Chapter 2

Audrey turned when she heard a noise coming from the front door. A woman with a young girl entered, slamming the door against the wall. The glass had cracked when it swung back.

Is she yelling or screaming? Audrey wondered. It was hard to say because she was focused on keeping down her lunch. The woman’s words were so muddled Audrey couldn’t make out anything intelligible. Audrey had never met Mellicent Ventura but had seen a picture of her somewhere.

Who called her?

Officer Carlson warily followed Mellicent back inside, stopping the cracked door with his foot as a hand hovered over his Taser. As a recent recruit, perhaps he’d been hesitant to stop a hysterical woman with a child. A threat of force in a situation like that wouldn’t do any good and using the Taser would be even worse.

Or more likely, he’s afraid this woman seems the type who will upload a scorching video, recounting how she’d been assaulted by an officer while trying to figure out what happened to her husband.

It was difficult to be a cop. Audrey didn’t envy them, but the man should’ve done a better job, even as green as he was.

“I have every right to be here!” Mellicent yelled in an apparent response to something Officer Carlson said. She had curly blond hair with platinum highlights. The little girl was a mirror image of her mother, but without the highlights. “He’s my husband. I have every right!”

“This is a… crime scene, Mrs. Ventura,” Officer Carlson said, holding the clipboard tight as his face reddened. He seemed determined to get her back out without resorting to threats. “Right now, we’re trying to figure out what happened. We have to keep this place locked down to keep it clean.” He glanced at the girl, obviously trying to keep his language neutral to avoid distressing her. She looked like she was about five or six. A tiny thin reed compared to her enraged mama.

Mrs. Ventura peered past Ramirez, down toward the activity. It seemed she knew what had happened or feared the worst.

Her eyes are so cold, Audrey thought.

“I’m afraid something happened to my husband!” Mellicent said, oblivious to her young daughter clutching her side. “I just want to see him. You can’t stop me!”

“Daddy! What happened to Daddy?” The little girl clawed at her mother in desperate search of support that didn’t come. Mellicent didn’t glance down as she yanked her hand free from the scrabbling girl and pointed a finger at where her husband’s body lay. Little emotion showed in her expression. Her momentary annoyance with the officer was gone as she viewed the scene through slitted eyes.

Now that’s odd, Audrey thought. Mellicent’s callous mention of her husband and her lack of empathy for her daughter’s reaction bothered Audrey. Something else disturbed her, and it took a moment to put her finger on it.

Her expression makes it seem she expects to see something.

Ramirez and Michaels headed toward the door. Audrey followed them.

Officer Carlson stepped in front of Mellicent, but he obviously wasn’t prepared to handle the situation.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” Ramirez called out well before they arrived, glancing at Audrey as she quickened her step, as if afraid she had to take control to keep Audrey from getting involved. “We can answer your questions outside. Please leave Officer Carlson alone.”

Mellicent had her purse in hand and pulled back as if she’d been thinking of striking the officer. “I must see my husband. Is he dead? Is that his body over there?”

The little girl wailed.

Ramirez stopped in front of Mellicent with an outstretched hand. “I’m Mary Ramirez, the lead detective. How about we go out and I’ll answer your questions?”

Mellicent pushed past Carlson, leaving behind her sobbing daughter, who crumpled into a heap. Mellicent tried to force her way past Ramirez, who turned to emphasize her Taser. She started to pull it out until Mellicent noticed and stepped back.

“Taking even one step closer will make things much worse. Do you understand, ma’am?”

Mellicent frowned but said nothing, her eyes frozen on the forensics team.

“Ma’am, you really don’t want to go over there. Let me give you a couple reasons. First, you run the risk of contaminating a crime scene. Even being right here, you’re still risking that, barging in like this. Luckily for you, the techs have already been over this part, so no harm, no foul. That’s how I see it, though I could conceive it another way, seeing how you’ve pushed your way into an active investigation after being warned by an officer not to do so. That’s called breaking the law. But I’m willing to overlook that if you don’t go further.”

