Page 28 of Charmed Forces
“We’ll know soon enough. There’re no injuries to his head so I can’t think how it could be anything else. What would be very useful right now is for us to identify the drug and then we can start looking into who procured it and how they got it.”
“We’re going to treat this as a case?” I asked, instantly buoyed by the thought.
“I can’t think of anything more important to do,” said Solomon. “Daniel’s your brother. Whatever the evidence suggests, I know as well as you do that Daniel’s a good man. He wouldn’t just up and kill his colleagues and the people they were sworn to protect. Something weird is definitely going on.”
My phone resumed ringing. “My mom,” I said. I’d been dreading this moment, knowing I couldn’t avoid it much longer. “Hi, Mom.”
“Lexi!” screamed Mom. “They’re saying my boy is a murderer!”
“Remember: you know nothing,” mouthed Solomon just as I began to assure her Daniel was not.
“What?” I asked, instead. “Slow down.”
“The police are here. Your father is dealing with them. They’re saying Daniel is a fugitive. A fugitive!”
“A fugitive from what?”
“Murder, Lexi!Murder!Pay attention! Did you have anything to do with this?”
I pulled a face, simultaneously offended but not surprised. “No!”
“They’re searching the house. All the neighbors are watching! They’re like vultures, especially the new ones that just moved in across the road. Gawking like they have nothing better to do.”
“Let them watch all they want. You have nothing to hide,” I said.
“They don’t know that.”
“They will when the police leave. Ask Dad to tell them to go away.”
“Steve! Tell them to go away!” yelled Mom. My dad’s muffled voice was barely audible but I knew his patience was stretched. “I told him and they’re still here.”
“Give them a moment to disperse.”
“Are you sure you didn’t have anything to do with this?”
“Mom! No.”
“I suppose that would be a stretch even for you.” My mom sighed. In the background, I heard the bangs of cupboard doors opening and closing. The question of why they might think Daniel was hiding amongst the pasta packets and tableware was perplexing to say the least.
I tried not to take offense at my mom’s panicked resignation as she continued, “They won’t say whom they think Daniel murdered. He wouldn’t do that, would he? Murder anyone?”
“Of course not!”
“That’s what I said. I hope this is the end of it and they don’t bother anyone else. Have you heard from him? They’ve asked us at least six times. I tried calling him twice today and he didn’t answer and I’ve tried ten times since they got here!”
“No. I saw him last night and he was fine then,” I said, wishing I could comfort her more solidly that Daniel was safe, but I couldn’t dump a secret like that on my mom, even if it did relieve her fears temporarily. “By the way, the police have already been here. They searched our house too until Solomon told them to leave.”
“They searched your house! Steve! They searched Lexi’s house! Why didn’t you say so before? Oh!Oh!Alice is calling. I must go now. I’ll call you back.” Mom disconnected immediately.
“Mom’s worried,” I said. “The police are searching their house too. She’s speaking to Alice now. I wish I could have said something to reassure her. I know she’ll be worried out of her mind. Dad, too.”
“You can’t say anything. Not only for Daniel’s safety but for all of us too. So far, we’re the only two in the firing line if we’re discovered. We can’t drag your parents into that.”
“I know,” I said, “and you’re right.”
My phone rang again. This time it was Serena. “Hi—” I started, but she cut me off.
“The police came to my house, looking for Daniel!” she said, her indignation clearly evident. “They’re saying he’s wanted for murder. Ridiculous! What do you know about it?”