“Joe.” Piper tried to tell him it was okay, but she couldn’t find the words because she was choked up with fear. “It’s okay, I’m not being arrested.”

“Exactly,” Chief Blake said, reaching behind him.

“You pull out cuffs and we’re going to have a problem,” Jack said, stepping up to Piper’s side.

“Well for God’s sake, like I’d do that to her when I’m not arresting her. You all need to settle down and let me do my job.”

“Okay, so we’ll follow you,” Joe said, taking Piper’s hand in his.

“All right.” Chief Blake gave Buzz a pat, and then walked outside. Joe took Piper’s hand and followed.

“I need you to keep it together, Pip. Answer only the questions Chief Blake asks. Don’t say anything about the bad blood between us and Mary Howard.”

“He knows that stuff anyway, Joe.”

“But this is going to be on file. Anything you say now could be used.”

“If I get charged and go to trial?”

He nodded.

“We need to find out what day they think this happened, and you need to try and remember it, Pip.”

“It’s a terrifying thought if it’s my memory that’s going to save me.”

Joe snorted.

They arrived at the police station and she managed a smile for Dean, one of the officers she knew well because he came into Phil’s. He liked his coffee black and hot, and his eggs sunny side up.

“It’s just questioning, Joe,” Chief Blake said again. “You look at me like that again and I’m locking you up.”

“Then I should be able to be with her.”

“She’s not underage, and you’re not a lawyer.”

“Then maybe we should leave this until I get her one.”

Chief Blake never looked harassed; he was always calm, a fit, healthy man who always appeared in control. Right now he was none of those things, and Piper guessed he was feeling the pressure of bringing a Trainer in for questioning.

“Look, this is not sitting well with me either, but I have to do this. Now you just wait out here and let me do my job, Joe.”

“If you were doing your job she wouldn’t be here!”

“Enough, Joe.” Piper hugged her cousin. “Now sit down, and I’ll be back soon.”

Piper followed the chief into his office.

“Take a seat.” He held out a chair. “You want coffee?”

She shook her head and listened as he reeled off a date that she had to try and remember as being the day she supposedly baked the poisoned donuts.

“Rona told me you went into Phil’s early and baked the donuts, and she said they were done before she arrived.”