Page 57 of Little Bitter Truths
I was about to start the car when I saw movement inside the house, a shadow passing across one of the front windows, and I froze.
Christian was dead, which meant someone else was inside that house.A roommate, perhaps?A new resident?For a second, I considered leaving, but then curiosity got the better of me.
Besides, I was already here.
Why not check things out?
I stepped out of the car, walked to the front door, and knocked.A few seconds passed, and I heard footsteps.The door opened and a woman stood before me.She looked to be in her seventies, with long gray hair swept into a ponytail.There was a tiredness in her eyes, shadowed by lingering melancholy.
“Yes?”she said.
“My name is Georgiana Germaine,” I said, “and I’m a private investigator.”
She took a step back, her expression becoming more guarded.
“If you came to speak with my son, he’s not here.I’m sorry to say he’s no longer with us.”
23
Christian’s mother invited me inside, and I accepted, looking around as I stepped into the home.Boxes sat stacked along the walls, some sealed, others left open with their contents spilling out.A jacket hung over the back of a chair, and a pair of men’s shoes rested near the door, positioned like their owner might return at any moment to slip them on.
Christian’s mother closed the door behind me and said, “I’m Bernice.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said.“I’m sorry to hear about your son.”
“Why don’t we sit, and then you can tell me why you’re here?”
I followed her into the den, taking a seat on the couch.
She sat next to me.
“I’m packing up some of my son’s things,” she said.“It’s taking longer than I expected.It isn’t right, you know?Burying one’s own child.”
I knew the feeling.
“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”I asked.
I already knew about the car accident, but I was hoping for more details.
“He was driving home from work, and the police think he was on his phone at the time,” she said.
“Why?”
“He’d started writing a text message, one he never finished or sent.He lost control of the car, and … well, you know what happened after that.”
A silence settled between us.
“I didn’t know about the car accident until a few minutes ago,” I said.“I was coming here to ask him a few questions.”
“About what?”
“His ex-girlfriend, Mia Bennett.”
Bernice’s eyes flickered with recognition.“I know Mia.Haven’t spoken to her in some time.How is she doing?”
“Her sister, Wren, was murdered last month.”
Bernice pressed a hand to her chest, her head shaking.“I’m so sorry.I had no idea.”
