specify her movements the previous evening. She reiterated what she had told him before. She had spent all night at the hospital, staying until morning because of a tough case.
âThank you so much for coming in this morning. I appreciate it,â Detective Boyd said, wrapping up the interview.
âOf course. Any time.â
âDetective Wallace would like to ask you a few more questions before you leave.â He glanced at the two-way mirror and Lauren realized for the first time that other people had been watching the interview. Now, her shivering was unrelated to the temperature.
Boyd exited as Detective Wallace entered the room. He was wearing the same suit he had been wearing the day before, which looked rumpled. His eyes were bloodshot and watery. But he entered the room with a commanding presence.
âI have a few matters that we need to clear up, Miss Rose,â he said.
âOf course.â
âIsnât it true that you were jealous of Liz?â
âWhat? No. Weââ
But Wallace interrupted, âIsnât it true that you were jealous of her wealth while you took out loans to get through school?â
âNo.â Lauren furrowed her brows.
Detective Wallace leaned in now, getting uncomfortably close. âDidnât you convince your sister to change her life insurance policy shortly before she was killed?â
As Wallace neared her, Lauren shrank back in her seat. She responded with absolute clarity. âThatâs ridiculous. You worked all night and thatâs the best youâve come up with?â
âI think weâre done here,â Wallace said, departing the room without another word. As if on cue, Boyd re-entered. He smiled at her, but said nothing as he busied himself with the video camera. Lauren fired upon him. âWhat the hell was that all about? You guys canât seriously think I did this!â
Detective Boyd finished clicking off the equipment. âDonât worry about him. Heâs under a lot of pressure to solve this case. To him, everybody is a suspect until proven otherwise.â
âBut I was at work all night.â
âWe know. We already confirmed your shift with Dr. Stone. You were at the hospital for your entire shift, right?â
âAnd then some,â she said.
Chapter Six
(Tuesday, July 26)
Everybody in attendance at the memorial, which seemed like every well-connected person in the Phoenix metropolitan area, commented on how beautiful the service was. The church was gorgeous, the flower arrangements were plentiful, the ministerâs platitudes were polished. Jake was overwhelmed by grief so Buffy had planned the service. The entire event resembled Buffyâs house: flawless, ostentatious, and impersonal. The minister referred to Liz as Elizabeth. Several of Lizâs âfriends,â in their black Armani dresses and mile-high Prada heels, spoke about how close they had been to âElizabeth.â Lauren didnât recognize any of them.
Jake spoke eloquently about the amazing life they shared while noisy television helicopters hovered overhead, trying to get video footage of the mourners.
Lauren didnât speak. She had offered to help with the service, but Jake had assured her everything had already been arranged. She and Rose-ma sat together in the front pew alongside Jake and his parents. Lauren felt detached, as if attending the funeral of a stranger.
After the memorial, Jake ushered Lauren and Rose-ma into one of several black Lincoln town cars heading to a mausoleum in North Scottsdale. They rode in silence, alone with their grief.
Lauren hoped the Wakefields had limited the cemetery service to family members. They had not. Dozens of cars lined up behind Jakeâs car with illuminated headlights. Policemen on motorcycles solemnly escorted the long procession to the cemetery. Hundreds of Jakeâs fans lined the streets, hooting, hollering, and holding up homemade signs.