Chapter 4

"Hey," Mack muttered, holding her gently and rocking them in place. "Thanks for getting here so fast, Nick."

Nick shook his head. "Still not quite fast enough," he said. "You have no idea what's happened, even in the short time I've been here." And, with that, he related the last hour or so. Mack stilled under her. He stepped back and looked down at her face. "Somebody pounded on the door and threatened you?"

She nodded. "He seems to think I have something."

"Oh, not this again," Mack muttered, closing his eyes.

"Exactly, but I don't know whether it's this case or another case."

He nodded. "That compounds it, of course. If anybody else were in a situation like this, we would assume it was this case. However, in your situation, not so much."

She shrugged. "Not my fault."

"No, it's not, but then it really is."

She smiled. "Nice to see you. I've been waiting all day."

"I know, and I'm sorry I couldn't get here earlier. Didn't Nick tell you that we had talked?"

"He did, and he mentioned you were fighting to stay on the case."

"Yeah, and I lost that fight."

"What?" She gasped in horror, looking up at him. "Why?" She was beside herself. "Why would the captain do that?"

"Mostly because he's trying to keep the integrity of the case. Let's face it. I'm too close to it. I won't be allowed to work it, but I haven't been suspended or restricted in any way. I will at least be where I can see the information coming and going."

She stared at him. "So, is that good news or bad news?"

He smiled at her. "It's as good as we can expect for the moment."

"I'll consider that as bad news then."

He burst out laughing. "The captain knows you didn't kill anybody, as do the men we have worked with all this time," Mack pointed out. "Believe me that everybody wants to solve this as fast as possible. They know what Mathew was like, so they certainly know that any number of people had motive to kill him."

"Oh, you're not kidding there," Doreen muttered, "motive by the droves."

He nodded. "That is a concern, trying to figure out what went down and how. We'll have to get your statement, but I can't be the one to take it."

She winced. "Great. So who will it be?"

"One of our new detectives."

"So, somebody who doesn't know me?"

"Yes," he replied, with a concerning frown in his tone.

"You don't like this new detective either," Doreen noted.

At that, his eyebrow shot up. "I didn't say that," he protested.

"You didn't have to," she declared.

At that, somebody cleared their throat from behind Mack.

Doreen looked under Mack's arm and saw a woman standing there, frowning at her. "Oh, you brought somebody?"

"Yeah," he replied in a dry tone. "Doreen, meet the new detective." Doreen winced, as Mack stepped aside and introduced her. "This is Detective Insley Mogamon. She's only recently joined our division."

"Hi," Doreen said. When the other woman frowned at her, Doreen frowned right back. "See? I can do that too."

At that, the other woman's eyebrows shot up. "Pardon?"

Doreen sighed. "Never mind. It's okay. Come on in and join the party."

"I hardly think a party is appropriate, especially right now," she stated stiffly.

Doreen stared at her. "So, you have no humor and can't detect sarcasm. Duly noted. I gather you're here to interview me."

"I would like to take your statement, yes," she replied, keenly studying her, "unless you want to go down to the station."

"Not particularly," Doreen replied. "Depends on if the captain wants me to go down there."

"No, I don't think the captain would have any concerns either way," she replied, looking from Mack back to Doreen.

Mack stepped aside. "I'll go get coffee."

"Good," Doreen muttered. "You can refill mine while you're at it."

He smiled. "Depends on how many cups you've already had."

"Not enough," she declared, sending him a dark look. Doreen looked back at the woman and asked, "Do you want to sit out here?"

"Sure." She stepped outside and looked at the property. "Is this on the river?"

"Yes, it is. It's my grandmother's place."

"Ah, so you don't own it then." And she started to write down notes.

Doreen frowned at her again. "Actually I do." But then she stopped, turned to Nick, and asked, "If the name change went through properly."

He frowned at her. "Have you gotten the paperwork?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Nan told me that she was putting it in my name, but I don't know how far that got."

"Remind me to follow up on that. I can check."

All through that exchange, the detective seemed to be writing notes. When Doreen leaned forward, Insley pulled back her notebook ever-so-slightly. Doreen frowned at her, and the other woman frowned right back. She shrugged. "So, what do you want to know?"

"Tell me exactly what happened."

"Sure. I went to pick up Chinese food for me and Mack and…"

"Mack?" Insley interrupted, staring at Doreen.

"Yes, Mack. He was coming for lunch."

"You pick up Chinese when you have somebody over for lunch?" Insley asked in a deceptively quiet tone, filled with criticism.

Doreen's back bristled, as she narrowed her gaze. "What does that have to do with Mathew's murder?"

