Forever After (Unrestrained 5)

We checked in at the front desk and were greeted by a young female detective in business casual, her Detective shield hanging on a lanyard around her neck. Her dark eyes appraised me, giving me the once over.

Detective Susan Mahood.

“Detective McDonald will be with you in a moment,” she said, her voice pleasant while she led us to a conference room. “In the meantime, can I get you a coffee or water?”

“No thanks,” Lara said.

I shook my head. “We’ll be fine.”

Lara and I took seats on one side of the table and waited. Across from us was a two-way mirror the size of a picture window in a house.

I unbuttoned my jacket. Neither of us spoke, waiting for the detectives to arrive. After fifteen minutes passed, I sighed and turned to look at Lara.

“Shall I go ask about the delay?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“No, it’s okay.” I shifted in my chair, tense.

Finally, the door opened and in walked Detective McDonald, accompanied by Detective Mahood. McDonald had a file in his hand and a paper bag in the other. His jacket was off and his tie loosened. He appeared to have been busy and rushed in.

“Sorry to be late,” he said and sat across from us. Mahood took a seat beside him. “Another case, another interview ran overtime.”

“No problem,” I said, although I felt a bit upset at the wait.

He opened his file and flipped through it. “I have a few questions to go over, if you don’t mind.”

“Ask away,” I said and folded my hands on the tabletop.

“Is there anyone besides your wife who can corroborate your whereabouts on the night of June twenty-sixth?”

I frowned and tried to recall that date.

“Let me refresh your memory,” McDonald said. “That was a Friday, before the attack.”

“Let me check my phone,” I said and removed my cell. I scrolled through my calendar. “I had a meeting with the manager of special projects at the Foundation that afternoon. We played racquetball and then had a drink. I went right home. Parked my car in the parking garage. Went into our building. Didn’t go out again until the next morning – probably to get our paper and some fresh bagels from the bagel shop a block down the street. That’s our usual Saturday morning routine.”

“If you could give us the address of your parking garage, I’d appreciate it.”

“Is there some reason that date is important?” I asked, curious about it.

“I’m unable to reveal that information, but it’s related to the disappearance of Derek Richardson.”

I shrugged. “Other than spending the afternoon with Dave Mills, I was with Kate the rest of the day and night.”

Lara leaned forward, her brow furrowed. “Can I ask whether you plan on clearing my client of any suspicion in the case?”

“We’re almost ready to make an arrest in the case, but have a few more details to check before we move forward."

It was then Detective Mahood sat forward. " I would like to ask Dr. Morgan if he recognizes this,” she said and reached into the paper bag at her elbow. She withdrew an object and placed a small paperweight on the desk between us.

It was a paperweight from my office at NYU. A gift from my father when I was in college, the paperweight featured a tiny African landscape with a baobab tree inside. The inscription on the base read KENYA.

"That's my paperweight, if that's what you mean," I said. I reached out to pick it up but Mahood took it back.

"And when was the last time you saw this?" she asked, placing it beside her on the table.

"Where did you get that?" I asked. "It's from my office at the hospital where I was doing my fellowship."

"Do you remember the last time you saw it?" she pressed.