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“Do you think the man who attacked you was involved in the murders?”
“I don’t know.”
Tanaka wanted to keep poking at her story, especially the night of the murders. It was almost believable, but there seemed to be a lack of grief or empathy over her dead parents.
“Whoever was in the house must’ve had a key,” Tanaka tried. “The housekeeper . . . Dona Andalusia, said that Mrs. Latham, your mother, always locked the hous
e.”
“Yeah, but not Paul. He didn’t care so much.”
“So the front door could have been left unlocked.”
“Yeah.”
“But your mother and Paul were in their bedrooms. It looked like they’d turned in for the night. Wouldn’t they have locked the doors?”
“I guess.”
Tanaka asked who might have had access to a key and Ivy mentioned all the family members along with the housekeeper.
“Anyone else?”
“I don’t know. Don’t think so.”
“Did you loan your key to anyone else?”
“No, but you should ask Macon and Seth.”
“Paul’s sons?”
“They had keys and were always losing them. Geez, I can’t remember how many times I’d get a call because they were locked out.”
“So your parents kept the house locked.”
“They weren’t my parents,” she said quickly. “Paul wasn’t.”
Tanaka eyed Ivy’s tight face. “You didn’t get along with your stepfather, did you?”
She lifted a shoulder. “He was a douche. Cheated on Mom.”
“What about with you? How did he act with you?” Tanaka pressed, and saw a bit of concern in Sarina Marsh’s eyes.
“Like he didn’t care.”
“Did he ever . . . touch you?”
“You mean, did he ever come on to me? Is that what you’re suggesting?” An expression of disgust contorted her face.
“You said he cheated on your mom, that he was a . . . let me see.” Tanaka flipped back a page in her notebook “. . . that he was ‘a douche.’ Always flirting with other women.”
“Not with me. He left me alone.” She actually shivered at the mental image, then looked to the mirror on the wall, as if she knew Pescoli was on the other side, which of course she did.
“Is this necessary?” Sarina asked, her spine stiffening. Until this point, she’d been quiet, allowing the interview as, Tanaka suspected, Pescoli had ordered.
“I’m just trying to figure out what happened.”
“I already told you,” Ivy declared. “Over and over again. How many times do I have to say it? I found them. I ran. I thought someone was following me and I got on BART. You know it all, about Albuquerque and finally coming here. What more do you want from me?” She glared hard at Tanaka before throwing a baleful look again at the window, meant for Pescoli.
