Chapter 34
SHE WANTS USto do what?”
Decker stared across the breakfast table at Jamison.
She lowered her cup of coffee and said crossly, “Amber wants us to go to the fulfillment center and get Frank’s personal effects from his office. And pick up his car.”
“But I’ve got the case—”
She cut him off. “Decker,my sister is having to plan her husband’s funeral this morning. The least we can do is help her with this.”
“I’m ready, Aunt Alex.”
They both turned to see Zoe standing in the doorway, her coat on and her eyes puffy from crying.
“Okay, sweetie, we’ll be ready in a minute. Why don’t you go wait by the front door?”
Zoe glanced woefully at Decker before trudgingoff.
Decker looked at Jamison. “Are we dropping her off at school?”
“No, she’s coming with us.”
“With us? What about school?”
“Decker, her dad just died. She’s not going to school today. She’s in kindergarten.Her missing a few days is not going to determine if she gets into Harvard.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea for her to go with us, though?I mean, to see her dad’s stuff?”
“There’s really no other way. Amber doesn’t know anyone here well enough to feel comfortable leaving Zoe with them, especially now. And she’ll be running around today dealing with funeral arrangements, picking out a coffin and flowers and a gravesite. Do you think Zoe should be exposed tothat?”
Decker sat back looking contrite. “No.”
“Okay, so finish your coffee and let’s get going. I’ll drive over and you can drive Frank’s car back here.”
As they got to the front door Zoe put out her hand, not to her aunt but to Decker. Looking surprised and with a quick glance at Jamison, who nodded at him, he took the little girl’s small hand in his enormous one and they set off.
***
“Good God, this place is huge.”
They had just pulled into the parking lot of the Maxus Fulfillment Center when Jamison made this remark.
The place was truly vast and the parking lot was filled with cars. On the rear side of the building they had seen fleets of semis loading and unloading their trailers at a seemingly endless line of loading docks.
“And they’readding more to it,” noted Decker, pointing to the construction on the western side of the building.
Jamison found a parking space a long way away from the entrance and they walked through a sea of vehicles toward the front doors of the building.
Zoe said, “Is this where my dad worked?”
Jamison said, “Yes, it is, honey. We’re going to get some of his things.”
“Mommy told me that. And his car too.”
“That’s right.”
Zoe peered up at her aunt. “Is my daddy really dead?”