Ramirez lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. “Also, the last thing you need is to remember your husband this way. It’s not something you want to see. Trust me, ma’am. Seriously, do yourself a favor.” Ramirez glanced at the girl. It was obvious she was also thinking the girl shouldn’t see her father like this.

Mellicent didn’t back down. “I have to know what happened. I’m not gonna believe any of you people. Understand? I have to see this with my own eyes.”

You people? Audrey thought. Has she had a bad experience with the police? Has her husband’s career tainted her view of law enforcement?

There was an alternative conclusion to make from this outrageous behavior. The woman’s actions begged the question.

Perhaps she was involved and was now trying to obfuscate her role.

But Audrey was hesitant to ascribe anything to Mellicent’s actions because she assumed they were motivated by grief.

Isn’t anger the stage right after shock?

Ramirez waved her hand to draw the woman’s attention. “Ma’am? Mrs. Ventura. I understand your first name is Mellicent. Can I call you that?”

“What happened to him?”

“It’s best we have this conversation without your daughter.” Ramirez had a tightness around her eyes that Audrey hadn’t noticed before.

Mellicent glanced back at her daughter, and it looked as though she might show some emotion other than anger, but she wiped it away and turned to Ramirez, her lips turned up in a silent snarl.

Audrey stepped forward. “I can take your daughter outside.” She offered her hand to Mellicent, hoping the attempt at being cordial would take the temperature down a notch.

Mellicent glanced at it but made no move toward it. Audrey let it hang for an awkward moment before dropping it to her side.

“I’m Audrey Spencer. I’ll likely be running the legal side of this case once…” She glanced at Mellicent’s daughter. “Once progress has been made in the investigation. I’m happy to keep your daughter distracted while you talk with Detective Ramirez.”

Mellicent stared at Audrey before giving a tiny acquiescing nod that seemed to suggest she was preparing to lay into Ramirez as soon as Audrey got the little girl outside, and that this was the reason she wanted her daughter to leave, not because of her husband’s body.

Audrey approached the little girl. Tears gushed down her face, and she was having difficulty breathing. Audrey had been involved in a lot of cases over the last few years, some homicide, some not, and she’d always prided herself on her professional detached perspective. But she now found her eyes misting over.

Mellicent was oblivious to her daughter’s plight. Another warning sign.

Something’s wrong with that woman.

And judging from how Mellicent’s eyes were laser-focused on lane nine where her husband’s body lay, there was undoubtedly something she wanted to see.

Audrey set aside her suspicions for now and crouched so she was eye level with the little girl and introduced herself. “What’s your name?”

“Bree.”

“How about we wait for your mom outside? Is that okay? I’ll stay with you the whole time.”

Bree nodded. Mellicent looked over impatiently, waving for her daughter to leave.

Audrey led Bree through the glass doors and found shade at the side of the building. It was approaching ninety degrees. Rare for early May in Salt Lake City, but at least it was a dry heat.

She kneeled and looked Bree in the eye. “Did you have school today?” Class wouldn’t adjourn for several more weeks.

Bree shook her head. “I was sick.”

Audrey hesitated as she noticed dried vomit on Bree’s collar, wondering if asking about Mellicent would cross the line, but the woman had given her permission to go with her daughter, and it was assumed they’d talk.

Besides, Audrey needed to assess whether she should call the Division of Child and Family Services. So far, Mellicent had shown so little regard for her daughter that it might be best to get the state agency down here. While people grieved in their own—and sometimes unusual—ways, Mellicent’s behavior was out of the ordinary, even for a mourning widow.

Mourning. Doesn’t seem she is. Shock, maybe. Definitely not mourning.

“Your mom was with you?” Audrey asked.

Bree hesitated, perhaps sensing a reason for Audrey’s question, but not fully understanding what Audrey sought. Bree seemed smart for such a young girl, and Audrey wondered if an outside observer would think she was taking advantage.

But I need to know some details. The last thing I want is to send her home with a murderer. Audrey would never forgive herself if something happened to Bree.

“She had to go out. I stayed home and watched TV. My grandma eventually came over.”

