Chapter 2 - The Woman Who Owned the Room
"What blue door?" Leah asked.
Noah shook his head and clung tighter.
Before Leah could press him, two uniformed officers entered, followed by a woman in a charcoal blazer who identified herself as Detective Nina Price.
"Is everyone safe?" Price asked.
"My nephew needs to get out of here," Leah said.
"And that woman pulled a gun on us."
Vivian lifted her chin.
"They attacked me."
"Then you won't mind the cameras," Price replied.
A photographer named Jade Mercer stepped forward with a shaking hand.
"I got the whole thing."
Vivian's attorney appeared as if he'd been waiting behind the curtains.
"My client will not answer questions tonight."
Price nodded to the officers.
"She doesn't have to. But she is coming with us."
When the handcuffs closed, a ripple passed through the guests.
Only then did people remember they had voices.
"I saw her kick the chair."
"That boy was terrified."
"Why did she have a gun?"
Leah wanted to scream at all of them.
They had seen the same thing ten minutes earlier and had done nothing.
Price escorted Leah and Noah into a quiet office.
A paramedic checked the boy's knees and Leah's cheek.
Noah accepted a blanket, but he wouldn't let go of her wrist.
"Vivian invited us to honor my sister," Leah explained.
"Rachel Moreno worked at Harbor House, one of her foundation's family shelters. Rachel died in a fire nine months ago."
"And Noah is Rachel's son?"
"He's lived with me since the funeral. I'm his legal guardian."
Price watched the boy draw small circles on the blanket with his thumb.
"Noah, you don't have to tell me anything right now."
"She was there," he said.
Leah leaned toward him.
"At the party?"
"Before the fire."
He swallowed.
"She had silver birds on her wrist. She told a man to shut the blue door, and Mommy told her not to."
Price opened her notebook.
Leah stared at Noah.
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Rachel had died beside the west stairwell of Harbor House, a stairwell with a painted blue exit door.
The official report said it had been unlocked.
