Arilyn shrugged. “Y’all seemed happy. I mean, I wasn’t around y’all 24/7 but from what I saw, everything was good. Can you not remember any of it?”
“No, I remember some things. I just don’t remember any cheating. Or problems.” She put her face in her hands. “I really wish you hadn’t told me this.”
The two sat in silence until a knock interrupted.
“Gianna?” Dr. Ansley said as she entered. “Detective Williams is here. He needs to speak with you right away.”
“Okay. Can my friend stay?”
Williams entered and he didn’t look happy. “She can stay.” He wore a gray suit that didn’t quite fit, just like the last one, and he needed a shave. He plopped down on a chair and grunted. He was the oldest 30-something man Gianna had ever seen.
“What’s wrong?” Gianna asked.
“Here’s where we are, Mrs. Harris. We—”
“You can call me Gianna.”
“Gianna. We’ve been unable to get into your cellphone. Whatever’s on that phone can help us track your movements on the day of the crime.”
“Probably. My whole life is on that phone.” She saw the picture in her mind. It was rose gold—she loved rose gold—with a clear case and a brand new screen. She was clumsy and was always having her screens replaced.
“Right. So we need you to give us the password.”
Gianna frowned and tried to remember. “I’m blank right now. I probably need to have it in my hand to remember. Can’t you just get my phone records from the phone company?”
“We can. We have a warrant for those. But we have reason to believe there’s more substantive information in your phone that may be helpful.”
Gianna was interested. “What’s the reason?”
“I’m not at liberty to say at this time.”
Arilyn frowned and turned her body so that she was facing Detective Williams. “Where is the phone located right now?” she asked.
Williams stared her down. “And you are?”
“Her friend,” she said pointedly.
“Well, friend, the phone is currently in our custody.”
“She’s awake now. Why not just give it to her and let her put the password in?” Her voice was tinged with irritation and that know-it-all tone that most men hate. The look on his face told it true; Williams hated it, too. And it was especially egregious coming from Arilyn because there’s a special kind of cognitive dissonance that occurs when a beautiful woman challenges a man.
“Anyway, Gianna,” he continued, ignoring Arilyn’s withering glare, “it’s very important that we get into that phone. I’m gonna come back tomorrow with the phone and see if we can’t figure this out.”
Gianna nodded. “That’s fine. If you think it will help.”
“Good. Tomorrow at noon.”
Williams shot a quick, angry glance at Arilyn as he left and she frowned after him. “I don’t understand this phone thing. Why didn’t he just bring it here so you could unlock it?”
Gianna threw her hands up. “So it’s not just me? I know I have a head wound and everything but that was weird, right?”
“Yeah. What do you think he’s talking about? Do you remember what was on it?”
“Phone calls? Text messages? My calendar? The usual stuff, I’m guessing.”
Arilyn rubbed her chin. “I don’t like this. It’s weird that he won’t just give you the phone. Do you think he suspects you of something?”
Gianna thought for a moment. “I didn’t before but now you have me wondering.”
“I’m probably wrong.” She cleared her throat. “I’m not saying this to alarm you and it’s probably not even necessary but...if you think you need to, you should retain me.”
Gianna froze. “You think I need a lawyer?”
“I think you should be prepared for the possibility that they will look at you as a suspect at some point. You’re the spouse, and the spouse is always the first suspect.”
“I get that, but whoever it is almost killed me, too,” Gianna said, gesturing toward the side of her face.
“Yeah, and that will help if it comes down to it. Which it probably won’t. But like I said, if you wanna retain me, I can worry about all that. I can handle the initial stuff but if it ever goes to trial, you’ll need a criminal lawyer.”
“Trial?”
“Yeah. If they charge you.”
Gianna’s head swam. It was bad enough hearing that she cheated. Now she had to wonder if people suspected her of being a murderer.
CHAPTER SIX
MOST WOMEN GO OUT OF their way to impress their boyfriend’s family. They do so in the hopes that a good word from his loved ones will eventually pay off with a marriage proposal. In some cases, there’s the added bonus of garnering their sympathy when the boyfriend behaves in an unsavory way. They try their best to charm Dad and then they lower themselves to sucking up to Mom, all while treating their son like he’s the best thing that ever happened to her.
Gianna wasn’t that type of woman.
In fact, she despised that type of woman. As far as she was concerned, a man’s family was supposed to meet her and feel grateful that she gave their son a chance. She was the prize, after all. The mothers were always put off by that. They saw it as arrogance. Gianna saw them as hypocrites. She was quite certain they believed in and abided by all the Rules up until the day their precious baby boys grew up and started to court.
It was no great mystery, then, that her relationship with her mother-in-law was strained. Complicated. They were cordial, sure, but there was no love. The only bright spots in all those years of tension were Perry and Russell. She had succeeded in charming the latter right from the start and he had repaid her with kindness. Kindness which manifested in a visit on Saturday morning.
“How are you feeling?” Russell asked, concern in his voice. He sat next to the bed in his trusty gray sweater with the brown suede elbow patches. He was 60 years old and close to retirement from the airline industry. He had finally let his grays come in and the salt and pepper look was working for him. Poor Cathy. It was only a matter of time before younger women started flocking. There’s something alluring about a handsome older man with his shit together.
