“He had no right to treat my daughter like garbage.”

“He didn’t treat her that way, and you know it.”

That led to a stare-down.

Jeannie refused to blink. “Let me tell you how this will go. By now, my husband has reported to my colleagues that I’m not answering my phone. We have a wake to go to this afternoon, and he’ll be wondering where I am. The minute my team finds out I’ve gone off the radar, this place will be surrounded by officers who will do whatever it takes to save me, even if that means killing you. I don’t want you to end up dead. Your family needs you to guide them through the loss of Jaycee. There’s no need for anyone else to die.”

“I want retribution for my daughter’s death! I want them to pay!”

“File a lawsuit. Have your day in court. But if you hurt me or detain me any longer, you’ll end up in jail. You won’t get retribution if you’re in jail.”

Her gaze darted toward Jeannie. “If I let you go, will I still go to jail?”

“We can chalk this up to a misunderstanding, and you can pursue your retribution through legal channels. But you need to let me go now, or I can’t help you.”

She was wavering.

Jeannie could see that.

Her eyes filled with tears. “My daughter didn’t deserve what happened to her.”

Jeannie didn’t agree, but she kept her mouth shut, hoping Mrs. Patrick would see the error of her ways and let her go.

“I want justice for her.”

“I understand.”

“Will you help me get it?”

“Our department will do a thorough investigation of the incident that took place at Detective Dominguez’s home. She’s been suspended while that plays out. However, I expect she’ll be fully exonerated because your daughter entered her home uninvited, threatened her life, assaulted her with a knife, sexually assaulted her and forced Detective Dominguez to defend herself with lethal force. We’re deeply sorry for your loss, but we’re not responsible for the choices Jaycee made that led to her death.”

“That doesn’t sound like justice to me.”

“That’s the truth of what happened, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can deal with your grief and move on with your life.”

“Have you ever lost a child?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“There’s no ‘moving on’ from this. My child was murdered.”

“Your child attacked someone who defended herself.”

Another stare-down ensued.

Again, Jeannie refused to blink.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Mrs. Patrick raised the rifle and pointed it at Jeannie. “I could end you right here and now. Since there’s no chance for true justice for my daughter, that would make me feel a whole lot better.”

Jeannie forced herself to remain calm. “How so?”

“An eye for an eye.”

“I didn’t kill your daughter.”

“No, but you sit in my house and defend the cunt who did.”

“She’s not a cunt. She’s a dedicated police officer, an excellent detective and a wonderful human being who never would’ve hurt your daughter if Jaycee hadn’t threatened her life.”