reluctantly stepped from Liam’s embrace.
The police officer informed us Mrs. Daugherty was deceased in her bedroom. Unofficially, according to him, someone had bludgeoned the seventy-nine-year-old woman to death with an unknown object. He said the Coroner would officially determine the cause of death, but from the evidence on the scene, that was his conclusion.
My arms encircled Liam’s waist, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his body.
“How long has she been in there?” Liam questioned.
One officer placed yellow crime scene tape around Mrs. Daugherty’s property while other officers blocked off the street.
The officer’s brows pinched together. He ran his hand through his hair and looked around to make sure he was still alone with us before he whispered, “You didn’t hear any of this from me, Liam. And if you say you did, I’ll deny it.”
“I understand,” Liam replied.
“Since this is an open investigation, I shouldn’t be telling you anything, but I’d say she’s been dead for less than an hour. Two at the most.”
“How would you know something like that?” I asked.
“Rigor hadn’t set in yet,” Liam mumbled.
My eyes shot up to him, but he refused to look at me. How would he know something like that?
“That and the blood was still fresh,” the young police officer remarked. “She put up a good fight, Liam.”
Liam nodded but remained quiet. I could feel his anger and hurt vibrating against my palm the more the officer spoke. Liam’s voice was emotionless, yet his body held the slightest quake, signaling he was the opposite of emotionless. From the shudder of his body, the pounding in his chest, and the slight flaring of his nostrils, he was barely controlling his anger.
“I need to ask you some questions Ms.—”
“Ms. Jennings,” Liam replied before I had the chance to respond. “She’s a friend of mine and my grandmother’s.”
“Okay. Ms. Jennings, I need to ask you some questions since you were the first on the scene.” The officer pulled a small notebook and pen from the breast pocket of his uniformed shirt.
Liam drew me in closer to him, and I lay my head against his chest.
“Paul, can she give her statement tomorrow morning? I want to get her out of here. She’s been through enough this morning, don’t you think?”
Paul tapped the pen against the tiny notebook before placing them both back inside his pocket. “Umm…yeah. Sure thing, Liam. Are you going to notify your father?”
“Nah, you can do it. I’m just going to take Camilla home so she can get some rest.”
“All right. Come down to the station in the morning, Ms. Jennings. You’re not a witness to the crime itself, but we need any information you could give us. You too, Liam. The lead investigator will take both your statements. The quicker we start on this, the faster we can find the bastard who did this to Mrs. Daugherty.”
“Okay,” I muttered. “I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”
“I’ll make sureweare here in the morning,” Liam said.
The officer reached out his hand, and Liam did the same. “Oh, and Liam, sorry for your loss, man. Everyone loved Mrs. Daugherty.”
