Hey, readers. If you have a copy of the original story: it deviates from the original now.
Chapter Twenty-Three
~Anastasia~
"Girls, look at the vases that will be the table's center pieces."
"They're beautiful. I love the design on the glass."
"No, dear. That's not glass. It's crystal."
"What kind of flowers are you putting in them?"
"Who needs flowers when you've got those vases?"
"Oh, my God. They're so heavy."
"That's because their Lalique. Don't ask how much they cost."
It feels like my eyes are full of sand. They're dry and I can barely keep them open. It's a consequence of only having a few hours of sleep. I went to bed right after I had that entirely too vivid memory of Christian taking that belt to me. I couldn't stay and listen to him explain what I'd said. My head throbbed and I was dizzy. I couldn't take any more stress or loud voices pounding into my brain. I didn't want to leave Christian alone to face his family, but I couldn't help it.
From what I've been told, Carrick couldn't believe what had gone on with Elena and Christian. He went from being rightfully shocked to angry quickly. All of his ire was directed at that woman. He was heartbroken about what Christian had gone through and wanted to choke Elliot for not telling him.
It all played out like I'd believed. His family love him unconditionally and didn't condemn him for what happened. Carrick cried about that, and then came the explanation of what I'd remembered and unfortunately, what it meant. My husband told me about how he explained the true nature of his relationships with the fifteen women they knew he was involved with, and how hard that was to confess.
Kate, who said she was emotionally exhausted, retired for the night when I did. Grace and Mia took to bed while Christian was explaining his relationships with the fifteen. Both said they couldn't stand to hear any more.
From what I've been told, they left a tearful Carrick and his sons alone. I don't remember when Christian came to bed.
Christian's phone began to buzz and vibrate around four a.m. He didn't answer the first call. It was Taylor, and he had to call Christian two more times before my husband did pick up.
Taylor wasn't at the Grey's last night because he'd taken the night off. Security at the house was light and it was my full detail. Sawyer was overseeing Parson, Reynolds, and Ryan. Sawyer was the only member of the team who had full access to the house. The others were only allowed to come in and use the restroom. Carrick and Grace have allowed Taylor's team to set camp in a room over the garage, but it doesn't have a restroom. The garage faces the front of the house and there are no cameras per Carrick's order.
Last night, all four entered the house to aide Grace's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Trevelyan end the party and make sure all of the guests cleared the home – then they returned to their make shift office.
The entire team had the party's guest list but they weren't required to do a head count when the guests arrived or departed. It was the same for the catering staff. They were also aware of who was spending the night in the house.
Once Taylor reached Christian and apprised him of the situation he was handling, my husband got up and left the bedroom. He didn't fill me in on the reason why and I didn't ask. I rolled over and tried to fall back asleep.
Christian, after speaking with Taylor, immediately woke up Carrick and Elliot.
Per security protocol, if Taylor isn't on duty, and a direct threat to the family occurs, the team leader on duty calls Taylor first. They're under a strict order to not contact Christian. Taylor is the only one who contacts Christian. The team leaders are ordered to immediately call in more security members, lock down the family, contain the scene, and wait for Taylor's arrival. No one is to call 911 unless someone is hurt or facing an imminent bodily threat. The team handles everything unless it's beyond their capability.
Sawyer put those orders in motion around three-forty a.m.
Against Christian's repeated requests, Carrick and Grace don't have outside CCTV. They do have a home security system and all security members know the code. When we're at his parents, the guys intermittently walk the perimeter of the property. At three thirty a.m., Ryan did just that. After covering the grounds, he made his way up to the back yard and entered the fenced off pool and patio area. He was going to enter the house and use the restroom.
Ryan walked into the patio area, and on first glance, saw a body at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. He sounded the alarm, and Parson and Reynolds left their post and made their way to the pool. Before they arrived, Ryan dove in and emerged with the body just as Parson and Reynolds reached him. Reynolds jumped in and helped him pull the body of Elena Lincoln out of the pool.
Reynolds initiated CPR; however, Elena was dead before Ryan pulled her out of the pool. Sawyer joined them in under a minute of being alerted and promptly followed protocol. Taylor was soon at the Grey's. Taylor didn't allow the Grey men to enter the patio area. They opened the French doors and watched from the doorway.
Security swept and secured the grounds. All of my detail and Taylor swept the inside of the house directly near the two entry ways to the patio area. They also checked and cleared the rooms near them. They found nothing. Not even Elena's Chanel bag that we all saw her carrying. It wasn't in the patio area or in the pool with her body.
Parson checked the home's alarm system. It wasn't on.
