When the doorbell rings after dinner, I’m sure it’s him come to taunt me again, the keeper of his secret. Mom and Dad are upstairs, so Sheralyn goes out of the living room to answer it. I hear her say, “Can I help you?”
But it’s not Dan; it’s Richard.
He jabbers nervously. “Is Lorraine here? I… I’m Sarah’s… I don’t even know what to call myself—boyfriend, friend, ex-boyfriend—one of those… Who are you?”
Olivia sneaks out into the hall to see what’s going on, just as Sheralyn explains that she is taking Sarah’s place as my aide.
“I’ll call Lorraine. She’s upstairs,” Sheralyn tells him. “Lorraine! Sarah’s boyfriend is here,” she calls loudly.
“He’s not her boyfriend… Dan is!” Olivia blurts out. “He hasn’t been her boyfriend for a while! Why are you pretending to be Sarah’s boyfriend?”
“I’m not pretending. It’s complicated,” Richard explains. He sniffs.
“Anyway, Sarah’s dead!” Olivia blurts out.
There’s another loud sniff and Richard tries to speak, but Olivia interrupts him. “You’re crying. Men don’t cry.”
“Olivia! Go back in the living room,” Sheralyn tells her.
“Won’t!” Olivia says with her usual stubborn tone.
“Please, Olivia—now!” says Sheralyn.
“I’m just telling the truth, so why should I be punished?” Olivia protests.
It’s Mom to the rescue as she comes downstairs and invites Richard through to the kitchen.
“I’m sorry to drop in like this,” he says. “The police came around. They’ve been asking more questions…” Richard’s voice disappears into the kitchen. I strain to catch anything—try to tune out all other sounds—but it’s no use.
My bag needs emptying. If Sheralyn takes me to the bathroom, there’s a good chance I will hear something. I want her to notice, but she is still busy arguing with Olivia.
“I’m going upstairs,” Olivia says finally. She seems to expect Sheralyn to protest, but Sheralyn says nothing and Olivia storms out and up the stairs.
I see Finn’s clenched hand on the sofa relax as she leaves the room.
“I’ll take Jemma to the bathroom, and then I’ll be back,” Sheralyn tells him.
As she pushes me in and turns me, I see that she hasn’t fully closed the door. I strain my ears to hear.
“We don’t know for sure that it’s her,” says Mom.
“They think I k—” says Richard. He swallows. “They think I’ve done something to her. They keep asking me—am I sure she got to the door, what did I do when I got home, can anyone confirm I was there?”
“No one saw you get home, then?” Mom asks.
“I live by myself,” says Richard. “Nobody saw me go into my apartment.” He’s babbling now as his voice chokes up. “I love Sarah so much. I’d never hurt her. I’m not like that. I’d never hurt anyone.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t,” says Mom. I can hear Richard crying again.
“Anyway,” says Mom, “we’ll have to wait until the body’s been identified. The police can’t have any evidence against you or they’d have arrested you, wouldn’t they?”
Sheralyn is taking longer than usual. She must be eavesdropping too. Now that the conversation seems to be ending, she wheels me back quickly to the living room.
The police must be questioning Richard for a reason. Even though I want to believe him, Poirot says I should never rule anyone out.