Page 18 of One Last Step

“Really?I feel like I’m terrible.”

"No, you don't," she retorts."But yeah, it was fun to see another kid.It's hard being cooped up here all the time."

“Have you told your grandmother that you’d like to go out and make friends?”

“I mean, I get to go outside a lot more in the summer.She just doesn’t like going out in the cold, and since she’s not friends with a lot of the other kids’ parents, she doesn’t really have anyone who can take me out, you know what I mean?”

That's a side effect of Elena's age that I haven't considered before.She must be much older than most of the other parents in the area.That, along with her job managing the museum, probably limits Sophie's opportunities to interact with other children.I'm very glad that Luc came over with his father last night.I certainly hope we'll see more of them.

"Well, I'll have a talk with your grandmother and see if she'll allow Luc to visit."

Sophie brightens.“Really?That would be awesome!”

I smile at her.“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do my best.Perhaps she’ll even let me take you out to visit him.”

She gives me a dazzling smile that I’m sure won Luc’s heart the instant he saw it.“You’re not terrible at all.”

I laugh.“Thank you.You’re not so terrible either.”

The elevator opens, and Sophie and I turn to see Elena leading Inspector Moreau into the living room.Jacques nods formally to me.None of the embarrassment I see the first night is evident here.He is stern and professional.

“Good morning, Miss Wilcox.I wonder if you and I might have a word?”

I consider responding curtly and flatly, refusing to discuss the matter of the missing pocket watch, but I don't want to have this argument in front of Sophie, especially with her grandmother present.I give Sophie a smile and say, "I'll be right back."

Elena mutters something.I bristle but once more choose not to argue.

Jacques gestures for me to enter the elevator.I do, and he presses the button for the fourth floor.“I figured we could have this conversation in your room,” he explains.

“You figured wrong,” I reply, no longer concerned about Sophie hearing me.

Jacques rolls his eyes.“Very well.On the landing, then.”

The elevator door opens, and the two of us step outside.I give him a frosty look and cross my arms.He sighs and rolls his eyes again, but his professional demeanor returns a moment later.“I need you to describe to me in detail your actions two days ago.”

“Do you have reason to suspect me of a crime?”

“We’ve reviewed security footage for the evening in question,” he explains.“Thirteen people visited the display that contained the pocket watch, including you.”

A lie.I’ve never seen the pocket watch.I don’t correct him yet, though.

“We’re conducting second interviews with all thirteen people and searching their property.We’ve already searched your property, so as a courtesy, I’ve elected to start with the interview.”

“You’ve already searched me and my belongings,” I reply.“Was that not enough to satisfy you that I am not a thief?”

”As I’ve said before,” he replied.“if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”

“I have nothing to hide, and yet here I am enduring another threat to my privacy.”

His professional demeanor cracks again with another sigh.He rubs his hand over his forehead and says, “I understand you’re angry, Miss Wilcox.No doubt you feel hurt to be thought of as a common criminal.If it helps, please understand that I don’t know you, and while it might seem obvious to others that you couldn’t possibly be a thief, I am unfortunately ill-equipped to read minds and understand character simply by looking at someone.”

His sarcasm does little to improve my mood, but I can see I won’t be rid of him easily.I shake my head and release a sigh of my own.“Fine.Let’s get this over with.”

He is silent for a few seconds, then reminds me, “Your activities the day of the theft?”

“Certainly.I completed Miss Sophie’s instruction for the day.When she finished studying, she went to her room to play video games, and I went downstairs to visit the museum.”

“Why?”

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