Elliot woke up Kate, and Carrick woke up Grace at five o'clock. Christian woke me up around five-thirty. Carrick woke up Mia not longer after.
Taylor hadn't called 911.
Once everyone was awake, Taylor went to work. He questioned us about what occurred at the dinner party. We each told him what we'd done, and the reason behind it. He wanted times. I was able to answer that; Mia ran out of the library when the grandfather clock struck ten o'clock. No one else remembered. And then we discussed if we were going to tell the police the truth behind our actions. Based on the things that we'd said in that very public setting, we had no other option than to tell the truth. No one wanted to publicly out Christian about his relationship with Elena, but we'd all but said so last night, and too many people heard it. Plus, Linc was in the room.
Christian was twenty-one when Linc caught him with Elena, and then beat her so badly that she was hospitalized. Unfortunately, Christian isn't sure if Linc ever found out how long their involvement was. That's another reason the truth is going to have to be told.
Christian is at the center, and was the catalyst of last night's train wreck. He's afraid of the public finding out about his relationship with Elena and he's afraid of being judged. But we can't escape telling the truth.
Finally, at six o'clock this morning, the call to 911 was made, and quickly the police descended on the house, Attorneys were been called in the represent each of us when we were questioned. Kate's dad has his saddled her up with his personal attorney.
Ryan has told the police about finding Elena's body and what happened afterward. The other guys told the police what they did once Ryan called them.
However, we're all having to lie about the time.
I don't even want to ask about the illegal moves that had to have taken place in order to wipe every security member's, along with Christian's phone. After that was finished, new times were programmed in to corelate when the 911 call was made. The police couldn't check the phones and their records and see the real time. No one can tell them security swept an area inside the house. The fact that the home security alarm had failed to be set is a blessing. There's no record of what time security entered and exited the house this morning.
Christian and Carrick were angry when the detectives came back with a search warrant and tore through the house. Later, Christian took off the head of the lead investigator when he wanted to question me. He said that I was in "no state" of mind to be "harassed" by the police. The police didn't really care, but saved my questioning until after everyone else had been. It was brief, and luckily, I wasn't asked about what happened, and I didn't volunteer the information. They didn't ask anyone else. Carrick said that we'll be questioned once the police question the guests that witnessed what happened.
It took Taylor and Welch four days to get a copy of Elena's autopsy from a police contact. Again, I don't want to know how many laws that were broken. No one would tell us how she died. Did she fall in the pool? Grace said that Elena could swim, everyone asked why couldn't she save herself? We only found out after the autopsy was complete and Taylor and Welch provided the illegally obtained report to Christian and Carrick.
Elena had been murdered. Specifically, she'd been bludgeoned to death before she fell into the pool -There wasn't any blood on the patio area or around the pool. Nothing that could have been the murder weapon was nearby. Also, Elena's Chanel clutch was nowhere to be found. Not in the patio area or found in the house.
The autopsy revealed that several small pieces of glass were found imbedded in that back of Elena's scalp and brain matter. Well, the glass was actually crystal. The report said she'd been hit twice in the back of the head. The other injuries on her body were scratch marks on her arms and we all know that they were caused when I grabbed her. I'm also responsible for the tear in her dress. Elena wasn't dead when she first fell into the pool. Water was in her lungs, not much, but enough to indicate she was still conscious when she went into the pool. The time of death is tricky. The pathologist said that was because the pool was heated. We can't allow anyone to know that we're aware that Elena was murdered.
It took the police six days before they contacted the family and said we needed to come to the precinct for further questioning. We knew this was going to happen and its why Carrick and Christian found the best criminal defense attorneys in western Washington for all of us. Lawyers at Carrick's firm couldn't represent us because they're witnesses. Christian, and his lawyers, quickly found some to represent us. Each of us have spent several hours alone with them. We've told them what happened and why. They know about any and all contentious moments we had with that bitch. Each attorney has instructed us to only answer the questions we're asked, not to volunteer information, and don't ask the police questions.
The attorneys haven't been told that the family, along with security, have lied to police about the time. We've already memorized the details concerning the timeline of when Ryan found Elena's body and 911 was called. They also don't know about the illegally obtained autopsy report and that we're aware of how Elena was murdered.
My attorney is Leigh Barker, a woman who I guess is in her early fifties. She's no-nonsense and graduated from Yale. She began her career as a prosecutor, and eight years later, quit and opened her practice and has been a criminal defense attorney ever sense. Before we arrived at the station, she sternly reiterated what I was, and wasn't to open my mouth about.
"I'm aware of your panic attacks, Anastasia, and how anxious you can appear. Please, do your best to control them. If you can't, I can play them off and say you aren't able to be questioned."
