Chapter 4 - Margaret Reed Had Lied About the Last Evening She Saw Lily

Margaret Reed arrived at the police station with an attorney.

That answered one question and created ten more.

She was sixty-one, immaculate even after a funeral, with silver-blonde hair and a posture that made grief look disciplined.

When Detective Nolan asked whether she had visited Lily on the night of her death, Margaret said no.

Then Nolan placed a still image from Rachel’s security app on the table.

Timestamp: 7:46 p.m.

Margaret’s Mercedes in Lily’s driveway.

Margaret stared at it.

Her attorney asked for a private minute.

They took fifteen.

When they returned, Margaret folded her hands.

“I went inside.”

“Why did you lie?”

“Because I panicked.”

“That is not an answer.”

Margaret looked toward me through the observation-room glass without knowing I was there.

“My daughter-in-law was dead. My grandson was dead. My son was being questioned. I thought anything I said would be twisted.”

Nolan’s voice remained level.

“What happened at the house?”

Margaret said Lily called her at 6:30 that evening.

Not Jason.

Lily.

She asked Margaret to come alone.

“Why?”

“She said there was something I deserved to know about Northpoint.”

My stomach tightened.

Margaret had invested money when Jason founded Northpoint twelve years earlier.

Not controlling ownership.

Enough to care.

“What did Lily show you?” Nolan asked.

Margaret’s jaw worked.

“Bank transfers.”

“To Crestline?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know about them?”

“No.”

“Did Jason?”

“He ran the company.”

“That was not my question.”

Margaret looked away.

“She said he authorized them.”

Lily had apparently shown printouts from the home computer.

Invoices.

Wire confirmations.

A spreadsheet Rachel had helped explain.

“She told me Jason was moving money.”

“What did you do?”

“I told her we should speak to him.”

My anger rose.

Of course.

Bring the man into the room.

Give him control of the conversation.

Lily had refused.

Margaret said Lily wanted an independent forensic accountant first.

She also planned to ask for a temporary separation.

Not divorce yet.

Space.

Safety.

“What happened then?” Nolan asked.

“I told her she was overreacting.”

The words hurt even through glass.

Margaret’s face crumpled slightly.

“I told her pregnancy hormones were making everything larger.”

My mother beside me inhaled sharply.

Nolan waited.

Margaret continued.

“Lily became angry. She said everyone had spent years teaching Jason that consequences were cruelty.”

That sounded like my sister.

“What did you do?”

“I left.”

“What time?”

“About eight twenty.”

“Did you take anything?”

Margaret froze.

Nolan slid another image across the table.

From Lily’s replacement camera.

Margaret leaving through the kitchen door holding a brown document envelope.

“I took copies.”

“Why?”

“To show my attorney.”

“Your attorney says you contacted him the next morning.”

“Yes.”

“What did you do with the papers overnight?”

Margaret’s silence lengthened.

Her lawyer leaned toward her.

She shook her head.

“I gave them to Jason.”

I stood so fast my chair struck the wall.

My father caught my arm.

In the interview room, Nolan did not move.

“When?”

“Eight forty-five.”

“Where?”

“Northpoint’s office.”

“Was he there?”

“Yes.”

That meant Jason was not home at 8:45.

His original statement said he had been working in his home office from approximately eight until discovering Lily at 9:31.

A direct conflict.

“What did you tell him?”

“That Lily knew about the money.”

“What did he say?”

Margaret’s eyes filled.

“He became furious.”

“Did he threaten her?”

“No.”

“Did he say what he planned to do?”

“He said he was going home.”

“What exact words?”

Margaret swallowed.

“He said, ‘I’m ending this tonight.’”

The observation room went silent.

Nolan asked, “What did you think he meant?”

“The argument. The secrets. I thought he meant he would tell her everything.”

“Did you follow him?”

“No.”

“Why lie about being at the house?”

“Because when Jason told police he had been home all evening, I realized admitting I saw him at the office would contradict him.”

There it was.

Not confusion.

Protection.

Margaret had chosen her son’s story after Lily died.

“What time did he leave Northpoint?”

“I don’t know. Before nine.”

“Did you speak again?”

“At 9:42. He called crying. He said Lily fell.”

Nolan paused.

“The emergency call was placed at 9:34.”

“Yes.”

“So eight minutes later.”

“Yes.”

“Did he tell you to say you had not seen Lily?”

Margaret closed her eyes.

“No.”

“Did he ask you to protect him?”

“No.”

“Then why did you?”

Margaret looked down.

“Because he is my son.”

My father turned away from the glass.

I understood love.

I did not understand that sentence.

Not anymore.

After the interview, Nolan joined us.

“Her account needs corroboration.”

“Northpoint cameras,” I said.

“We’re requesting them.”

“Phone location.”

“Yes.”

“Traffic cameras.”

“Yes.”

I sounded like I was trying to solve it by listing evidence.

Maybe I was.

Nolan looked tired.

“Emily, remember something. A lie after a death can mean guilt. It can also mean fear, loyalty, embarrassment, or stupidity.”

“Margaret gave Jason evidence Lily had gathered.”

“Yes.”

“And told him Lily knew.”

“Yes.”

“He went home.”

“If her account is accurate.”

“And Lily died less than an hour later.”

Nolan held my gaze.

“Yes.”

That was the first time she did not soften the sequence.

Then Daniel called.

The forensic copy of Lily’s memory card was ready for review.

The final clip began at 8:58 p.m.

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Jason entered through the front door.

He was holding the same brown envelope Margaret had taken from Lily.