Death Changes Everything by Linda Crowder Read Free Book Online

female friends. Came straight home from lunch and found him. The rest I already told you.”
    “You’re just a bucket of information, Luis.”
    “You’re the detective. I just write the reports.”
    “Where’s Mrs. Hill? You got her first name?”
    “Madeline. She’s across the street with a neighbor. I told her you’d be over.”
    “Anyone else in the house?”
    “According to the neighbors, the kids are grown and gone.”
    Altrez stepped away to answer a call on his radio and Matt crossed the street to speak to Hill’s wife. A teenage boy had been watching for him and opened the door as he climbed the steps onto the porch.
    “She’s in the kitchen with my mom. She’s flipping out.”
    The teen’s description of Mrs. Hill’s state of mind, while not the most compassionate Matt had ever heard, was accurate. Madeline Hill was sitting at the kitchen table, sobbing. Clutching her oversized purse tightly to her chest, she rocked back and forth, mumbling to herself unintelligibly. Tears cascaded down her face in gruesome black mascara streaks.
    The teen’s mother was leaning against the counter, watching her guest, but not attempting to intervene. “Maddie,” she said when Matt entered. When there was no response, she tried again, more forcefully. “Maddie!” Mrs. Hill stopped in mid-rock and stared at her, her mouth still open, but suddenly silent.
    “The police are here. I’m sure they want to talk to you.”
    She stared at Matt, her mouth still open, her expression unfocused. Her hostess shrugged her shoulders. “She’s been like this the whole time.”
    Matt crouched down and made eye contact with the distraught widow. “Mrs. Hill, I’m Detective Joyner. I’m sorry for your loss, ma’am.”
    Her mouth closed, and she took a ragged breath. She rubbed at her face with the back of her hand, further smearing the mascara. At least the feral look had faded from her eyes. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “I knew as soon as I…saw him.” Her body shook.
    “Maddie, honey,” said the neighbor, “I’m gonna let you to talk to the Detective. You give a yell if you need anything.”
    “Thank you, Connie. I’m sorry to fall apart on you like this.”
    “Honey, don’t you even think about that right now.” She gave Mrs. Hill’s shoulders a quick squeeze and left the room.
    “Mrs. Hill…” began Matt.
    “Maddie,” she broke in, her eyes not meeting his gaze. Her hand shook and she covered it with her other hand. “Everyone calls me Maddie.”
    “I know this will be hard, but I have to ask you a few questions. You were out with friends this morning?”
    “Y-yes. I went sh-shopping, then I met my friends…for lunch.” She twisted a fringe on her purse, her eyes distant. Matt had interviewed enough distraught family members to know he needed to give her time to tell her story in her own way. When she continued, her voice was barely a whisper. “I came home and found Steven…blood everywhere…”
    “Was the door locked?”
    Maddie blinked several times and tried to focus her eyes on Matt. “We don’t lock the doors.”
    “Did you notice anything out of place?”
    She shook her head. “No. Nothing. Everything was…just…normal.”
    “Did your husband have enemies? Anyone who might want to hurt him?”
    “He was my whole life.” She put her head in her hands and started to sob again. “What am I gonna do?”
    Hearing Maddie, Connie came back in the room. “Are you okay, honey? Detective, couldn’t you do this another time?”
    “Of course.” Matt put his card on the table beside Maddie and pulled Connie aside. Lowering his voice, he asked, “Could I speak to you privately?”
    She looked at Maddie, who was oblivious to them, then nodded and led him into the living room. “How can I help?”
    “You called in the report?”
    “Yes. We were watching television when we heard Maddie screaming.”
    “We?”
    “My son, Tyler. He let you in. Of course, we ran