I agreed. Now, I'm scared shitless.
Please don't let me fuck this up.
I sit in a relatively small room in the police station with Ms. Barker. It reeks of cigarettes. I'm dressed in a pair of maternity jeans and an oversized pink sweater. She told me to dress casually and a face free of make-up. The chairs are uncomfortable. I surmise that's one purpose. The walls are white and one of the over head lights keeps blinking off and on. It's getting ready to go out. They should really replace it before it gives some poor soul a seizure.
Ms. Barker is wearing a fitted black pants suit with a gray shirt underneath it. It reminds me of something that Christian would wear. Her face is immaculately made up and the diamond studs in her ears must be two karats. Her bright red lips are pursed as taps on her cell phone.
In the corner is a pot of coffee that smells stale, and the odor fills the room. It's nauseating. On the gray metal desk is a box of tissues and a few Styrofoam cups. The white linoleum floor is worn and scuffed up. There's a camera on the wall that's pointed directly at us. I've watched enough creepy episodes of Dateline to realize I'm in an interrogation room.
The rest of the family is off in other rooms in this precinct. After a heated debate between my husband the control freak and the chief of the police, it was finally agreed that one member of our security was allowed to sit outside of the room that I'm begin questioned in. Sawyer has the privilege of doing that. I think it's stupid, I am in a police station, after all. The only concession that Christian made was that Sawyer couldn't bring in his weapon.
Whoever's going to question me, has kept us waiting nearly half an hour before coming into the room. Ms. Barker told me to expect this. It's the police's job to unnerve me. It's their job to unnerve every member of the family and cause one of us to slip up. God, I hope no one does.
The door finally opens and a petite blonde woman enters the room. Her hair is in a pony tail and like me, her face is make up free. I stand as Ms. Barker does to greet her. She tosses a legal pad and pen on the desk, and reaches out to shake our hands. A smile is plastered on her pretty face. Her handshake is firm. I'd say she's in her early thirties. She's wearing khakis and a green polo shirt that's tucked in. On her hip in a holster holding what I recognize as a Glock. "Good afternoon, Ms. Barker. Mrs. Grey, I'm Mary Catherine Estes. I work homicide for the Bellevue PD. Please sit," she gestures to the uncomfortable chairs we were occupying.
Ms. Barker sits straight up in her chair, her own legal pad in hand, and has such a serious expression on her face that she's almost intimidating me. This woman is a damn ball buster. She's almost as bad as Ros, who works for Christian.
"Thank you for coming in Mrs. Grey." Estes is scrutinizing me. I'm staring at her using the impassive expression that I've learned from Christian. Her eyes are hard and searching. I know she's more than a detective; she's a human lie detector.
"You're welcome." I follow my attorney's advice and only answer when I'm addressed and keep my responses simple.
"How are you, Ms. Barker? I haven't seen you in a while," Detective Estes asks. The women must know one another.
"I'm well, thank you. How are you?" My lawyer's tone is blasé. I don't think she gives two fucks how Detective Estes is.
"Good, the usual. You know," Estes says, then turns her brown eyes back on me. Her smile is undoubtedly fake and her eyes go back to boring into mine. I fight back the urge to shudder. I already don't like her.
She looks down at her watch. "For the record, it's three-fifteen in the afternoon of April 8th, 2012. Present, are myself, Detective Mary Catherine Estes, Mrs. Anastasia Grey, and her counsel, Ms. Leigh Barker. Mrs. Grey is here on her own volition. Mrs. Grey, we you coerced by any member of the Bellevue Police Department to come in and be questioned?" Detective Estes asks me.
"No." Is being all but ordered to appear for questioning considered coercion?
"Good. Mrs. Grey, let's start by you telling me the date of when you first met Elena Lincoln," Estes asks.
I want to sigh and shake my head at her. Does this woman not know I can't remember shit? Of course, she does. So why's she asking me this question.
I frown, and turn to my attorney, who knows all about my injury and memory loss. I can't give a definite answer to that question, and I know to keep my mouth shut.
"Ms. Estes, I'm sure you're aware that my client was a victim of a heinous crime, and sustained a traumatic head injury seven months ago. I doubt her answer would be reliable. However, after speaking to her husband, and family, I know she met Mrs. Lincoln in May of 2011. The specific date is unknown," Ms. Barker says in her no bullshit tone.
Estes scribbles something on her legal pad and taps her pen on it. "I'm aware of that, but I've been told that it appeared that you recalled something about Elena Lincoln at the party Saturday night, that is. But not about when you met Mrs. Lincoln?" she repeats.
