“Samantha,” he said. “I am very sorry about your mother.”
Sam’s mouth twisted, and her chin wobbled. She looked back at the TV screen.
“I’m in charge of investigating what happened. I’m going to do my best to find out who did this to her.”
“It doesn’t matter who did it,” Sam said.
“I think it matters a lot,” he said. He sat down in the brown leather chair opposite her, leaning forward with arms folded on his knees, looking directly into her eyes.
“She’s gone,” Sam said. Tears pooled but didn’t spill over.
“I know,” he said, letting the silence last. Then, “How are you?”
She shrugged.
“Have you seen your dad yet?”
“No,” she said. “He wanted to, but ...”
Kate watched her close her eyes tight, pull herself together. She also noticed Conor hanging on her words.
“Who is that?” Sam asked instead of completing her answer, pointing at the screen.
“That’s Officer Peggy McCabe. She’s with the Black Hall Police Department, and she and her partner were first on the scene. Your aunt called the police when your mother didn’t answer the door.”
“You found Mom?” Sam asked, head snapping to look at Kate.
“Yes,” Kate said.
“You didn’t tell me,” Sam said.
Kate touched her shoulder lightly. As much as she loved her niece, she felt confused and hesitant, not knowing just what to say or when. She hadn’t wanted to volunteer anything without having a sense of what Sam was ready to hear.
“You mentioned that Popcorn is friendly with everyone,” he said.
“Yes, as you can tell.”
“Does that mean he doesn’t bark when a stranger comes to the door?”
“Sometimes he does,” she said. “But more in a curious way. He’s not exactly a watchdog.”
“Your aunt has a very good security system,” he said.
“I know,” Sam said, glancing at Kate. “Fancier than the one at the gallery. We tease her.”
“What about the one you have at home? Does your family always use it or sometimes leave it off?”
“Depends on who’s coming and going. We usually have it on.”
“Usually but not always?”
Sam gave him a long look. “Always at night. And Mom would have had it set the whole time since she was there alone.”
Kate sat at the end of the sofa next to Sam.
“But it wasn’t on,” Kate said. “We broke in through the sliding door, and the alarm didn’t go off.”
“Would she have let a stranger into the house?” Conor asked.
