pen and paper from her briefcase, and wrote down information from both badges. She didn’t hurry. She didn’t take her time. Just a professional doing a sensible job. I really liked her.
Mr. Grum reached to grab the paper she was writing on. She jerked it away.
An unchagrinned Mr. Grum said, “There’s no need for this. My lawyer has been meeting with the police.”
“Why?” Ms. Achtenberg asked. “Is he a suspect? Does he have information related to helping find the killer?”
Warner said, “I’m sure if we all just sit down and talk about this, we can work things out.”
Ms. Achtenberg asked, “Work what out?”
An excellent question. What the hell was going on here?
Detective Brendstin said, “We need to question everybody about the murder.” Maybe he was reasserting his need to control the situation. If he was supposed to be in charge, he wasn’t doing a good job of it so far.
I said, “The children need to be protected from all this.”
The three kids had clustered around Veronica. They stood silent and wide-eyed.
My mom said, “We’ll take care of them.” Mom’s a brick. She and my dad ushered the kids into the hall. The three kids were very used to my mom and dad so the comfort level was sufficient to cause less disruption than might have been.
Veronica stepped into the hall with my mom and dad and the kids. Mr. and Mrs. Grum evinced no interest in their grandchildren.
Mr. Grum pointed at Scott and me. “These two don’t belong here. They were out of control earlier. They have no status and no place.”
Out of control? I was having a Kafkaesque moment, presented with a complete distortion of reality. It wasn’t just his opinion. It was a complete misrepresentation of what had gone on.
Scott said, “Mr. Grum, why would you say something that was blatantly false and provably not true? Tom and I were both here. You have no witnesses.”
Mrs. Grum spoke, “I was here. I heard and saw it all. Those two were out of control.”
Scott, who always tried to see the best in people, just stood there with his mouth agape.
Enid Achtenberg said, “When I walked in, Mrs. Grum was not here. When I walked in, these two gentlemen,” she pointed at us, “were calmly standing behind the large desk.” She pointed at Mr. Grum, “He was breathing so hard and had turned such an awful color, I was seconds away from using my cell phone to summon paramedics.”
Detective Brendstin asked, “Why would Mr. and Mrs. Grum claim such a thing if it were not true?”
Achtenberg said, “And at a time like this! I agree. It makes no sense. Maybe you should ask them since it is provably false.”
Mr. Grum said, “These people don’t belong here. Officers you need to do your duty.”
This was getting nuttier every second.
The door to the hall opened. We heard Veronica telling the children in the hallway, “I’ll be with you in just a few minutes. I have to talk to these detectives. Go with Grandma and Grandpa. We may have to stay here instead of go out.” She thanked my mom and dad and returned to the room. Veronica stood to my left and slightly behind Scott, Achtenberg, and me.
Mr. Grum said, “We really need to get this settled and wrapped up as quickly as possible.”
Achtenberg asked, “Have they arrested someone?”
Brendstin, the bigger detective, said, “No.”
“Do you have a suspect?”
“No.”
Mr. Warner said, “Do we really need to bother the family at a time like this?”
Not bother the family in a murder investigation? I began to get a feeling that I was lost in unreality, very much like Oz but with no charm, no magic, and no heroines or heroes.
Brendstin said, “We have some questions.”
Achtenberg said, “What exactly do you need, detectives?”
Veronica took my hand.
The cops said, “We need statements from everyone.”
Achtenberg
Mr. Grum reached to grab the paper she was writing on. She jerked it away.
An unchagrinned Mr. Grum said, “There’s no need for this. My lawyer has been meeting with the police.”
“Why?” Ms. Achtenberg asked. “Is he a suspect? Does he have information related to helping find the killer?”
Warner said, “I’m sure if we all just sit down and talk about this, we can work things out.”
Ms. Achtenberg asked, “Work what out?”
An excellent question. What the hell was going on here?
Detective Brendstin said, “We need to question everybody about the murder.” Maybe he was reasserting his need to control the situation. If he was supposed to be in charge, he wasn’t doing a good job of it so far.
I said, “The children need to be protected from all this.”
The three kids had clustered around Veronica. They stood silent and wide-eyed.
My mom said, “We’ll take care of them.” Mom’s a brick. She and my dad ushered the kids into the hall. The three kids were very used to my mom and dad so the comfort level was sufficient to cause less disruption than might have been.
Veronica stepped into the hall with my mom and dad and the kids. Mr. and Mrs. Grum evinced no interest in their grandchildren.
Mr. Grum pointed at Scott and me. “These two don’t belong here. They were out of control earlier. They have no status and no place.”
Out of control? I was having a Kafkaesque moment, presented with a complete distortion of reality. It wasn’t just his opinion. It was a complete misrepresentation of what had gone on.
Scott said, “Mr. Grum, why would you say something that was blatantly false and provably not true? Tom and I were both here. You have no witnesses.”
Mrs. Grum spoke, “I was here. I heard and saw it all. Those two were out of control.”
Scott, who always tried to see the best in people, just stood there with his mouth agape.
Enid Achtenberg said, “When I walked in, Mrs. Grum was not here. When I walked in, these two gentlemen,” she pointed at us, “were calmly standing behind the large desk.” She pointed at Mr. Grum, “He was breathing so hard and had turned such an awful color, I was seconds away from using my cell phone to summon paramedics.”
Detective Brendstin asked, “Why would Mr. and Mrs. Grum claim such a thing if it were not true?”
Achtenberg said, “And at a time like this! I agree. It makes no sense. Maybe you should ask them since it is provably false.”
Mr. Grum said, “These people don’t belong here. Officers you need to do your duty.”
This was getting nuttier every second.
The door to the hall opened. We heard Veronica telling the children in the hallway, “I’ll be with you in just a few minutes. I have to talk to these detectives. Go with Grandma and Grandpa. We may have to stay here instead of go out.” She thanked my mom and dad and returned to the room. Veronica stood to my left and slightly behind Scott, Achtenberg, and me.
Mr. Grum said, “We really need to get this settled and wrapped up as quickly as possible.”
Achtenberg asked, “Have they arrested someone?”
Brendstin, the bigger detective, said, “No.”
“Do you have a suspect?”
“No.”
Mr. Warner said, “Do we really need to bother the family at a time like this?”
Not bother the family in a murder investigation? I began to get a feeling that I was lost in unreality, very much like Oz but with no charm, no magic, and no heroines or heroes.
Brendstin said, “We have some questions.”
Achtenberg said, “What exactly do you need, detectives?”
Veronica took my hand.
The cops said, “We need statements from everyone.”
Achtenberg
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