"No, I didn't remember when I met her,. All I'm sure of is that it was in late May." I've been instructed not to freely tell her what unpleasant memory resurfaced the night of the party. Clearing my throat, I sit up straighter and rub baby Grey. I don't like this detective at all. I glance up at the camera above us and wonder if someone is watching this unfold.
"Can you describe your relationship with Mrs. Lincoln?" Estes inquires.
"I didn't have a relationship with Mrs. Lincoln."
"Your husband had a long-standing business partnership with Elena Lincoln, correct?"
"Yes."
"They were also close friends." It isn't a question.
What is this woman doing? Is she leading me down a yellow brick road hoping to get to Christian?
Ms. Barker speaks up. "That sounds like a statement rather a question. Where is this leading?" she asks. She oozes authority.
Estes shrugs. "If Mrs. Grey's husband was in business with the victim and was also her friend, I'd just like to know if Mrs. Grey also had a relationship with her."
"My client answered the question."
Estes writes more on her legal pad. I wish I could see what she's scrawling across it. "Mrs. Grey, were your husband and Mrs. Lincoln friends? If so, how close would you say they were?" she asks the same damn question.
I answer how Ms. Barker instructed me to. "I don't recall."
Estes scribbles more on that damn yellow legal pad. I swear I see her smirking. "And you didn't have a relationship with Mrs. Lincoln? You weren't friends?" she goes on, asking the same question.
I'm beginning to feel anxious. I'd called Dr. Powell this morning and explained to her what was going to happen today. She reminded me of self-soothing exercises I should use. They aren't worth a fuck. I lick my lips. "I wasn't a friend of Mrs. Lincoln," I tell her.
Estes turns in her seat and fully faces me. "If you can't recall, how do you know that you weren't friends?" she asks.
I was prepared for this question, too. "I've been told by my family and best friend."
"Your best friend is Katherine Kavanagh?"
Why would she ask that?
I'm doing my best to keep my face parked in neutral. "Yes."
"How long have you been friends with Miss Kavanagh?" she inquires.
I don't understand what this has to do with anything, but Ms. Barker did warn me that whoever questioned me would start throwing fast balls at me in order to get information that they couldn't find elsewhere. Or told by anyone else.
"Since our freshman year at WSUV," I reply. Good, Ana. Don't give more than I'm asked.
"Miss Kavanagh is dating your brother-in-law?" Estes goes on and I'm still confused. "Elliot Grey?"
"Yes."
Estes flips to the back of her legal pad and looks back at me. "You were roommates with Miss Kavanagh?"
"Yes."
"For how long?" Estes continues. "Do you recall?"
"From the beginning of our freshman year in college and up until I was attacked last September," I reply.
"And she's the girlfriend of your brother-in-law, Elliot Grey?"
Why in the hell is she asking me the same question?
"Yes." I trying so hard to not sound exasperated.
Detective Estes grins at me. She obviously knows I've been coached and must find it amusing. Then she circles back to Christian. She's trying to confuse me. "Your husband did have both a personal and professional relationship with Mrs. Lincoln? To your knowledge, of course." Her eyebrows are raised.
"Yes." My anxiety is turning into a gut churning anger. She's tossing in bait and I refuse to bite.
Detective Estes pauses a beat before opening up the can of worms. Or rattlesnakes, rather. "Mrs. Grey, your husband, had a close relationship with another woman, one that you didn't share." She is staring me down. "Did your husband's relationship with Mrs. Lincoln cause problems between the two of you?"
Here we go. Ms. Barker told me this would happen. I was also instructed to shut up until she could clarify the timeline with this irritating detective.
"Detective Estes, may I remind you again that Mrs. Grey has no memory of four months of her life?" Ms. Barker sounds like teacher scolding her pupils.
Estes ignores Ms. Barker's question. "Did your husband's relationship with Elena Lincoln upset you?" she asks.
My, God. Same question worded differently. This one is tricky, though. I can't outright deny it considering my behavior at the party. I'd had a long discussion with Ms. Barker on how best to handle this question. She knew that I'd be asked. "I was told that it did," I reply. I'm trying to hide the irritation from my tone. My answer isn't a lie. I didn't remember; Christian told me.
Detective Estes all but narrows her eyes at me. Maybe I'm frustrating her. I watch her flip the pad. Writing is all over it. It must be about things she's found out about me, Christian, and that horrible woman.
The moment she asks the question, I'm so damn grateful that I'd shared this nugget of information with Ms. Barker and Christian confirmed my story and described it as it actually happened since I only recalled the most important parts. I also have to steer clear of bringing up what that Elena had told Christian to finally punish me.
