“What happened with the car?” she asked.
Jason turned toward her.
“Nothing.”
“Why did you pay cash?”
“Because I had cash.”
“Why wasn’t it entered into the system?”
His face tightened.
“Emily misunderstood what happened.”
Sarah spoke from beside me.
“Then why were you afraid of the letter before he read it?”
Jason’s head snapped toward her.
“Shut up.”
The chapel went still.
Mr.
Dawson closed the folder.
“Mr.
Reed, Emily’s instructions specifically address threats and interference.
You have now attempted to seize the letter, demanded possession of materials held by a witness, and verbally intimidated that witness in front of multiple people.
I will follow my client’s written direction regarding the evidence package.”
Jason’s face drained of color.
“You can’t send accusations to the police just because my wife was paranoid.”
“I am not determining guilt,” Mr.
Dawson said.
“Neither was Emily.
She directed that evidence she collected be reviewed by people whose job is to determine what it means.”
That distinction mattered.
Emily had not tried to solve everything herself.
She had made sure Jason could not prevent others from asking the questions she had been asking.
The funeral director quietly approached Jason.
“Sir, I need you to lower your voice.”
Jason stared at him as if offended by the idea that anyone there could give him an instruction.
Then his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and shoved it back without answering.
Ava folded her arms.
“I’m leaving.”
Jason caught her wrist.
It lasted barely a second.
She pulled free immediately.
“Don’t touch me.”
Everyone saw it.
Jason released her and looked around the chapel.
The mask was gone now.
No sorrowful widower.
No polished grieving husband.
No man humbly accepting condolences.
Only anger.
Only calculation.
Only the realization that the room no longer believed the version of himself he had brought to the funeral.
Ava walked out without him.
He watched the doors close behind her.
Then he looked at me.
“You’re enjoying this.”
I almost could not believe the words.
My daughter and unborn grandchild were lying in a coffin ten feet away.
“There is nothing in this room I enjoy,” I said.
“But Emily was right to protect what she could.”