Gianna was grateful for his presence. “Physically I’m doing better. Emotionally...I feel lost. Like it’s not real. I keep expecting Justin to walk through the door.”
“I understand.”
“It’s been hard. I think if I had been able to go to the service and say goodbye...”
“I wish you could have been there. We waited as long as we could but—”
“Oh no, Russell, I wasn’t blaming you.”
Russell smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes or the rest of his face. “I didn’t think that.”
“So...how’s Cathy?”
Russell spread his hands. “She’s having a rough time, as I’m sure you can imagine.”
She could. As much as she disliked Cathy, the woman loved her boys, and she had raised them well. She had to be devastated. “Well please let her know I asked about her.”
“I will.” He shifted in his seat and tapped his left foot. Something was on his mind.
“Russell, have the police mentioned anything to you about whoever did this? Has anybody been arrested?” she asked.
“Not yet, dear, but we’re hoping.” He scratched his nose and took a deep breath. “Gianna, I don’t want to pile on and burden you with anything else but I need to ask a favor.”
Gianna nodded. Here it comes. But before Russell could speak, a nurse entered the room. Shannon was her name, Gianna remembered that much. Shannon was sweet; she smiled at her patient as she checked her vitals and changed out the bag of saline for the IV. The longer she stayed in the room, the more Russell fidgeted and the more anxious Gianna felt. Shannon reminded Gianna to call if she needed anything and Gianna promised she would. As soon as Shannon left, Gianna braced herself.
“Here’s the thing,” he began. “Justin’s ser
vice was a...hardship for us. We sent him home right but it ended up being a lot more than we budgeted for and we just don’t have it. That’s the bottom line.”
“Oh.” It was both a relief and a surprise.
Russell cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you...uh...if you received any of the insurance yet. Because if so, and I feel terrible for asking this of you, but Cathy and me, we don’t have the funds. She’s retired and I’m close to retirement and we’re getting by on very little every month. We drained our savings and maxed out our cards.”
“How much, Russell?” she asked. The awkwardness was becoming unbearable.
“$22,000.”
“You know, I hadn’t even thought about the insurance until just now. But if you need it, I’ll call today and as soon as I get it, I’ll reimburse you.”
He let out the deep breath he’d been holding. “Okay. Okay, good. Thank you. I feel awful for even bringing it up,” he said as he stared at his hands.
“No, I understand. Funerals are expensive. I wouldn’t have been able to pay out of pocket, either.”
“I tried my best to be frugal but you know my wife. She wasn’t doing anything halfway for her baby boy.”
They chuckled. The first time Gianna met Cathy, the woman had swanned down the stairs of her house in a full-length black fur coat, makeup perfect, her close-cropped afro glistening as if God himself had sprinkled it with the nectar of a thousand berries. In any other context, Gianna would have considered her a bad bitch but after spending time with the woman, Gianna surmised that she was just a bitch. She’d always had a lot of respect for her father-in-law, though. He loved that woman and took good care of her, miserable shrew that she was.
“I know things haven’t always been pleasant between the two of you but I told her she should call you. Has she called?” Russell asked.
“Not that I know of.”
He sighed. “Sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I tried to—”
“Russell, it’s not your fault. Maybe I’ll give her a call today.”
“If you want. No pressure.”
GIANNA CRADLED THE phone between her ear and her shoulder. “Yes, hi, I’m calling to inquire about a policy. The insured was my husband. He was killed last month.”
“I’m so sorry, ma’am. We’ll take care of it right away. I just need some information from you if that’s okay.”
“Fine.” Gianna was starting to get a headache. Sleep was beckoning but she had promised Russell she would call today.
“First, what is a phone number where you can be reached? Just in case we’re disconnected.”
Gianna gave her the number.
“Thank you. Now, what is the name and date of birth of the insured?” asked the customer service rep. It had only been two minutes but Gianna had forgotten her name already. “Justin Allen Harris, February 16, 1985.”
“Oh, an Aquarius. Just like me!”
Gianna chuckled politely. She couldn’t have cared less.
“And I need either the policy number or the social security number of the insured.”
Gianna rattled off Justin’s social security number and was surprised she remembered it.
“Okay Mrs. Harris, give me just a second to get that pulled up.”
The keyboard clattered on the other end of the line. Gianna closed her eyes and almost dozed off but the rep’s voice woke her right back up. “Hmm. Okay. Under ‘status’ it says ‘On Hold’.”
“On hold? Why would it say that? Our premiums are paid up.”
“Yes, I see that here. Hang on, I’m going to put you on hold so I can get to the bottom of this.”
Before she could answer, Gianna’s ears were filled with the soothing sounds of elevator jazz music that sounded as bland and tasteless as a mayonnaise sandwich. She almost fell asleep again.
“Mrs. Harris?”
“Yes.”
“I’m afraid we won’t be able to process your claim at this time.”
“Why not?”
“Apparently the police are still investigating your husband’s death.”
“What does that have to do with the policy?”
“I’m afraid I can’t give you any more information.”
