Jimmy walked the platter to the door.
“How’s your dad doing, Celeste?”
“Not well at all.”
“Give him our love.”
“I’ll do that.Thank you for coming by and for the food.”
Mrs.Diaz blew her a tearful kiss.“I’ll miss your mama every day of the rest of my life.”
“As will I.”
Sam and Freddie followed Celeste to the back of the house, where she deposited the platter on a table.“Please add Mrs.Diaz to the thank-you-note list,” she said to an older woman seated at the table.
The woman looked up, saw Sam and gasped.“As I live and breathe, is the first lady of the United States of America standing in my sister’s kitchen?”
Sam gave her a small smile.“I’m also the lieutenant in charge of figuring out who killed your sister, ma’am, and I’m very sorry to be meeting you under these circumstances.”
The woman stood and came to hug Sam.
She sensed Vernon go tense behind her, but thankfully, he didn’t interfere.
“Come into the sitting room,” Celeste said.
They stood to the side to let her go by them to lead the way.
“Can we get you anything?”Celeste asked.
“No, thank you,” Sam said.“Again, I wish to convey the condolences of our entire department for the loss of your mother.”
“Do you know who did this to her?”
“Not yet, but we’re working on it.Speaking to the family members is where we usually begin.”
“Not because you think we hurt her, I hope.”
“No, even if that’s the case sometimes.We aren’t here to accuse anyone.We want to know more about your mother, her routine, any problems she might’ve been having with anyone.That kind of thing.”
Lorraine’s sister sat next to her niece and took her hand.
“Let’s start with your full names,” Sam said, notebook and pen at the ready.
“Celeste Sweeny.This is my aunt, Doris Matthews.”Celeste used a tissue to wipe away tears.“I’m sorry, but we’re still in shock, even with a couple of days to process this.”
“Of course you are,” Sam said.“We totally understand, and we’re sorry to intrude at such a difficult time.”
“It’s no problem,” Doris said.“We want you to find out who did this to our Lorraine.”
“You told the responding officers that your mom was coming from work at the Green Acres Nursing Home.”
“Yes, that’s right.She worked the three-to-eleven shift on weekends.She used to say she’d done her share of partying on the weekends, so she took those shifts so the younger nurses could have those nights free.”
Doris chuckled.“We did some partying in our time, but we’re long past that now.Give us a quiet night at home these days.”
She seemed to sober all of a sudden when she realized she’d never again have a quiet night at home with her sister.
Celeste handed her aunt a tissue.
