imagine what else the police could’ve discovered that she needed to know.
She followed Haskins the rest of the way down the hall without saying anything. They picked up a packet of information from a local funeral home, and Aubree gripped it tightly and shook her head when Haskins asked her if she wanted someone to go through it with her. She returned to her room and looked at the details of Devin’s funeral.
The California Bureau of Investigation had helped to arrange everything. All she had to do was mark which casket and lining she wanted and check off a few more questions. There were a few fliers on bereavement and a local support group that Aubree looked over and then tossed into the garbage. If she were to be placed in a witness protection program, she wouldn’t be able to talk about her former life with Devin. A heavy weight descended on her, and for the hundredth time in the last twenty-four hours, she swallowed a lump of tears.
The click of the door handle startled her, and she looked up and wiped her eyes as her mother entered the room.
“Aubree!” Madeline Nelson dropped her bags and ran to her daughter. She crouched beside Aubree’s chair and hugged her.
Somewhere in the midst of tears and heaving sobs, Aubree was able to get one word out. “Mom.”
After Aubree once again drained her reservoir of tears, she held the packet of funeral information out to her mom.
“When your father died, I hoped it would be a long time before I had to attend another funeral for a family member.” Madeline wiped her eyes with a tissue.
At age fifty-seven, Madeline Nelson was still a striking woman. The reddish-blonde hair Aubree had inherited from her was now a lovely white, and she had the same clear blue eyes as her daughter.
Madeline looked through the fliers and sank onto a folding chair.“Honey, I don’t know how, but you’re going to get through this.” She still held herself as she always had, with a commanding posture and confident air. Even through her tear-stained wrinkles, she exuded strength, and Aubree planned to cling to that for all she was worth.
“Mom, they’re going to put me in a witness protection program.”
“I know. An FBI agent briefed me on the way from the airport.”
“They told you everything?” Aubree raised her eyebrows.
“No. I’m not supposed to ask you too many questions either. But in any case, I’m here now, and I want to help you.” She straightened the papers in her lap and once more tried to focus. “Devin was fond of this type of wood, wasn’t he.” She pointed to a dark mahogany casket Aubree had also been looking at.
“That’s pretty. Do you think this material would be good?” She stopped and put a hand over her mouth—not wanting to believe she was having this conversation with her mother. It was horrible, but there was no avoiding it. Either she would be part of her husband’s funeral, or she wouldn’t. Even though Devin had deceived her, she still felt she knew him better than anyone else.
They finalized all the funeral details, and then Aubree told her mom what she could about the day before. Edwards had counseled her on the importance of leaving out fine details like Tidmore’s name and connections with a uniform. He said her mother could be approached again and unknowingly provide evidence that might help the killer.
“Mom, I think the FBI knows more about the case, and they’re trying to decide how much to tell me. I got the idea from Officer Haskins that they might brief me later.”
“Sweetie, you’ve got to do what they tell you. You have to keep yourself and my grandchild safe,” Madeline said.
“I know, but it’s so bizarre. It seems like they should be able to figure things out before I have to go somewhere else to have my baby. I wish I could come and stay with you.”
“That’s what I said, but the Agent—I think his name is Edwards— pointed out that the men who came to my house were not officers of the law, but
She followed Haskins the rest of the way down the hall without saying anything. They picked up a packet of information from a local funeral home, and Aubree gripped it tightly and shook her head when Haskins asked her if she wanted someone to go through it with her. She returned to her room and looked at the details of Devin’s funeral.
The California Bureau of Investigation had helped to arrange everything. All she had to do was mark which casket and lining she wanted and check off a few more questions. There were a few fliers on bereavement and a local support group that Aubree looked over and then tossed into the garbage. If she were to be placed in a witness protection program, she wouldn’t be able to talk about her former life with Devin. A heavy weight descended on her, and for the hundredth time in the last twenty-four hours, she swallowed a lump of tears.
The click of the door handle startled her, and she looked up and wiped her eyes as her mother entered the room.
“Aubree!” Madeline Nelson dropped her bags and ran to her daughter. She crouched beside Aubree’s chair and hugged her.
Somewhere in the midst of tears and heaving sobs, Aubree was able to get one word out. “Mom.”
After Aubree once again drained her reservoir of tears, she held the packet of funeral information out to her mom.
“When your father died, I hoped it would be a long time before I had to attend another funeral for a family member.” Madeline wiped her eyes with a tissue.
At age fifty-seven, Madeline Nelson was still a striking woman. The reddish-blonde hair Aubree had inherited from her was now a lovely white, and she had the same clear blue eyes as her daughter.
Madeline looked through the fliers and sank onto a folding chair.“Honey, I don’t know how, but you’re going to get through this.” She still held herself as she always had, with a commanding posture and confident air. Even through her tear-stained wrinkles, she exuded strength, and Aubree planned to cling to that for all she was worth.
“Mom, they’re going to put me in a witness protection program.”
“I know. An FBI agent briefed me on the way from the airport.”
“They told you everything?” Aubree raised her eyebrows.
“No. I’m not supposed to ask you too many questions either. But in any case, I’m here now, and I want to help you.” She straightened the papers in her lap and once more tried to focus. “Devin was fond of this type of wood, wasn’t he.” She pointed to a dark mahogany casket Aubree had also been looking at.
“That’s pretty. Do you think this material would be good?” She stopped and put a hand over her mouth—not wanting to believe she was having this conversation with her mother. It was horrible, but there was no avoiding it. Either she would be part of her husband’s funeral, or she wouldn’t. Even though Devin had deceived her, she still felt she knew him better than anyone else.
They finalized all the funeral details, and then Aubree told her mom what she could about the day before. Edwards had counseled her on the importance of leaving out fine details like Tidmore’s name and connections with a uniform. He said her mother could be approached again and unknowingly provide evidence that might help the killer.
“Mom, I think the FBI knows more about the case, and they’re trying to decide how much to tell me. I got the idea from Officer Haskins that they might brief me later.”
“Sweetie, you’ve got to do what they tell you. You have to keep yourself and my grandchild safe,” Madeline said.
“I know, but it’s so bizarre. It seems like they should be able to figure things out before I have to go somewhere else to have my baby. I wish I could come and stay with you.”
“That’s what I said, but the Agent—I think his name is Edwards— pointed out that the men who came to my house were not officers of the law, but
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