Insley replied, "Continue."

Doreen nodded. "I thought it would be a treat, but apparently you don't agree with that, but that's all right, to each his own," she stated, with a wave of her hand. In the kitchen doorway, she caught Mack's frown and glared at him. "That's what happens when I try to do something nice for you," she stated. "I guess it just means I'm not supposed to do that."

He sighed and replied, "Back to the matter at hand, Doreen."

Doreen quickly told the rest and added, "Then I called Mack."

The new detective asked, "Between the time that Mack was on his way and you were standing there, what happened?"

"Nothing," she stated. "I just stood there, waiting, trying to figure out if what I'd just seen was for real."

"Why wouldn't it be real?"

She stared at her again. "No reason for it not to be real. Yet I couldn't quite comprehend that it had even happened."

"Why not?" Insley asked. "After all, you're in an ugly divorce battle."

"No, we're not in an ugly divorce battle."

"You're not now, I guess, because he's dead," Insley declared.

Doreen swallowed, stared at Insley, and clarified, "We were never in an ugly divorce battle. Nick here is my divorce lawyer, so you can talk to him about it."

At that, Insley turned and asked him, "What's your last name?" He quickly gave his name, and she frowned. "Moreau? Nick Moreau?"

He nodded. "Yes, Mack's my brother."

The detective sighed. "So, does everybody here know each other and is related to everybody?"

"Pretty much," Doreen said. "We don't have any secrets from each other either."

"Okay, good. So did you kill your ex?"

She stared at her in shock. "No. I didn't kill my ex, and I shouldn't have to remind you that I am deemed innocent until proven guilty. So I really don't appreciate your assuming that I did. You don't know anything about me, so you'd better get your facts straight before you start jumping to conclusions."

"I don't care to get to know you," she stated flatly. "I'm here to solve a case."

"Bully for you," Doreen stated. "Let me know how that works out."

Insley just stared at her.

"Doreen, behave yourself," Mack said.

She glared at him. "Don't start, Mack."

Almost on cue, he held out a cup of coffee and sighed. "Right, so this mood means you probably haven't had nearly enough for today, have you?"

"I haven't had enough for the week apparently," she declared. "Interesting people you bring along with you." Doreen turned and looked at the detective. "What department were you in before?"

"That's none of your business."

"Yet it is," she declared. "Under the constitution, I am allowed to question the veracity of the person interviewing me."

Insley frowned at Doreen. "I'm the one doing the interview, so I'm the one asking the questions."

Doreen pulled out her notepad, grabbed a pen, and started writing her own notes.

"What are you doing?" Insley snapped.

"Obviously writing my own notes," she replied, giving her a glare for glare.

Insley stiffened. "If you don't cooperate with the police, things will be much more difficult."

"Refusal to answer legitimate concerns and now threats of retaliation? What would the captain think?" Doreen noted. "I've had a heck of a day already, so we might as well get this over with." She looked up at Mack to see him staring at her, a worried look in his gaze. "I'm not doing anything I'm not entitled to, Mack," Doreen declared.

"I know, but that still doesn't mean it'll help your case."

"I didn't kill Mathew," Doreen repeated, "so providing the new detective here knows what she's doing and didn't come from the speeding and parking infraction department, we should get to the truth just fine."

At that, Nick seemingly coughed and spewed coffee all over his lap. He bolted to his feet, apologizing.

She waved her hand. "Seeing as you'll be staying here, take your bag up to the guest room and get changed, if you want." Doreen sighed, feeling the fatigue hitting her again. "As far as dinner goes, we'll get something, but definitely not Chinese."

Nick stopped and frowned. "Oh boy, I just remembered. You don't cook, do you?" he asked, with a note of humor.

She eyed him cautiously and asked, "Do you?"

He nodded slowly.

"Oh, then it's a good deal for me," she replied, rubbing her hands together. "What are you cooking for dinner?"

He smirked, shook his head, and mumbled, "I am so not ready for this." Then he quickly excused himself and walked inside.

Doreen returned her attention to the new detective, staring at her. "Anything else, Detective? Otherwise I'll ask you to leave, so I can sit down and entertain my guest."

Insley hesitated, but, getting no support from Mack, she nodded. "I'm done,… for the moment."

"Good," Doreen declared. "Please let me know when you find the guy who killed my ex."

"You don't seem to think I can do that," Insley stated.

"Even if you could," Doreen declared, "I just don't know if you would."

On that note, Insley got up and quickly walked out, sending Mack a hard look as she left.

"This will be a disaster," Mack muttered.