Grace Sees Red by Julie Hyzy Page B

Flynn—making short work of three pastries between sips of coffee—interrupted twice to ask questions. Rodriguez remained silent, taking notes. When Frances got to the part where Bennett and I entered the scene, she invited us to chime in. All in all, there was very little she divulged that I didn’t already know.
    To her credit, Frances had delivered facts objectively, and—with few exceptions—had refrained from shading her narration with color commentary.
    I hadn’t known she had it in her.
    Almost as though she’d heard me voice the sentiment, she added, “That lawyer Lily Holland warned me that I need to keep emotion out of this.” She shot me a silent query that asked “How did I do?”
    I nodded approval.
    Rodriguez shut his notebook and got to his feet “We’ll stay in touch with Rosette’s department and keep you all apprisedas much as possible.” As the rest of us rose, some silent signal passed between the two detectives. “Flynn,” he said, “why don’t you get Miz Sliwa’s home contact information, in case we need to reach her during off-hours?”
    Flynn nodded and started for the door, fully expecting my assistant to follow.
    â€œWhere are you going?” she asked. “I know my own phone number. You can write it down here.”
    Flynn scratched the back of his bald head. “I keep my contacts in an old-fashioned Rolodex,” he said, then pointed toward her office. “I’d prefer a business card. Do you have any?”
    â€œOf course I do.”
    â€œLet me have one of those, then. I’ll jot your home info on the back.”
    My assistant huffed, but trundled toward the door with Flynn in tow.
    As soon as they were gone, Rodriguez stepped up to my desk and invited Bennett to come closer. “Listen, I’ve been a cop most of my adult life. I know how we operate.” Speaking quietly, but faster than I’d ever heard him before, he flicked a glance between us and continued. “Our girl here is in trouble. Rosette’s department has their sights set on her and even though the evidence is circumstantial right now—the argument she had with the victim, her husband’s missing medication, and finding the cap in the victim’s room—if toxicology comes back positive for insulin, she’s going down for this.”
    â€œHer lawyer—” I began.
    â€œCan only do so much,” Rodriguez finished. “She can’t stop them from arresting her, and she can’t convince the cops they have the wrong person if there’s no one else with means, motive, and opportunity.”
    â€œThis is ridiculous,” Bennett said, raising his voice. “What can we do?”
    â€œKeep her calm.” Rodriguez held an index finger to his lips. “She’s on her best behavior but we can all see the strain taking its toll. There’s no point getting her riled up. Let’s just hope the autopsy results confirm a natural death.”
    â€œI wish this had all happened here,” I said. “I trust you and Flynn. I trust our people. I don’t know those detectives in Rosette.”
    Pain crossed Rodriguez’s face. “One more thing,” he said. “Flynn and I are sworn to uphold the law. Even though we don’t have jurisdiction, we can’t ignore evidence if it’s presented to us and we can’t share information with you and Frances if it compromises Rosette’s investigation.”
    I drew in a sharp breath. Bennett frowned.
    Rodriguez words came out very quickly. “We know Frances well enough to believe she’s innocent. But none of us really know for certain that she didn’t kill the victim.”
    I opened my mouth to protest, but Rodriguez held up a placating hand.
    â€œFlynn and I truly believe she’s being unjustly accused, but I need you both to know that while he and I can advise you about rights, and