Her Frozen Cry (Detective Amanda Steele)

“Why were you in there?” Amanda asked.

“You have a lot of questions, and I don’t like it.”

“We’re just trying to fill in some blanks. Nothing more.”

“Uh-huh. More like trying to see if I had something to do with Alicia’s death. Am I right?” Claudia raised her eyebrows.

“We’re just investigating,” Trent said firmly. “Please. Answer Detective Steele’s question. Why were you in their bedroom?”

Claudia sighed. “I was just curious. Nothing more. No real purpose.”

Amanda supposed she could understand that if Claudia was pining away for Tony. But that did nothing in terms of helping clear her of suspicion. “Are you happy in life, Claudia?”

“What does that have to do with anything? And I find it inappropriate that you’re here. You lost the right to ask me any questions, let alone these personal ones. We’re no longer friends, and I don’t see what your line of questioning has to do with what happened to Alicia.”

“As I said when we arrived, we’re here in an official capacity,” Amanda said. “And we’re tasked with figuring out what caused Alicia’s death.”

“Which you believe is murder.”

“Technically we never said she was killed,” Amanda countered.

Claudia crossed her arms, sniffed out in derision. “No other reason for you to be at my door.”

Amanda had about enough of Claudia’s attitude. Scratch all empathy. She’d been trying to do a diplomatic dance, but she was done dancing. “It was your idea to end your marriage to Tony because you fell in love with another man. But that man left you.”

Claudia’s cheeks glowed a bright red. “None of your business.”

Amanda shrugged. “Tony told us. That must have hurt. You guys go back to the last year of high school. Throwing away that long of a relationship, and for what?”

“What does any of this matter?”

“You were quite quick to offer your sympathy to the widower,” Amanda pointed out. “You were there the day after Alicia’s death hit the news, with a casserole.”

Claudia pursed her lips. “I worked with Alicia, and I liked the woman. Even though I’m quite sure the only reason she hired me was to stick her relationship with Tony in my face.”

“You make her sound vindictive,” Trent said.

“She could be. Besides, as you noted, Amanda, I was with Tony for a long time and we share a child. The history, the bond, never goes away.” With the last admission, Claudia’s tone softened.

Amanda took a few beats before asking, “Do you still love Tony?”

“Yes, but I know it’s never going to be like it was between us again.”

“Did you find that you were jealous of Alicia?” Trent edged in.

“Yes, but not enough to kill her, if that’s what you’re implying.”

“But you wanted to get back with him. Still do?” Amanda’s empathy traveled through her voice.

“I did. I do.” Claudia met her eyes, and for a second, Amanda saw her old friend behind them. “I made a huge mistake letting him go, but how could I have known that at the time? I mean, he was all I ever knew. Even when we were younger and took breaks from each other, I never had anything remotely serious with another guy.”

Amanda nodded. “You two made a good couple.”

“We were. Until we weren’t. He seemed to have lost interest in me, and vice versa. Life became about taking care of Bethany and making a living to provide for her. Tony was working his way up in the accounting firm, and I was pouring myself into my art, selling some pieces at galleries.”

“I remember,” Amanda said. “You have a true talent.”

Claudia didn’t respond immediately, possibly unsure how to handle the compliment. Eventually she said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“None of any of it matters anymore, though. We’re different people now. There’s no turning back. I’m quite sure of that.”

Amanda couldn’t offer assurance. She believed it was entirely possible that too much time could pass and make reconciliation impossible.

“He got married to her so fast. But you know what he can be like.” Claudia put her attention on Amanda, and she wished she could disappear. Claudia went on. “He just got caught in her web.”

“Alicia’s web?” Trent asked.

“Her charm, you could say.”

Amanda was uncomfortable being wedged between her two former friends. It was made all the more awkward because both of them had motive. It was time to revisit Claudia’s trespassing into Tony and Alicia’s bedroom. “Have you heard of the drug pentobarbital?”

“Of course I have.” She shut her mouth.

“Go on,” Amanda encouraged.

“No, I don’t think I should.”

“What do you know about the drug?”

“Why are you asking me about it? Did Alicia die from it or something?”

Amanda and Trent’s silence answered for them.

“Oh. Oooh.” A glint of rage flashed in Claudia’s eyes. “It’s time for you to leave.”

“We’re not going anywhere until we get some more answers,” Trent said.

“You’re not getting any unless I have a lawyer. This is police harassment.”

“Claud—”

“No. Go. Both of you. And stay away from Beth.” She thrust a pointed finger to the doorway.

Amanda and Trent had just cleared the front door when Claudia slammed it behind them.

“Wow,”Amanda mouthed, her back to the house, looking at Trent.

“Guess we don’t have to worry about objectivity here at all.”

“The woman gets under my skin.”

“That’s apparent.” Trent laughed.

“Nothing funny about all this.”

“I know. It’s just if we don’t laugh, we cry, right?”

“That might apply to you,” she teased. “Back to business. She was rather protective of Bethany, just like Tony was. Do you think they suspect something there? Like they might believe the daughter poisoned Alicia’s sleeping aid?”

“I don’t think it even needs to be that. They just might not want her caught up in all this.”

Amanda sure hoped not. She still saw Beth as that teenage girl with twin braids and braces. Had she grown up to be a killer?