She mislaid keys.
She once forgot a dentist appointment.
Normal things.
Nothing remotely serious.
Julian continued.
“I tried to calm her down.”
“She grabbed the fireplace poker.”
“She swung it.”
“I blocked her.”
“She fell.”
“There was no fireplace poker.”
The words came out quietly.
Julian froze.
The entire lobby seemed to disappear around us.
“What?”
“There was no heavy iron fireplace tool in her house.”
His face changed.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But I saw it.
“What are you talking about?”
“I donated that set fourteen months ago.”
He stared at me.
Then gave a tiny laugh.
“You’re wrong.”
“No.”
“She has one.”
“A lightweight brass decorative set.”
“Not iron.”
“Not heavy.”
“And not capable of doing what you described.”
Julian’s throat moved.
“I don’t know what it was made of.”
“You told police it was heavy iron.”
“How do you know what I told them?”
“Mom told me.”
“She’s confused.”
I took one step closer.
“Then show me the weapon.”
