Page 11 of One Last Step

“Are you serious?”I ask her.“You want to search me?”

“Just to clear you of suspicion.”

“Grandma?”Sophie asks.“What’s wrong?Is Mary in trouble?”

“Go to your room, Sophie,” Elena and I say at the same time.

“But—”

“Now, please.It’s all right, dear.”

Sophie hesitates a moment longer, then slowly gets to her feet and heads to the elevator.She carries her half-eaten sandwich and a juice box with her.She looks so small.

My anger fades somewhat, replaced with embarrassment for Elena.When the elevator door shuts behind Sophie, I turn to her and say, “Dr.Rousseau, I am truly sorry for the loss of your pocket watch.In the interest of putting this issue to bed and allowing Inspector Moreau to more quickly proceed with effective avenues of investigation, I will allow him to search my room.”

Elena shuffles her feet and at least has the decency to look embarrassed when she says, “He’ll have to search you as well.”

“Me?As in my body?”

Jacques offers the age-old line used by all police officers.“If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about.”

“I have nothing to hide,” I reply.“I simply don’t want a stranger’s hands probing my body for no other reason than my employer’s unfounded suspicion.”

“But you were there, Mary,” Elena says almost desperately.“Someone had to have gone into that room and taken that pocket watch, and you were one of the people there.”

“Along with dozens of other guests throughout the day.”

She frowns, but the look is more petulant than angry.“Just let him search you.It’ll ease my mind, and then we won’t bother you any further about it.”

I’m not happy at all with this, but I don’t see a good reason to argue, nor do I believe arguing will result in a good outcome for me.I sigh and say, “Very well.Let’s proceed.”

Jacques reddens further.He also has the decency to look embarrassed when he says, “Of course, ma’am.”

He searches me brusquely and efficiently.He is as respectful as a person can be when they’re running their hands all over someone, but I can’t help but feel my skin crawl.To suspect me of theft!As though I were some common criminal!What possible use could I have for Elena’s watch or for anything in whatever hidden compartment it might contain?

I keep myself calm, though, and allow Jacques to finish his search.When he steps away and nods to indicate that he’s finished, I ask, “Do I need to be present when you search my room?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Very well.Please be gentle with my belongings.I’m going to check on Sophie.”I look at Elena.“If that’s all right with you, ma’am.”

Elena, her eyes rooted to the floor, nods.“That’s all right.Thank you, Mary.”

I head to Sophie’s room and find her sitting on her bed watching a cartoon.I don’t love that she has a tv in her room.I don’t believe that children should be sheltered from television, but I believe their consumption should be moderated and monitored.

I smile at that.A strange man is rifling through my underwear fifty feet away, and I’m worried about Sophie’s television habits.

Sophie looks at me, and her eyes widen in relief.“Mary!Is everything okay?Are you in trouble?”

“No, Sophie, I’m not in trouble.”

“Do they think you took the pocket watch?”

I think through my answer carefully.I am angry with Elena, but it won’t be helpful to anyone for me to disrespect her to her granddaughter.“Your grandmother is very upset.She’s trying to look for it everywhere it might be.”

Sophie looks over my shoulder, then shuffles up to me and whispers, “Did you take it?”

I burst into laughter.I can’t help myself.Sophie’s innocence is absolutely adorable.I give her a brief hug, then say, “No, Sophie.I didn’t take it.That would be very rude of me.Your grandmother has offered me a job and a place in her home.If I were to steal something from her after that, I would be a very low person indeed.”

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