“So, what happened? Did you see who hit you?” asked Tom.
Susan interrupted, “What about the police, do they know who might have done this or why?” and at the same time, Tom wanted to know what she remembered.
Susan shook her head. “Very strange situation, if you ask me.”
Although they had moved to Florida a few years before Alyx’s divorce and only lived thirty miles away, they hadn’t been there for Alyx when she needed support nor had they played a big role in Ethan’s life while he was growing up. In fact, Alyx hardly ever saw them and her reaction to the intrusive and irritating rapid fire questioning, was what I expected.
“This is starting to sound like an inquisition,” and she quickly added, “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”
“Yes you did,” Tom stated, “and you’re right.” He turned to Susan, “We should go. She needs to rest,” he said as he took her hand.
Alyx followed their hesitant exit from the room, the sense of loss reflected in the expression on her face. I wondered if they knew that Ethan was in jail; they hadn’t mentioned it, so maybe they didn’t, but it didn’t matter; they probably wouldn’t visit him anyway.
Both Alyx and Ethan liked to bring me along when they went on their errands so I knew my way around downtown, logically more so my own neighborhood. The sidewalk café where Bob was to meet the defense attorney had several large potted plants to hide behind, one close enough for me to hear their conversation.
“She’s going behind Alyx’s back and using Ethan to boot,” were the first words out of Bob’s mouth.
“I’m glad you called with the information,” Hunter said after they shook hands.
“I knew she couldn’t be trusted. I told Alyx the first time I met her that she was too good to be true. ”
Hunter pulled out a notebook from his briefcase and placed it on the table. “What did you hear, exactly?”
“Maggie said that, no, she didn’t get a chance to talk to Alyx again about the offer, and she said that Alyx was still mad at her for even considering moving the store to another location.”
“What about Ethan, how is he involved?”
“Maggie said that she hadn’t asked Ethan if he’d discussed it with his mother.”
David Hunter leaned back in his chair, took a deep breath, and exhaled through pursed lips.
“I took this case because I believe Ethan is innocent. I knew from the start that it was going to be a challenge. We all hoped his mother could clear him but now you tell me she doesn’t remember anything.” He pinched the bridge on his nose. “I don’t suppose you have any aspirin, do you?”
“No, my wife usually carries that stuff in her purse.”
“As I said, I believe Ethan is innocent, the prosecutor believes it’s an open and shut case and the evidence supports it. I’m afraid nothing short of a miracle is going to keep that young man out of prison. At this point, the only defense is to emphasize the good relationship between Ethan and his mother. The jury has to be convinced that he could not have committed the crime.”
The server brought two iced coffees, placed them both in front of Hunter, and handed one to Bob.
“Frankly, I’m having a tough time finding anything positive for Ethan,” noted the lawyer, “and depending on what he has to say, what you’ve just told me may turn out to hurt him rather than help.”
Bob’s face registered confusion followed by disappointment. “How can it hurt him? It sounds to me like Maggie had a motive for wanting Alyx out of the way.”
“That’s true. She may have had a motive and opportunity, but so did Ethan, and it’s his prints on the pot,” he stated. “I’m sorry; I know that’s not what you want to hear.”
“No. I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand.”
“At any rate, I’m going to see Ethan some time today. I’ll discuss it with him and I’ll take it from there. I’ll also tell him the good news that his mother has regained consciousness, and then I have to tell him the bad news that she doesn’t know who hit her.”
David Hunter then told Bob that he was going to interview Alyx next, and in my zeal to get back to Alyx’s room before he did, I sprinted and accidently bumped into the next table, knocking an empty plastic cup off the table––I’m pretty sure Hunter saw me running away––if only my backside.
“I love little pussy, her coat is so warm, and if I don’t hurt her she’ll do me no harm.”
––Mother Goose rhyme
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: A Morning Like Any Other Morning
At the hospital, I was back at my post behind the screen in Alyx’s room. As I peeked out her doorway, I saw David Hunter stopped at the nurse’s station, apparently asking the charge nurse if Alyx was well enough to interview.
“Dr. Casey’s instructions are that she can do what she’s able to, so let’s go to her room and see if she’s up to it,” I could hear the nurse say.
As the lawyer followed the nurse to Alyx’s room, I quickly sneaked behind the screen again––just in time. Hunter walked through the doorway behind the nurse who strode directly toward the bed. Raccoon eyes looked up when the nurse gently touched Alyx’s arm. Her short brown hair was flat in the back, bangs sticking out in front, but she didn’t seem to care.
“There’s a David Hunter here to see you. Are you up to answering some questions?”
At first, Alyx looked at the man blankly.
“I’m Ethan’s attorney, Ms. Hille.”
When she realized who he was, she brought her bed up to a sitting position and told the nurse that, yes, she’d be glad to speak to him. “I saw you on the news, the day someone sent me into oblivion. I liked what you said.”
Hunter inquired after her health and started right in.
“Before you tell me exactly what happened, I want you to think back to a few days before you were hit. Did you see anyone loitering around your house or your store? Anyone or anything that gave you pause?”
Alyx closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. I was worried about my human. She looked so tired.
“All right, now think carefully and tell me what happened Saturday morning before you blacked out. Tell me everything you saw or heard, no matter how unimportant a detail. What you might think routine may be a clue for me.”
Alyx took a deep breath. “I was up early. I made a pot of coffee and went out to get the paper. I put the breakfast items I needed on the counter, and sat at the kitchen table to read the paper while waiting for Ethan and Maggie to show up. I’d called them the night before and invited them over for breakfast...I owed Maggie an apology. I had reacted very badly to her suggestion that we should discuss the offer to sell our building and move Antiques & Designs somewhere else. And I had asked Ethan to come over because I wanted to talk to him about his spending habits in a calmer way than I had previously done––this time I had some concrete suggestions to offer.” She leaned over for a sip of the water sitting on the bed tray. “I didn’t see or hear anyone come in. That’s all I know, until I woke up here.”
“Did you leave the door unlocked when you went out for the paper?”
She gave it some thought. “I don’t know.”
“Okay. You were sitting at the table; maybe you looked out your window; what did you see?”
She closed her eyes again. “No, nothing. There was no one out there.”
“All right; let’s try it again. You were sitting at the table, the paper in front of you; you took a sip of coffee. What did you hear?”
“I was alone. I didn’t have the radio or television on. The cats were being cats. You know, chasing around the house, jumping on things.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry. There’s just nothing there––I don’t know if I don’t remember or there’s nothing to remember.”