Chapter 7
The police came at midnight.
The flashing lights painted the marble walls blue and red.
Lucinda tried to become soft the moment officers entered.
She wrapped a shawl around her shoulders.
She made her voice tremble.
“My husband is emotional,” she said. “His daughter had a childish tantrum.”
I stood beside my father.
My knees shook, but I did not hide.
The officer looked at me.
“Can you tell me what happened?”
Lucinda answered first.
“She tripped.”
My father’s voice cut in.
“She will answer.”
The officer waited.
I swallowed.
“She broke my violin because she wanted Harper to play my solo. Then she pushed me. She tried to grab Mrs. Bell when Mrs. Bell defended me.”
“Do you have pain?”
“My shoulder.”
Lucinda rolled her eyes.
The officer saw.
So did my father.
Harper stepped forward.
“My mother did it,” she said.
Lucinda stared at her.
Harper’s voice cracked, but she kept going.
“She broke the violin on purpose.”
The officer took notes.
Another officer photographed the violin pieces.
Then Mrs. Bell arrived.
My father had called her.
She came wearing a coat over her recital clothes, her hair loose from its bun.
Lucinda’s face twisted when she saw her.
Mrs. Bell gave her statement.
Clear.
Steady.
Strong.
When she finished, the officer turned to Lucinda.
“We need you to come with us.”
Lucinda laughed.
Then she saw he was serious.
“You cannot be serious.”
“Ma’am.”
“My husband is Salvatore De Luca.”
The officer looked at my father.
My father said nothing.
That silence broke something in her.
She turned on him.
“You owe me loyalty.”
He looked at me.
Then Harper.
“My loyalty is to my children.”
Lucinda was not dragged.
She walked out stiff-backed, still trying to look like a queen.
But queens did not leave homes in police cars.
Harper collapsed into a chair after the door shut.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed.
I sat beside her.
I did not know how to forgive her yet.
May you like
But I knew she was not my enemy.
So I held her hand.