"Do your best to keep the BDSM out of it, if you possible can." Ms. Barker has instructed me.
"Mrs. Grey, do you remember an incident that occurred at Elena Lincoln's Esclava salon in the Bravern Center? It happened at the end of May last year."
"Yes."
Detective Estes cocks her head to side. She's trying to pull off looking puzzled, but it's not a good look on her. She knows. The police have somehow been informed about that day in Esclava. Plus, the witness' that were sitting closest to Elena at the party heard me seething about it.
"I was told about it, but last night I remembered bit and pieces of it," I tell her.
"You were told about it before you remembered?" Estes asks.
"Yes."
"When did you remember what happened that day?" Estes continues.
Like she doesn't fucking know already.
"I clearly haven't remembered everything," I tell her.
"Detective, must I remind you that my client's recollections can't be considered reliable?" Ms. Barker bites impatiently.
Estes look at her and shakes her head. "Of course, you don't. I'd just like to hear what she remembered at the party Saturday night."
I look between the two women and Ms. Barker nods at me. "I remember confronting her over her relationship with Christian. He was my boyfriend at the time. I wasn't aware that he financially backed her businesses until that day."
"And you didn't approve of that business relationship? Is that what you remembered at the party and became so enraged about?"
Finally. Here comes the million-dollar question.
"I've been told that I didn't approve of the business relationship," I begin. "When I had flashes of the memory of that day, I remembered that the main reason I argued with Mrs. Lincoln that day, was because she'd been in a sexual relationship with Christian."
Take that, Detective Estes. I bet you weren't counting on me telling the truth. "OK, so, you, as Mr. Grey's girlfriend, was arguing with his former lover?" she finally asks.
Former lover? Whatever.
"No. What happened was that I confronted Mrs. Lincoln because she began to molest Christian when he was fifteen years old."
God, I hated that I had to tell her that.
Detective Estes seems at a loss for words. Evidently, she hadn't uncovered that piece of information. She blinks several times and grabs her legal pad. She flips through the pages and looks put out. No, she had no idea. "Mr. Grey told you this?" she's finally able to say.
"Yes." My stomach growls. Baby Grey is getting hungry.
"Did you remember that the night of the party?"
"Yes." Good. Let's bring it back to one-word answers. I don't doubt she's going to twist everything I say.
"And you didn't remember what happened that day at Esclava until the night of the party," Estes asks.
"Correct." Shit, my sweater is beginning to itch. I have to sit still, though.
"Before you remembered that day at Esclava, as well as knowing the relationship with Mr. Grey and Mrs. Lincoln, did anyone tell you that it occurred?"
"Yes."
God, the police really do try to confuse you. I really don't understand why people agree to be questioned by them without an attorney present.
"Who told you?" Estes asks.
"My husband."
Mrs. Grey, you aren't giving anything away." Estes looks at Ms. Barker. "I do appreciate how you prepped her, but I really need to know happened."
"Detective Estes, I think Mrs. Grey has told you what happened at the party. Plus, you have dozens of witnesses. She's also told you what she recalls about the day at Esclava. An incident that happened nearly a year ago." Thank God, Christian hired me a pit bull for an attorney. She sounds like she's over this conversation.
And thank fuck that all of the Esclava branches don't have CCTV inside of them. I'm curious as to who told her about what happened. Especially since it happened nearly a year ago.
"Mrs. Grey, were you aware that your husband ended his business and personal relationships with Mrs. Lincoln while you were in a coma?"
I nod, fighting the urge to smile. "Yes. Christian told me."
Estes hums to herself. "Mrs. Grey, I need to ask you about your mother-in-law and sister-in-law."
Ms. Barker raises a hand. "No, Detective. Mrs. Grey will not be speculating about her in laws. Absolutely not," she says.
Estes is now picking at a Styrofoam cup. "I don't intend to ask her to speculate. I have a direct question."
Ms. Barker doesn't argue and I remain with my teeth firmly implanted in my tongue.
"Did Grace and Mia Grey find out about Mr. Grey being sexually abused by Elena Lincoln the night of the party?" Estes asks. Her attention is still on breaking down the Styrofoam cup.
"Yes."
Ms. Barker uncrosses her legs and scoots to the end of her chair. "Don't ask my client to speculate about their behavior or actions after they find out," she snaps.
"Again, I wasn't." Estes looks me in the eyes. "Who told them?"
I swallow. I understand that she has a murder to solve, but her insistent probing of our family is annoying the shit out of me. "My husband did."
"Did you already know…I mean, did you know before he told him the night of the party?"
"Yes," I say, sighing.
"Did you know about it before you were injured?" Estes asks.
