“Don’t listen to her,” the chief detective said in a firm but reassuring tone.

As such, I didn’t pay attention to her threat. She could do her worst for all I cared. I was grateful the chief detective had succeeded in kicking her out of the room and taking her off the case. Now that she was no longer here, there was no one to influence his decision and prevent him from listening to me.

“Please chief, I need to get out of here. The doctor called to inform me my mother just died in the hospital. I need to go see her, identify her body, and pay my last...