Eventually? What’s that mean? Did Mellicent leave her home alone? Bree can’t be a day over six.

“Is my daddy going to be okay?”

Audrey didn’t know how to respond to the innocent question. An adult would’ve already known based on what was obvious to the casual observer.

Clearly, Mellicent did.

Bree’s mother should’ve been handling this, but Audrey had a feeling Mellicent would hardly think about her daughter. Perhaps she’d leave Bree to deal with her grief alone.

Audrey hesitated, wondering if she could put off the question, but the little girl stared with watery red eyes, and there was no use delaying.

“I’m afraid not.” She was unprepared as the little girl flung her arms around her. More tears came, and she held tight.

“Did your mom say where she went?” Audrey eventually asked.

The little girl didn’t respond.

While it was alarming Mellicent had left her daughter home alone at such a young age, Audrey tried not to read too much into it, at least not yet, not without evidence to give her further insight into what Mellicent was thinking.

Is this enough to call DCFS?

Audrey’s thoughts were interrupted by Bree’s gasp and renewed sobbing.

“I’m so sorry.” Audrey remembered when she’d held her sons like this. Only that had been after they skinned a knee or bumped a head. They’d never had to endure grief like this. Both were adults, and Chuck, her oldest, was now engaged.

Audrey had always wanted a daughter, but it hadn’t been in the cards, and it pained her to see Bree ignored at this critical moment. Bree shook, and the only thing Audrey could do was hold her. Eventually, Audrey couldn’t keep back the tears any longer and wept too. She couldn’t say how much time had passed when Mellicent came back out with Ramirez and Michaels trailing behind her.

She stormed over when she saw Audrey hugging Bree. “Get your hands off my little girl!”

Despite the vitriol and the potential for the situation to turn ugly, Audrey was slow to release Bree, who clung tight.

“Ma’am,” Audrey said, keeping her tone light. “Mrs. Ventura. I know you’re going through something difficult, but Bree here—”

“Release her or I’ll press charges!”

Audrey released her, but Bree held on.

“How about you go to your mother, Bree?” Audrey said gently, wishing she could think of a way to keep Bree from leaving. Mellicent was callous and indifferent, but she hadn’t been abusive. And she’d explain it as grief and shock.

Audrey could call DCFS, but would they intervene based on so little? Without obvious signs of abuse or evidence of neglect? Audrey wasn’t sure leaving Bree home by herself was enough to justify the call. Mellicent could claim Bree was exaggerating. Perhaps she’d say Bree was confused and that she’d gone outside to work in the yard or just across the street to drop something off at the neighbor’s.

No, Audrey would make the call and report her concerns. It was up to DCFS to decide how to respond.

Is Bree in danger of immediate physical harm? Audrey wondered, staring at Mellicent. Detective Ramirez stood like she was ready to grapple with Mellicent. Michaels had his arms folded, but he watched the situation with narrow eyes.

And Bree clung even tighter.

“Mrs. Ventura, perhaps we should give you some space to grieve,” Audrey suggested. “It’s not an easy time. I’m sure we could find somebody to watch Bree, just until you’ve had time to cope—”

“Release her right now!”

Audrey waved her hands to emphasize she’d already let go and that it was Bree who hadn’t.

It took another moment, but Bree finally disentangled and approached her mother. She reached for her mom’s hand, but Mellicent was on her phone, sending a text, and she batted Bree away to keep her from interfering with the message. She put her phone into her purse, and Bree tried again, but Mellicent was oblivious.

“I’ve contacted my attorney, and he’s going to hear about this.”

“Your daughter needs you,” Audrey said.

“I’ll thank you to leave me alone,” Mellicent snapped, stomping over to a blue Rivian SUV, finally taking Bree’s hand but only to drag her along. She released it the moment she arrived at the vehicle.

Audrey’s heart broke when Bree stumbled and fell while wailing. Mellicent yanked the back door open and heaved Bree inside when she didn’t move fast enough. The last thing Audrey heard was Bree letting out a horrible sob before Mellicent slammed the door, glared at Audrey and the detectives, and then drove off.