Page 44 of Lost Cause
“Come on,” he said to Abby. “People don’t run away unless they have something to hide, and we need to find out exactly what they don’t want the police to know.”
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Abby held out her newly acquired shield and introduced herself and Burke to the couple. They didn’t reply with names, so Abby took a stab at their identity. “Sylvia Bass and Ugo Morell, we need you to come with us to answer a few questions.”
Ugo backed up, but Sylvia pointed her chin at them. “Tell us now before we agree to anything. Is Victor hurt?”
“He’s fine,” Abby said.
Sylvia studied Abby, her gaze wary. “You wouldn’t be lying just to get me up there and grill me for answers?”
“I’m not lying, and I don’t plan to grill you for anything.” Abby smiled, hoping to disarm the older woman’s suspicions. “So let’s do this the easy way and head up to the mansion without any fuss.”
Sylvia continued to stare at Abby, deep brown eyes tight and distrustful. Thankfully, Abby had been able to flash a shield at them, or they might not have taken her authority seriously.
Sylvia shifted the canvas grocery bags in her hands. “Badge or no badge, you can’t arrest us. We haven’t done anything wrong.”
Following her lead, Ugo raised his goatee-covered chin. “We don’t even know why the police are here.”
Burke eased closer, his presence intimidating. “We’ll be glad to explain all of it inside.”
“Come on, people.” A chunky dock hand left the gate controls and stormed over to them. “Make up your mind. You coming or going? Captain’s getting mad. He has a timetable to keep, and I need to cast off.”
“They’ll be staying on the island.” Burke moved behind them as if he intended to herd them like cattle up the stairway.
Neither of them budged an inch.
Abby rarely lost her patience, but she was coming close with this couple. “You can answer our questions now or we’ll stay on the ferry and escort you to an interrogation room in town for questioning.”
Sylvia gritted her teeth. “Fine. We’ll accompany you, but under protest.”
“Noted,” Abby said. “Can I help carry your bags?”
She huffed and started ahead, her steps urgent now as if she wanted to get this over with. Ugo trailed her, but his feet shuffled over the wooden planks, and he fell behind. Both of them seemed beyond retirement age and still working. Why? One of the questions Abby intended to pose.
Perhaps they were hoping when Victor passed away they would receive something in his will. She knew such hopes wouldn’t come true. Victor hadn’t left a single thing to them. She wasn’t really surprised. Not with his aristocratic air, where he thought domestics were beneath him.
At the crime scene tape, they stopped to record their names on the duty officer’s entry log, then started upward toward the mansion. Sylvia continued to move quickly, her groceries swinging at each tread. But Ugo, latching on to the handrail, climbed with extreme effort.
Abby glanced back at Burke and signaled her plan to stop Sylvia from entering the mansion ahead of them. She rushed up the steps and brushed past her. Opening the door, she blocked the older woman. “Do any of your groceries require refrigeration?”
Sylvia shook her head. “Victor gets those items delivered from the grocery store. I go to the local farmers’ market and bring him fresh fruit and vegetables along with my home-baked bread.”
“That’s a very kind thing to do.”
“We’re family.” Her tone had softened, and a fondness for Victor lingered on her face. “We take care of each other.”
Would that make her unwilling to answer questions that may put Victor in a bad light? They would have to tread carefully when questioning her.
“Since you don’t need to access the kitchen, I’d like you to take a seat in the hallway while we talk to Ugo.”
“I don’t have time to waste sitting around. I have work to do.”
“I’m sorry. The entire mansion has been designated as a crime scene, and there will be no work here until we release the scene.”
Sylvia’s expression turned hard and rigid, but she nodded her understanding.
Abby moved back to let her enter, and she stormed inside.
