Chapter 41

“The charges against your father have been upgraded to murder.Now,his attorney has asked us to consider manslaughter,though I’m not interested in that.But I always make it a point to ask the family.”

“He has an attorney?”I wasn’t sure why that surprised me.Didn’t everyone get a lawyer?

She opened a tan folder and rifled through the documents.“Yes,a Mr.Cordon?Looks like he hired him the day after the incident.He’s actually a good defense attorney.Very expensive,too.”

I looked at Jeff and scrunched my brow.That didn’t make sense.“How can he afford that?”I was incredulous that he was spending money he didn’t have on a lawyer to fight the charges.Mom was deadbecause of him!

“Elizabeth Pickard.Does that name ring a bell?She hired the attorney.”

“That’s my aunt.My father’s sister.Why would she dothat?”I felt as if I’d been slugged.“She and my mom used to be close.Well,until my uncle died of cancer a few years ago.But she wouldn’t help my father…she couldn’t.”