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The s else There were half a dozen chairs and a single scarred table The walls were painted the saht if she were a criet out of this rooed out of her coat, sat down, and slipped her boots off so her socks could dry out

No one said anything until the coffee and hot water for the tea arrived

Callie looked from Detective Raven, who’d taken off his leather jacket, to the special agents Officer Kreider sat against the wall, saying nothing "I was on the debate teae because ht me Myeach other for at least six nized that even as a self-absorbed teenager I told hiuo" The instant the words were out of her mouth, Callie burst into tears Sherlock handed her a Kleenex She hiccuped, then et herself under control

Ben Raven rolled up his shirtsleeves as he said, "How long was it before your e Califano?"

She took a slow sip of the strong black coffee until she was sure she wouldn’t lose it again "She didn’ttiuess, for the simple reason that she was and is very rich Even a Justice of the Supreme Court could have been interested in her ent Sherlock My aunt Marie, her sister, married a second time only to have her new husband sexually abuse her twelve-year-old daughter, my cousin, Moira I’ve never asked her, but I think that was the other big reason why she waited"

"So," Ben said, "she waited until you were out of the house"

"She was careful," Callie said "My mom’s always been very careful with me So, no uess she wouldn’t take a chance"

"Is she that careful about everything?"

"She’s brilliant herself, Agent Savich She came from a rich family, it’s true, but she didn’t sit back and let servants pop peeled grapes into her h-end boutiques in thequite well indeed I think she’s a little too driven, but that’s just the way she is To answer your question, she’s careful about money She has hers and, I suppose, my stepfather kept his own accounts She earns the money, and she’s always protected it That, and her reputation, it’s very i to do with her family name It’s because of her own pride in what she’s accomplished, in what she is I liked to see the two of theain, and she stared down at her feet "Yeah, she’s careful about everything"

Savich took a sip of tea before saying, "What did your stepfather think about her financial attitudes? The separate accounts and all that? Since he was an older man, wouldn’t he have expected joint accounts, expect perhaps to ed "I wasn’t at hoh to form an opinion When I visited, neither of them ever raised any contentious subjects I reuo"

"Do you reury about so she’d found out about I don’t knohat it was, but my mom was nearly in orbit Then they both saw o, hardly relevant to anything"

Detective Raven said, "Are you aware if your stepfather was ever involved with anyone other than your mother? Did he ever make a pass at you?"

She shook her head at hie question to ask about my stepfather He simply wasn’t like that"

Savich said, "So, froo, do you think your u here, and all of you fall into it so sent Savich If she and ot into it other than that one time, my nickel would be on her, , my mother This horrible murder has flattened her, but she’ll rebound, you’ll see"