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Kate went to the refrigerator for something to drink. It was empty. For a moment, she’d forgotten that no one actually lived there. She kept listening.

“Kind of odd,” said the detective, “no security cameras. Seems a guy like you, CEO of a big tech company, would have cameras everywhere.”

“I don’t know what you’re implying, but if it’s that important, let me say for the record that it wasn’t my decision. Elizabeth wouldn’t allow them.”

“Why not?”

“She drank a lot. Too much. When I mentioned security cameras, she thought I wanted them because I didn’t trust her to stay out of the liquor cabinet. She didn’t want me spying on her.”

Kate’s interest piqued. She’d never heard this before.

“Let’s talk more about the drinking,” said the detective. “Your daughter said Elizabeth had been sober for a long time.”

There was a long pause. Longer than Kate could understand. Her father’s voice lowered, but with a little more effort, she could hear.

“By any chance, was there a flower delivery to the apartment today?” she heard her father ask.

“Matter of fact, there was. Your security guard said it came this morning. Twenty-four calla lilies.”

“Check the flowers,” her father said.

“Check them for what?”

“Elizabeth had flowers delivered every morning. Not always calla lilies, but fresh-cut flowers. I used to wonder why the flowers were always dead the next day. Then I checked out one of her deliveries. The flowers never came in a vase. They came in a box, and each stem had one of those three-inch water vials attached to it. The idea is to keep the flowers fresh until you can put them in a vase. Except that Elizabeth had a special arrangement with her florist. Hers came with vodka.”

Kate climbed down the chair and moved closer to the door, secretly hanging on her father’s next words.

“Vodka?” asked the detective.

“Twenty-four vials for twenty-four stems. About twelve shots, I’d estimate. She thought she was fooling me into thinking she’d emptied the liquor cabinet into the sink. Apparently, she fooled Kate.”

Kate’s heart sank.

“I hope this doesn’t sound like a stupid question,” the detective said. “But why did your wife drink so much?”

“Because she was addicted.”

“I understand the chemical dependency. But sometimes there’s a reason.”

“What are you getting at, Detective?”

“I understand there was a call to nine-one-one from the penthouse.”

“Yes. Kate called when—when she realized what happened.”

“Not that call. Department records show that there was a call two years ago. From your wife.”

Kate knew all about that call. She couldn’t imagine why the detective had brought it up.

“That was unfortunate,” she heard her father say.

“I have a transcript of the call, if you’d like to refresh your—”

“I don’t need to see a transcript. I know what she said.”

“She said you threatened her.”

“Which was a lie.”

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