Page 27 of Shadow of Death
Brenda nodded. She was going to cry again.
“I’m sorry!” she whispered.
“No, no, it’s all right,” Hunter assured her, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder. “It’s all right.”
After a minute, Brenda composed herself. She swept out an arm, indicating they should come in.
The parlor of the little townhouse was charming with a comfortable sectional sofa taking up the front corner of the room, a mantel filled with pictures to the left, and an amazingly large television screen facing the seating.
“A beautiful home,” Amy murmured.
“Thank you! It was... Now...it’s just empty,” Brenda whispered. “We bought that mammoth television screen during COVID. We both worked a lot from home. Oh, that’s how we met. I don’t know what you know, but I’m a bonds attorney, too. Well, I wasn’t going into politics—I personally hate politics.Politicianmight be synonymous withliar. Except for Estelle! She was so good. We all know there are issues involving color, race, religion—and sexual identification. Estelle never denied her preference, but it wasn’t something she harped on. Oh, she’d speak up. She was an absolute believer that all men and women are created absolutely equal. But in that vein, she was focused on American medical benefits, social security, and immigration. And usually...” she said, pausing to wince, “even Estelle’s so-called political enemies admired and respected her. It’s hard to hate someone who refuses to hate in return, who searches and finds an answer to every question, who...” She paused, shaking her head again.
“You reported her missing, right?” Hunter asked quietly.
“I did. It took me a while to get the police to write a report. She had gone into her office. I knew the minute she didn’t come home after work that something was wrong, horribly wrong. But she’s an adult, and I’m not blaming the police, but they had to wait so long to file a report. Then others from her office began calling them and pretty soon, we all knew she was missing. The detective on her case believed—and still believes, if I’m not mistaken—that a political rival killer her or had her killed or had something to do with her disappearance.”
“But you don’t believe that?” Amy asked quietly.
“I told you. Estelle had a way about her. We’d be an amazing country if every person up in Congress was like her. Shelistenedto others. She never resorted to name-calling. She could come up with a compromise on any issue.”
“I would have loved to have known her!” Amy said, rising and walking over to the mantel. Estelle had been blond with dark eyes, almost in perfect contrast to Brenda Hayes. The mantel held numerous pictures of the two of them together, on a beach, at Red Rocks, and at what appeared to be a food bank where they were dishing out plates of food side by side.
“It couldn’t have been a political enemy, right?” Brenda asked. “They—they found her in a pit with other bodies...lots of other bodies. What would that have to do with politics?”
“We don’t think—” Amy began.
“We are just beginning our investigation,” Hunter interrupted quietly. “But please rest assured this is a number one case. Police and agents from the local and federal levels are on this. We will investigate every possible angle.”
Brenda looked at Amy and said, “It’s my fault. Our fault. For being...what we are.”
“We don’t know that to be true at all,” Amy said. She took a deep breath, looking at Hunter before continuing. “Only ignorant people hurt others for reasons having to do with a person’s personal choices, or with their color or ethnicity or any other reason.”
“And those people do exist? Why? Why do they care what others do in their own homes?” she whispered. “We never forced anything on anyone else! We even... Oh, we barely touched each other anywhere that was public, because people do judge and they can be hateful.”
“Brenda, I...”
“We know that,” Hunter said. “But remember, we are investigating every possible angle. Do you have family? Is there anyone who can be with you and help you get through this?”
She nodded, smiling with wet eyes. “My brother is coming. He loved Estelle, too. He would volunteer anytime she needed him. She would have... She would have changed the world. She was so full of both love and reason and...”
Hunter handed her a business card. “Both our numbers are on that. If you can think of anything helpful, please let us know. Or if you just need us, please call.”
“You two are...good,” Brenda said, trying to offer a smile. “Thank you. And I—I will be all right, and if I can think of anything that might help...”
“Did she receive any threats?” Amy asked her.
“Not that I know about. I’m telling you, not even rivals or so-called enemies hated her—she was that good,” Brenda said. “Why? Why would anyone do anything like this? To Estelle—to anyone!”
“We will do our best to find out,” Amy murmured.
Brenda nodded again and walked with them to the door. When they stepped out, they thanked her. She thanked them again.
As they drove away, Hunter slowed the car and looked back. Amy turned to do the same.
Another car had driven up to the townhouse. A man got out. The door to the house opened and Brenda Hayes rushed out and hugged the man.
“Her brother. I’m glad he got here,” Hunter murmured.
