Anonymous

Chapter 51

Chapter 51

The next morning, Debra came home from Julie's house where she'd spent the night. Wearing clothes she had borrowed from Julie, she carried her blood-splattered clothes from the night before. There was a police issued car in her driveway, a black 1984 Maverick. On her way inside she saw where Jack had broken the locks. In her living room, an official-looking man was taking pictures.

"You must be Lieutenant Barger," Debra slurred just a little, stitches in her swollen lip. "I talked to you on the phone last night."

"Well hello. It's nice to meet you. You had quite a time here last night," he said, shaking her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, too," she said feeling self-conscious, looking rag-tailed in oversized clothes, her freshly washed hair still wet, smelling of Prell shampoo—real shampoo. "I'm just here to change clothes, and wash these things from last night." She stepped the rest of the way into the living room, a dried up version of the night before. "I heard that Jack Wilson made it through surgery last night. Someone called Julie this morning. I just came from there. From what I heard, Jack said that Kyle didn't kill the man on Jaycox. He said Bruce did it. He said he'd only found out yesterday, but I don't believe that. Jack didn't start coming around until that man was killed. I think he was protecting his brother the whole time."

"There will be an inquiry. Your friend Julie must be awfully relieved to know that her husband is coming home."

"So much has happened. It hasn't been a happy marriage, according to Julie. I think they might be getting a divorce."

"That's always sad news to hear. Now, the reason I'm here. I read the statement you gave last night. I'd like to ask you a few questions. If that's all right, I promise not to keep you."

"What would you like to know?"

"The rifle, it's not registered. Where did you get it?"

"My grandfather wanted me to have it. It was my mother's." Debra could feel her heart beating faster.

"Yes. Your mother is in Hamilton County Prison. That must have been rough for you."

"Sometimes." Debra's heart was beating so. He knew she was damaged. Was he looking at the bald spot in her eyelash line? Was he looking at her torn cuticles? She'd only come home to change, to wash her bloody clothes. She wanted to be at the hospital by nine. Her eyes darted between the clock and him. Did he think she was like her mother?

"That's all. Thank you." He folded up some sort of kit and carefully placed it in a leather case.

"That's all?"

He smiled a father-knows-best kind of smile. "That's all."

"I'll be in the basement. Let me know if you think of anything else," she said relieved. Wanting to start some laundry before she went to the hospital, expecting the basement door to open silently, like it had for Greg the night before, she swung it open. The hinges creaked louder than ever. She shivered just as she had so many times. A wolf spider ran across the floor. She took off her shoe and bashed it without shivering at all.

THE END