The Bodies Left Behind

guess.”
    “I know this is hard. I know you don’t want to. But will you come back to my house for a little while? We’re not too far away. I can get you a change of clothes, something to eat and drink.”
    “Brynn,” Graham said. He was shaking his head. “No.”
    She glanced his way but continued speaking to the young woman. “I need you to tell me everything you can remember about Hart. Anything he mentioned or any mannerisms. Or anything Emma might’ve said about her case. While it’s fresh in your mind.”
    “Absolutely.”
    “She needs rest,” Graham said, nodding at Michelle.
    “She has to wait somewhere.”
    “No, it’s okay, really,” Michelle said to Graham. “I don’t want him to hurt anybody else. I’m not sure what I can do. But I’ll help.” Her voice was firm.
    The medical examiner’s van headed off, the two bodies in the back. Brynn noted that it was her husbandwho seemed the most upset of any of them as they watched the departure of the boxy vehicle, sickly yellow-green. The sky was now light, the color of diluted egg yolk, and the traffic was thicker, easing through the one open lane, gawkers taking in the overturned SUV, the dark puddles on the highway.
    Brynn explained to Tom Dahl about interviewing Michelle. “She can wait at my house until her brother arrives. Anna’ll look after her while I’m at the state lab.”
    The sheriff nodded. Then said, “And we’ll need to talk to you, Graham, about what happened with Eric. Can you come down to the station?”
    Graham looked at his watch. “I should get Joey to his English tutor.”
    Brynn said, “He can stay home today. We’ll both be too busy.”
    “I think he should go.”
    “Not today,” Brynn said.
    Graham shrugged then turned to the sheriff and said that he’d call the station and arrange a time.
    Dahl then extended his hand to her. She blinked at the solemn gesture. She took it awkwardly. “I owe you more than a half day, Brynn. A lot more.”
    “Sure.” She took Michelle’s arm and they followed Graham to his truck.

    “MOM. LIKE, WHERE were you? Shit. What happened to your face?”
    “Just an accident. Watch your language.”
    “My God!” Anna cried.
    “It’s all right.”
    “It’s not all right. It’s all black and blue. And yellow. And I can’t even see what’s under the bandage.”
    Brynn recalled that she’d have to make an appointment for a new molar. She touched the gap with her tongue. The pain had vanished. Her mouth just felt weird.
    “What happened, Mom?” Joey was wide-eyed.
    “I fell.” Brynn hugged her son. “Tripped. You know how clumsy I am.”
    Her mother eyed the bandage and said no more.
    Michelle walked into the living room. The tape on her ankle—and the painkillers—had done the trick. She was no longer limping.
    “Mom, this is Michelle,” Brynn said.
    “Hello, dear.”
    The young woman nodded politely.
    “Joey, you go upstairs. I’ll call your tutor. Graham and I’ll be busy today. You’re staying home.”
    Graham said, “Really. I can drop him off.”
    “Please, honey, it’ll be better.”
    “You two are a mess,” Anna announced. “What happened?”
    Brynn glanced at the TV, off at the moment. Her mother would find out soon enough but she was glad the local news wasn’t on. “I’ll tell you in a bit. Joey, you’ve had breakfast?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Upstairs. Work on your history project.”
    “All right.”
    The boy trooped off, with a glance back at Michelle. Graham went into the kitchen.
    In her deputy voice, her calm voice, Brynn said, “Mom, Michelle’s friends were killed. That was the case I was on tonight.”
    “Oh, no.” Shocked, Anna stepped close and took Michelle’s hand. “I’m so sorry, dear.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Her brother’s on his way. She’ll be here for a little while until he gets here.”
    “You come over here and sit down.” Anna indicated the green couch in the family room, where Graham and Brynn sat together in the evenings if TV was on the agenda. It was perpendicular to Anna’s rocker.
    Michelle said, “I’d really like to take a shower, if I could.”
    “Of course. There’s a bathroom down that hall. There.” Brynn pointed. “I’ll bring you some clothes. Unless you’d rather not.” Thinking of the woman’s earlier aversion to wearing Emma Feldman’s boots.
    Michelle was smiling. “I’d love some. Thanks. Anything you’ve got.”
    “I’ll hang them on the door,” Brynn said, thinking