Page 37 of Say Now
Lizzy turned and brought a tray of tea and cookies to the table.She sat down with them as if they were three friends chatting.
"He visited Tommy a lot in prison?"Alison asked.
"Religiously," Lizzy told them."He was always a good brother.He would have done anything for Tommy.The only thing he couldn’t do was get him to stop.Whenever Tommy got out, it was only a matter of time before he would be back in.I guess he’s outdone himself this time."
Lizzy looked resigned.She expected it—the only difference was the severity of the crime this time.
Claire took the lead with the tea, pouring out three cups.She also helped herself to a cookie.
"I know you’ve spoken to the police about Tommy, and we don't need to hear any of that again, but I would like to talk to you about Arturo.When he died, Tommy did change, didn't he?"
"No, I don't think he did," Lizzy said."A mother always knows.I think he had most people fooled, but not me.I don’t know why he acted like that.Don't get me wrong, it was much better than him getting into trouble all of the time while in prison, but it was all an act."
"Do you think he might have wanted to get some justice for Arturo?"Alison asked.
Lizzy looked at her, and Alison knew there was something to that story.
"I don't know what he was thinking," Lizzy replied."I asked him about it once, and he said something about why he was acting the way he was, but it was a lie.He didn't want to talk about it, and I knew better than to push him."
"You sued the police after Arturo died," Alison said.
"I received bad advice," Lizzy said.She picked up her cup, her hand shaking slightly.
Alison didn't say anything, letting the woman have some space to expand on that comment.When she didn’t, Alison pushed.
"Why did you really sue them?"Alison asked.
"I already told you," Lizzy said.
"You’re not as good at fooling people as your son," Alison said."What are you scared of?"
"What?I’m not scared of anything.Maybe you should go," Lizzy said.
"I’m not going anywhere," Alison said."There is something here, and I want to know what it is."
"Is my son going to jail?"Lizzy asked.
Alison nodded."They’re looking for him now.I think they will catch up with him.I’m sorry."
"Then I can't say anything," Lizzy said.
"What is it?"Alison asked."You’re scared for Tommy.Why?"
"I can't talk about it.I signed things back then.It’s just better this way."
"Ma’am, I work for the FBI," Claire said."If there’s a problem, if you’re scared of something happening to your son while he’s in prison, I can help with that.I can make this a federal matter."
Lizzy looked to Alison as if for confirmation, and Alison nodded."If there is something you can tell us that will help with this investigation, then we can help you.I promise you that.I have contacts back in California in the FBI, and Special Agent Martinez works for the FBI here.We will protect you and your family."
"If there’s no investigation, then they won't kill him," Lizzy said.
"They won't kill who?Tommy?"Alison asked.
"That's why I dropped the case against the department," Lizzy said."I got a call, late one night, a male voice.He told me that if I continued to sue the department and waste everyone’s time, he would make sure that something happened to Tommy in prison.I don't know, maybe he was making it up, but there was something about the way he said it.I believed him.I didn't see any point in the case.It was the lawyer who pushed me after I spoke to him, but what good would money be if Tommy was gone, too?"
"So, someone called you to get you to drop the case?"Claire asked."Do you know who they were?Were they police?"
"I don't know," Lizzy said."I thought it might be…I don't know.Before Artie was killed, he was scared of someone, something.He called me about two weeks before he died and said that someone was after him.I think he had been drinking, I don't know.He sounded terrified.He said he was worried and that he loved me, and then he hung up.I tried to call him back, but he didn't answer his phone until the morning, and when I spoke to him, he said he was confused or something, but I could hear that he was still scared.He told me to forget about it, but I couldn't, and then he got killed."
