VELVET

AND YOU THOUGHT HE WAS BAD
Liza Hofstrom Somers snapped her compact shut. The smell in the room was making it hard for her to keep her gag reflexes under control.
“How long can they keep us here?” Liza looked at her lawyer.
“They’ll be along momentarily. Be patient Liza.” Rebecca Davis placed her hand on Liza’s arm. “He’s in good hands with my better-half.”
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Chuck shut the door behind them. “Are you feeling any better today Mrs. Somers?”
“No I’m not feeling better. I’m trapped in a smelly room the size of a phone booth,” Liza griped. “Where’s my husband?”
Chuck looked over at Danica. He’d already dealt with one difficult Somers. He wasn’t sure if he was up to taking on another one.
Danica took his queue and moved around the table to face the two women. “He and Mr. Davis went for a cup of coffee. This won’t take long. We just need to ask you a few questions about your step-daughter.”
Liza seemed to relax a bit. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about Rick. His heart isn’t what it used to be. I really don’t know what to tell you about Tonya. I wasn’t her favorite person.”
Danica raised her eyebrow. She looked at Liza. She was considerably younger than her husband; maybe only a few years older than Tonya.
Rebecca knew what the next line of questioning was going to be. She grabbed Liza’s hand to quiet her. “My client voluntarily signed a prenuptial agreement. She loves Rick, plain and simple.”
“So it’s safe to say the two of you exchanged words?” Danica reviewed her notes.
“Look, we fought every time we were in the same room. That’s just how it was. That was no big secret. But I didn’t want her dead.”
“Fair enough. Can you tell me your whereabouts on the night of your step-daughter’s murder?”
“Where do you think? I was at home with my husband. We turned in early because we had guests coming in the morning.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a tissue.
Liza was used to having the floor, so she took her time. She carefully dabbed the corners of her eyes and folded the tissue. When she spoke, her voice was quiet. “It was supposed to be such a happy day. We were planning to announce to our dearest friends that we’re pregnant…”
Danica clicked her pen and jotted down a few notes. “Tell me about your last conversation with Tonya.”