Again Darlene was silent. Decker said, “Darlene, when was Lily supposed to show up for work? I’m trying to get a time frame. I need your help.”

Finally, Darlene whispered, “Lily showed up for work around eleven.”

Decker jerked his head upward. “Come again?”

“Lily’s shift started at eleven….”

“She showed up for work?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you tell me she called in sick?”

“Could you stop yelling?”

“Just answer the question, Darlene. On the phone this morning, you told me that Lily Booker called in sick.”

“I was protecting her….”

“From what?”

“I didn’t want her to get into trouble for leaving early. Especially since Marie told me she had been called away for a family crisis. I didn’t think it was fair to involve—”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Decker realized he was shouting and lowered his voice. “I’m confused. Start from the beginning.”

“Oh, Sergeant!” Darlene burst into tears. “I really messed up this time!” She buried her face in her hands and sobbed openly.

Decker leaned back on the sofa and ran his hand over his face. He waited until the weeping subsided, then said, “Darlene, when did Lily show up for work?”

Darlene dried her eyes with a tissue. “At the beginning of her shift. She showed up at eleven.”

“So Lily came to work.”

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t tell anyone who questioned you about that, did you? Because you were protecting her.”

“Yes. I didn’t see the point of getting her involved if she wasn’t even there.”

“But she was there, Darlene. She may have been involved. Or she may have been a victim. Either way, you should have let us know everything. We could have been looking for her. We should have been looking for her!”

Darlene’s face crumpled. “Yes, I know.” The sobs came back. “I’m sorry I messed up! You maybe could have found her. And I didn’t tell you, so you didn’t even know. In my own way, I’m responsible for that girl’s death!”

Darlene rushed out of the living room and slammed the door to the bedroom. Decker followed, afraid of what the nurse might be contemplating. He found her on her bed, weeping into her eyelet-trimmed pillow. Chewing on his mustache, he wondered how Rina was doing. She seemed okay when he left this morning, but she was so fragile right now. Just like this sobbing woman. Decker’s focus fell upon Darlene. He felt her pain. She was trying to protect her trainee and she fucked up.

“Darlene, everyone makes mistakes. To equate your mistake with murder is absurd. Let’s work together. Let’s find the bastard or bastards who might have hurt Lily or the baby. I want to get them before they can hurt again. But I need your help.”

Darlene cried out, “I don’t deserve to be a nurse! Nurses help people, not put them in danger!”