Page 13 of Summer Shivers
He leaves me alone in the room with nothing but my thoughts for company—never a good idea. I spend a lot of money on wine and pills tonotever be alone with my thoughts. The Xanax Grant gave me is barely making a dent in the oppressive wall of emotion currently weighing me down.
The door opens and Grant pops his head in. “We can leave. You just need to stay reachable.”
I nod. “Anything to find the killer.”
His head tilts. “You do realize that you can’t stay at the house, right? It’s a crime scene now. The police will let you collect some things. You’ll be escorted and watched, naturally.”
“Where am I supposed to go?” My heart pounds. I hadn’t considered this. “I didn’t know. I didn’t think…”
He waves a hand like he wants to silence me, or maybe he simply doesn’t care. “Do you have somewhere else to go without leaving the state?” he asks stressing the last part. I’m guessing to reinforce I can’t go to our home in Washington.
“I can go to the Seaside house, I guess,” I say.
“I’ll take you there after we grab some of your things.”
“I can drive myself,” I protest.
“They aren’t going to let you take your car, Genevieve. The entire house is a crime scene. When I say they’ll let you take a couple of personal items under supervision, I mean it.”
“Okay.” I follow him down the hall toward the exit.
Grant moves to stand beside me in what I hope is a show of support. I need all of it I can get right now. I have a feeling my life as I know it is over. And why wouldn’t it be. My husband is dead and I’m the prime suspect.
five
GENEVIEVE
Grant parksup in front of our house in Seaside, Oregon. Harrison knew how much I love the ocean—how much I love the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. When this property came up, he bought it without a second thought. It’s been my favorite place to be ever since.
“Do you want to come in?” I ask Grant, not really meaning it, but also not wanting to be alone. It feels like the polite thing to do after he drove over ninety minutes to bring me here.
“No,” he says. “I suggest you check around for any cash Harrison may have stashed away. Unless you have accounts of your own that don’t include him. The joint accounts will be frozen, but yours will be okay until you’re charged.”
“Until?”
“Unless.” He runs his palm down his face. “I meant unless.”
I nod, not sure my voice is working.
“I’ll email you a list of criminal defense attorneys I recommend. Call one. Soon.”
I nod again.
I stop at the door and turn to Grant. “I didn't do it. You must believe me.”
“Genevieve, just call one of the numbers I send, okay?” He rubs my arms, which gives me no reassurance at all.
What makes me think I’m innocent when my own attorney thinks I’m guilty?
Grant’s face softens. “Stay here, keep a low profile, don't do anything that might make you look guilty. Go about your normal day. Just make it a normal day where you’re grieving your dead husband. Yeah?”
I don’t respond. I no longer have the energy to talk to him. It’s obvious he doesn’t believe I’m innocent and that's just annoying me now.
I shut the door and lock it before either of us says anything else.
I wait until I hear his car leave the drive before stepping away from the front door to survey the empty house.
A cleaning service comes once a week to clean and stock the fridge. Before now I would always complain it was such a waste to have food sit for a week before throwing it away. But now that I’m here, in the situation I am, I’m grateful for the waste.
