The doctor looked down at the floor. ‘Well, that’s the other thing. The police want to speak to you.’
‘Why?’ asked Carlotta, her voice raised.
‘I can’t say too much, I am not sure of the complete circumstances. There are some detectives waiting for a chance to talk to you all. If now is not a good time then I can ask him to come back. Perhaps you can talk to them while we take Birdie for her scan?’
‘Send them in,’ said Carlotta, without waiting for permission from her sisters.
The doctor left the room and the girls sat quietly, each absorbed in her own thoughts and ignoring each other. The door opened again and two detectives in suits stood in the doorway. ‘Hello, we are from the NYPD. I am very sorry about your mother’s condition,’ said one of them.
Violetta nodded to them and gestured for them to sit down.
The other one spoke gently. ‘I know this is an awful time for you but we need to ask a few questions, if you don’t mind.’
Violetta nodded again. Carlotta spoke. ‘Why? Did she slip in the bath? Why do you need detectives to ask about that?’
‘I am afraid that there were reports of voices raised before your mother was found. Your mother was known to us, you see, and we have to investigate.’
‘What?’ said Carlotta. ‘How did you know my mother?’
‘She had filed domestic battery charges before against your father, a few times over the years, but then always withdrew them.’
The girls sat in shock. How had she hidden this from them? Why hadn’t she told them?
The detective continued, ‘and now we want to speak to your father, but he’s missing. We have reports he has flown out of the US as of an hour ago on a private plane. Do any of you know why he would have left so suddenly?’
Carlotta finally spoke. ‘That fucking bastard,’ she spat out angrily.
The detective was silent and seemingly nonjudgmental, but Violetta noticed a slightly raised eyebrow, as though he agreed with her.
‘We have reports he has left with a woman, a Melanie Sanger,’ he said, looking at the small notebook in his hand. ‘Can you tell me anything about her?’
Carlotta snorted unattractively. ‘Melanie is Leon’s long-term mistress. Been together for about twelve years, as far as I know.’ She looked at her sisters for agreement.
They nodded in shock.
‘And she has a son? Matthew Sanger?’ asked the detective.
Violetta groaned and Grace’s face went white.
‘Yes, he’s around our age,’ said Violetta. ‘We don’t see him though.’
Matthew was a pimply, thin boy who was forced to holiday with the girls on and off when Leon went away with Birdie without them. They knew never to mention him to Birdie when they returned from their forced vacations but they all hated him. Matthew’s father had divorced Melanie when he found out about Leon’s relationship with her and Leon had, as far as Violetta knew, paid for everything in Melanie and Matthew’s life.
‘Here is my card should you find out any more? I will be in touch,’ the detective said, handing it to Carlotta.
‘Sure.’
The sisters sat in silence after the police left.
‘I can’t believe it,’ Violetta said.
‘I know,’ said Carlotta.
‘I can,’ said Grace.
‘What?’
Carlotta and Violetta turned to their younger sister.