"I've been told I did."
"Did anyone inform you about it after you lost memory"
"Yes."
"Who told you?" Estes asks, her eyes fixed on the cup she's ripping apart.
"My husband did." I really want this woman to shut up.
Estes has finally ripped the cup apart and tosses it into the trash can beside the desk. "Before the party, did anyone else know about what Elena Lincoln had done to him?"
Fuck. Thank God we all went over all this shit beforehand. It still seems like throwing Kate and Elliot under the bus, but it's the truth, and we have to stick as close to the truth as we can. "I've been told that my brother-in-law, Elliot Grey, and my best friend, Kate Kavanagh knew it."
"That would mean that they weren't surprised to hear the news the night of the party?"
"Correct."
Detective Estes stares straight ahead and twists her lips. She's either in deep thought or putting on an act.
"Mrs. Grey, can you tell me why you threatened Mrs. Lincoln's life?"
Ms. Barker looks at me sharply before I can open my mouth. "My client isn't answering that question."
I'm getting anxious again. Shit. Is this bitch about to arrest me? She actually looks amused. She nods. "How about you tell me where you were between the hours of eleven o'clock Saturday night, until five o'clock Sunday morning?" she asks.
I stare at Ms. Barker. It's as if she's willing me to remember what we discussed about this question. "I believe I went upstairs to go sleep sometime around eleven o'clock. It wasn't too long after what happened in the dining room. My husband woke me up around six o'clock."
"Did your husband sleep in the bed with you?" Estes asks.
I nod. "Yes."
"Do you know what time he came to bed?"
"No."
Ms. Baker ever so slightly nods her head. I said exactly what she'd told me to say. I feel like a weight has been removed from my shoulders.
At that moment, there's a sharp knock on the door, and Detective Estes rises and opens it. A gruff looking older man hands her a file. She thanks him, closes the door, sits back at her desk, and opens the file. I have a clear view of what's inside: Elena Lincoln's autopsy report. A report we've all read and studied. As gruesome as it is.
"Mrs. Grey, did you see Elena Lincoln leave the dining room?" she asks.
"No."
"Because you were forcibly removed beforehand?"
I ignore her. "I never saw Elena Lincoln leave the room," I tell her.
"Did you see her anywhere in the house prior to retiring to bed?" Estes presses.
"No."
"Has anyone told you that they did? Do you know if anyone saw her in the Grey's home after the party ended?" she goes on.
"Detective, quit badgering my client." Ms. Barker all but bites Estes' head off.
"I didn't realize that I was," Estes says. She exhales dramatically and begins to flip through the autopsy report that I've already read. I just wonder what she's going to say about it.
"Mrs. Grey, Elena Lincoln didn't drown. She was bludgeoned to death by a heavy object, She was hit twice in the back of her head. Pieces of what we at first believed were glass, were embedded in her scalp and brain. Later, forensics told us it wasn't glass, but crystal. It was identified as pieces of a Lalique vase. A thick and heavy piece of a broken Lalique crystal vase.
Keep your face parked blank, impassive, and neutral. Shit. It stated glass had been found, not crystal, and definitely not that they knew where the crystal came from. When did the cops find this out? Hell, this is going to throw everyone for a loop.
"Were you aware that the table's floral centerpieces were in Lalique vases?" Estes asks.
"I don't recall," I lie. "I wasn't a part of planning that party."
I remember Grace telling me about the vases, and then Kate telling me not to ask how much they cost. Mia wasn't in the room, but she'd have surely known about the floral arrangements, and how they were being put in Lalique glass. I'd heard the name, but had never seen one up close, nor picked one up. It was heavy as hell.
"Mrs. Grey, you had no idea?"
"Detective Estes, again, I didn't plan that dinner party."
"Have you ever seen or touched a Lalique vase?"
"I don't recall." Another lie.
She jumps back to what immediately happened after Christian told Grace and Mia the truth about Elena. "Were Dr. Trevelyan and Miss Grace shocked?" she asks. ''
The blinking overhead light is beginning to get on my nerves. Staying perfectly still in this hard chair is getting on my nerves.
"Detective Estes, you can't expect my client to know how Dr. Trevelyan and Miss Grey felt. That's utter speculation." Ms. Barker tells her.
"I just want to know if they appeared shocked. Based on the eyewitness, both women appeared more than distraught."
Ms. Barker waves her off. "It's still speculation. Mrs. Grey isn't a mind reader."
"Fair enough. Mrs. Grey how did you feel that night, hearing what your husband had experienced?"
"Calm. My husband had already told me."
"No one else had told you?" Jesus, how many times can you ask the same question?
