Chapter Eighteen
"Let's get one thing straight, Mrs. Marchetti," Trudeau growled. "You can cooperate with us here – or I can have you subpoenaed and hauled before a judge to be questioned as a hostile witness."
"Jaime," Oscar said softly, "when was the last time you saw Michael?"
"When Rudy, Steve and Jenn took me down there a few days ago."
Hansen frowned. "Last night, between 6 and midnight, were you in this room – and in this bed – the entire time?"
Jaime glanced over at Rudy, more afraid of his reaction than that of the others. "No," she admitted. "I wasn't." Seeing the look that passed between the three interrogators, she hastened to add "I couldn't stand just staring at these walls anymore. I needed some fresh air!"
"Did your doctor authorize this little field trip of yours?" Trudeau asked.
"He...didn't know...'til afterward," Jaime replied.
"So you admit you snuck out of your bed – and out of this hospital?" Hansen clarified.
"Yes. But you'd go crazy laying here every single day, too – looking at the same four walls and the same ugly ceiling tile -"
Trudeau jumped on this. "Just how 'crazy' did you go, Mrs. Marchetti? Crazy enough to kill?"
"I didn't kill my husband!"
"You call him your 'husband'," Trudeau hammered at her, "but you were planning to divorce him – weren't you? In fact, you've already consulted a lawyer!"
"...Yes...I did..."
"Marchetti deceived you – didn't he?"
"Yes..."
"He drugged you -"
"Y-yes..."
"And he almost killed you!" Trudeau finished with a verbal flourish. "Made you pretty damned angry, didn't he?"
In spite of her best efforts, Jaime's eyes flooded with tears. Rudy rose from his chair, staring daggers at the FBI man. "She's had more than enough!" he protested.
Trudeau ignored him. "How did you get to Maryland last night?" he demanded of Jaime. "Did you take a cab? Perhaps one of your fellow suspects gave you a ride -?"
"I didn't go to see Michael...and I didn't kill him!" Jaime cried.
"Come on now – let's be honest here. Who had more of a motive than you did? You admit to sneaking out of your hospital bed – against your doctor's wishes -"
"I went for a walk!"
"All the way to Maryland?"
"No!" Jaime beat her fists against the mattress in sheer frustration, and Trudeau's eyes were immediately drawn to what Rudy had hoped he wouldn't see. Wordlessly (but glaring accusingly at Jaime) he grabbed her left wrist and held her hand up for closer inspection.
"You bruised your knuckles quite badly for simply taking a walk," he stated.
"I went a little too far – got too tired – and I fell..."
"You 'went a little too far'....I'd say murdering your husband is more than a little too far – wouldn't you, Mrs. Marchetti?"
"Frank -" Oscar cautioned.
"Alright," Trudeau continued, only slightly less forcefully, "where did you go on your so-called walk – and is there anyone who can verify your whereabouts?"
"I went...down to the river. The snow had all melted and it was so nice outside and...I just wanted to be by the water...."
"And of course no one saw you there?"
"I...don't know."
Oscar looked sadly at Jaime as she struggled to defend herself. Her composure was nearly gone. "I think she's told us everything she can," he suggested quietly.
"For now." Trudeau scowled at Jaime. "We'll be back to see you again - very soon."
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