Gianna rolled her eyes. “Then I’m afraid I need to speak to your manager. What is your name?”
“It’s Tanisha, but my manager wouldn’t be able to give you any more information than I have.”
“Yeah, we’ll see about that, TANISHA. Put him on. Now.”
Tanisha was silent for a moment. “I’ll transfer you.”
The line went dead. Gianna listened for a few moments just in case but the dial tone finally sounded and she knew the call was over. That damn Tanisha.
She hung the phone up. It was getting late and she was tired. She could deal with it in the morning.
Just as she was placing the phone back on the side table, it rang. She stared at it for a moment before answering. “Hello?”
“Hey, this Tanisha.”
That corporate voice was long gone. “Look, I’m on my cell. They record all our calls on the office phone. Here’s the thing, and you ain’t hear this come from me. In a case where somebody is murdered, we typically only hold for one reason, and that’s when the police haven’t cleared the beneficiary of wrongdoing. In this case, the beneficiary would be...you.”
Well, that settled it. No more guessing or wondering. It was quite definitive now. The police think I killed my husband.
CHAPTER SEVEN
GIANNA WAS A LOT OF things. Some good. Some bad. She loved dogs and kids and she was a damn good teacher who demanded the absolute best from her students. Anyone would say those were good traits.
On the other hand, she was shallow and self-absorbed and she had a tendency to hold grudges. Not so good, but still in the realm average human behavior.
Despite those flaws, she knew for sure that she wasn’t the type of person who could kill someone, especially not someone she loved. And she had loved Justin, she was sure of it. You can love someone and still cheat on them. Love is painful sometimes, after all, and its presence in a relationship doesn’t mean the relationship will be perfect.
How would she have even carried out such a sinister plot? She would have needed a partner, and of the two people in the world she considered her day ones, Arilyn for damn sure wouldn’t have helped. Emmy...well, Emmy might do it, actually. But she didn’t. She couldn’t have.
Emmy entered the room at that moment and interrupted Gianna’s thoughts. “Hey, Sweetpea. How are you feeling today?”
“The police think I did it,” Gianna announced. No fanfare, no padding, just straight, no chaser.
Emmy stopped short and frowned, her face clashing with her outfit, which could only be described as sunny. She wore a yellow silk blouse, cream slacks, and nude patent leather flats. And pearls. Always pearls. “What makes you think that?”
“When I called the insurance company to make a claim, they said the payout is on hold because the police are investigating me.”
Emmy examined Gianna’s IV bag. “Hold that thought. Why is this almost empty?”
“I don’t know. I pushed the button an hour ago and nobody came.”
“Hmph. Let’s rectify that right now.” Emmy studied the dry erase board on the wall before walking over and opening the door. She beckoned to someone and Gianna’s nurse entered shortly after.
“Did you need something, hon?” she asked Gianna.
“Hi, what’s your name?” Emmy asked.
“It’s Lacey. Are you mom?”
Emmy’s voice turned sickly sweet. “Lacey, what a pretty name. I’m not mom, I’m Grandma, but thanks for the compliment. Now, Lacey, I’m a little worried because whoever was in here before you forgot to change the IV bag. I don’t wanna get anyone in trouble but I’m afraid I’m gonna have to complain to a supervisor about this.”
Lacey studied the dry erase board or at least pretended to. “H
mm...it’s just been me here all day.” As if she didn’t already know that.
Emmy feigned surprise, then sadness. “Oh no.”
Lacey’s entire face turned red. “I’m so, so sorry. I’ll get that changed out for you right now,” she said to Gianna, her eyes never leaving Emmy’s face. “Give me one minute, okay?”
“Of course, dear.”
As soon as the door shut, Emmy’s smile fell off her face.
“That was sweet,” Gianna said.
“No, that was passive-aggressive. It’s the only language that one understands, trust me.” She sat on the chair next to the bed. “What the hell were you doing calling the insurance people?”
Gianna instantly felt defensive. “I only called because Russell came by saying he needs money to cover the expenses from Justin’s funeral,” she said, sounding like a teenager who had been caught out past curfew. It wasn’t her fault. Nothing was ever her fault.
“Russell came by here today?” Emmy asked.
“Yes.”
“And you don’t find that strange?”
“I don’t know, Emmy. I can barely think straight right now.”
“I know, Love, that’s why I’m thinking for you. You haven’t heard from those people the entire time you’ve been here and then out of the blue, here comes Russell up in here asking about money?”
“Russell has always been good to me.”
“Yeah, but Cathy hasn’t and he’s married to her, not you.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’ve never liked that woman. Didn’t I tell you that?”
“Yes, but—”
“What kind of woman sees her son working hard to provide for his family and takes issue with it? A bitter old bitch, that’s what kind. She sent that man in here to trap you.”
Gianna chuckled at the absurdity. Emmy always saw things that just weren’t there. “That doesn’t even make any sense.”
Lacey breezed back into the room, all smiles, and changed out the IV bag. Emmy shot a fake grin her way and waited for her to leave before speaking again.
“It makes perfect sense. Think about it: what do you think is gonna happen when the insurance people tell the police you called them from your hospital bed?”
I Will Remember You Page 4