"No" I lie. "I knew there was a sexual relationship before my husband told me about the abuse."
"Who told you they had a sexual relationship? Is that what caused the incident in Mrs. Lincoln's salon last May?"
I knew before I lost my memory because Christian had told me, hence, the incident at Esclava. Kate told me after the attack when I cornered her and made her tell me what she knew. However, she didn't tell me how Elena had molested him.
So, how do I answer this?
Ms. Barker, and all of the attorneys representing each member of the family had gone over this. They all expected the question to be asked. We were all told to be honest.
"Mrs. Grey?" Estes is looking me expectantly. "How did you know your husband had a sexual relationship with Elena Lincoln?"
"My husband told me," I reply truthfully.
"Did he tell you before or after you lost your memory?" she inquires. She's begun scribbling on her legal pad again.
"Before and after."
Estes frowns. "You were aware of the fact prior to your attack and losing your memory?"
"Yes."
"And you're telling me that Mr. Grey's personal and professional relationship with Elena Lincoln didn't bother you? Before your memory loss, that is?
"I don't recall." It's not quite a lie. I don't remember it being a problem, but Kate and Christian have told me how much of a problem it was.
The Grey's all know what happened at those two separate birthday parties. They were all told not to bring them, and thank God, only family were present. Please don't let one of them to fuck this up.
"However, it was a problem for you when you went to Esclava that day and confronted Mrs. Lincoln?" Estes is tilting her head again.
"So I've been told."
"And who told you?"
"My husband and Kate Kavanagh," I answer.
"After you lost your memory?" She drones on and one.
"Detective Estes, aren't you beating a dead horse? Again, Mrs. Grey's recollections are close to nil. If you have a direct question concerning last Saturday night, please ask it." Ms. Barker says.
I want to give her a high five.
"You knew that Mrs. Lincoln abused your husband the day you were at Esclava?"
Ms. Barker nearly comes out of her chair. "What did I say? You're already aware of Mrs. Grey's memory loss during that period of her life," she nearly hisses.
Detective Estes nods. "OK, I'll bluntly ask. When you were in the dining room, in the midst of all that drama, did you remember something. If so, what did you remember?" she asks.
"I remembered bits and pieces of what happened that day in Esclava."
"What you recalled made you furious? Yes?"
"Yes."
"What did you remember that made you so angry?"
"Confronting her about what she did Christian and the fact that she didn't care."
That's a half truth
"You recalled that interaction and became so enraged that you physically assaulted Elena Lincoln and threatened to kill her. Not once, but twice." Detective Estes's face is void of any emotion and her words are sharp like glass and it's obvious that she doesn't believe me.
"Detective Estes," Mr. Barker breaks in, "Are you arresting my client?"
Estes eyes slowly flit to my attorney's, who's staring her down. She looks back at me. "No, I'm not. I do have more questions for her, though," she replies.
Ms. Barker suddenly stands. "As you can see, Mrs. Grey is pregnant and has sat in that uncomfortable chair long enough. Her ankles are beginning to swell, and her psychiatrist warned us not to put her under a long period of stress. If you aren't arresting her, I believe it's time to end this interview and allow Mrs. Grey to return home," her bark is artic.
Shit. I'd hate to be on her bad side.
Estes doesn't look pleased, but she takes in my appearance, and stands."Very well," she reaches out and shakes Ms. Barker's hand first, then mine. She's looking me square in my eyes. I really don't care for this woman.
"Mrs. Grey, we'll be in touch," she tells me. It sounds more like a threat than a promise.
Ms. Barker nods. "And we'll be ready for you."
Detective Estes opens the door and I watch Sawyer sprint to his feet. He gives Estes a dirty look and takes me by the elbow. Again, a move I find ridiculous since we're surrounded by police.
Ms. Barker is on the other side. "Don't look around. Keep your eyes focused on where we're being lead and don't smile at anyone, and don't answer any question that anyone in this building asks you. There are cameras everywhere," she whispers.
I don't see one member of my family.
Taylor's behind the wheel of the SUV that Sawyer helps me and Ms. Barker into. I lay my head on the head rest and look at my lawyer.
"How'd I do?" I ask her.
She nods and smiles at me. "Exactly as you were instructed."
"Why was she asking questions that were all over the place?"
"They're either completely in the dark, or know something that they're keeping close to their vests. I will say that her questions concerning Miss Kavanagh were interesting. I didn't expect them," Ms. Barker replies.
My heart thumps rapidly. "Do you think Kate screwed up her interview? You don't think they suspect Kate would have killed Elena?
She shakes her head. "I can't say until we talk to Miss Kavanagh. She's still at your penthouse?"
I shrug. "Probably. That's where she's been staying."
"I'll ask her then. We do need to get the entire family together and find out what they were asked and how they responded," Ms. Barker tells me.
"Sawyer, can you please let everyone know that Ms. Barker wants them to come to Escala right away?"
"Yes, ma'am." I watch him pull out his cell and start pecking at it.
Ms. Barker brings her mouth close to my ear and whispers so Sawyer and Taylor can't hear her.
"Ana, this falls under lawyer and client confidentiality. I can't tell anyone your response. Did you lie about the vase?"
I stare at her and nod.
"Did anyone see you around it? See you touch it?
I nod again.
"Who?
"Grace and Kate," I tell her.
"Is Mia the wildcard in this situation?" she asks me.
I agree.
I think about how strange Mia's been acting the last five days. Her chatter box personality has silenced. The lack of sleep and dark circles under her eyes. How she picks at her food and won't eat it. How close Taylor found her to the edge of the penthouse's balcony. A place that's always terrified Mia.
Kate, Elliot, and Mia have been staying at the penthouse. Carrick and Grace are at the Fairmont. The house has been gone over with a fine thin comb and nothing's been found. Still, Carrick can't convince Grace and Mia to go back home; I won't be surprised if they refuse to live in the house again and move.
Kate's refused to go back to work. She's blaming it on all the negative press surrounding Elena Lincoln's dead body at the bottom of the Grey's pool. I don't believe her. It's just another morbid tid bit for the press to cover since the names Grey and Steele have done nothing but attract attention for months. Kate looks dejected and is moping around the penthouse in her God-awful pink pajamas and I've found her in tears several times.
Elliot and Christian have gone back to work and are putting up a brave front. I know that Christian is nearly losing it when he sees my best friend moping and shoveling ice cream into her mouth, and is going crazy over the fact that Mia won't eat. I can tell a part of him wants them to all leave; the other wants to keep them nearby.
Taylor, Christian, and Elliot have spent many hours with the security team that were at the Grey's before Ryan found Elena Lincoln. They can't give them any information of something having going amiss that night, well, other than the Grey women threatening to kill that piece of trash.
Gathering the family and their respective lawyers didn't shed much light on what the police may or may not know. We were all basically asked the same questions. The only exception with the rest of the family, more questions were asked about me. Why had I physically attacked Elena Lincoln and why did I threaten to kill her – twice.
Did they know what I'd remembered standing in front of Elena and a dozen witnesses? They also delved into Christian's history with that bitch. Elliot was the only one who give them full and accurate details. Kate filled them in on what she knew, but she had to admit that what she knew was second hand information, and it was information that I'd given her.
Christian's questioning lasted longer than anyone else's considering he had to describe what he went through as an adolescent, why the hell he went into business with her, as well as keeping Elena a friend. Stockholm Syndrome doesn't appear to be a reason to murder someone.
The men weren't asked about the Lalique vase and we all find that suspicious. Yes, we were all told that Elena Lincoln took two blows to heard from a Lalique vase, but we're also wondering where did it go? If she was murdered around the pool shouldn't there have been pieces, or at least shards of the crystal vase? Blood splatter? No damn killer is going to hunt for a broom to sweep away glass, or fins a hose to wash down the pool area.
Taylor has a supposition: Elena wasn't killed in the patio area.
Sawyer and my detail, that were working that night haven't made a comment. I think they're embarrassed that someone got murdered under their watch and they missed it happen and then didn't see the killer getting away. However, they feel, Taylor hasn't scolded them once. Hell, it's not their fault if they weren't walking the area around the pool. It's not like they had cameras to watch the property.
It's nearly six days since she's been murdered and the Grey's home has been searched from top to bottom and it's taking a crew of people to put it back together as it was. The police weren't kind when they searched it. When they searched for a piece of evidence they didn't find. They found nothing on the grounds, the garages, the boathouse, and in the make shift security room. They found nothing. Not even another piece or chip of that vase that they believe was used to bludgeon Elena Lincoln to death with.
My mind goes to the water's edge of Meydenbauer Bay that's at the end of the Grey's property. There's no better way to get rid of something that you don't want to be found. Just toss what you want into the bay and watch it disappear. Especially something heavy like the remains of a thick and heavy crystal Lalique vase. Drop that into Elena's missing Chanel bag and it watch it sink to the bottom.
The thought makes me smile.
I obviously know nothing about police investigations or CSI. The only thing I used my friend Google for was about when a body sunk in water versus it floating to the surface.
There's no need to correct me in a review because I already know I was writing blind and after all, this is just make believe.