The detective’s face didn’t alter, but a slight shift in his shoulders told her that his appraisal of her had changed. One sharp word and she’d gone from pretty victim to bossy bitch. Working at the gallery had made Maja an expert at reading people, especially men. She imagined the officers back in their squad car, cracking jokes about her. But she was on a roll, and she didn’t care that her voice sounded haughty and shrill, even to her. “This is a crime. Can I expect that it will be treated as one?” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away, embarrassed at how emotional she was.

“Yes, ma’am. Of course.” Detective Murray’s perception had shifted again. She was no longer a bitch, just a hysterical woman. He knew what to do with that. He gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure it’s been a long day. Are you going back to New York tonight?”

She took a deep breath. “No. I’ll be staying at the River Inn until we get everything sorted out here.” She looked around. “My husband is supposed to be meeting me, but he isn’t here yet.”

“I can give you a ride. Oh, and here’s my card. Call the precinct and they’ll get a copy of the report to you. You’ll need that for your insurance.”

“Right, the insurance.” She reached for the cigarettes in her purse that hadn’t been there for five years, and then grabbed her phone instead. She glanced at the screen. Nothing from Ted yet.

John had finished with the police officer, and he was standing a few feet away, waiting for her attention. “So,” he said, addressing both of them. “Can I get my guys in here to clean up?”

Maja and Detective Murray spoke at the same time.

“Yes, please do.”

“No, not yet.”

“Oh,” she said, looking at Murray. “We have to leave it like this?”

“Just for another day or two. I want to make sure that we log any evidence before it gets cleaned up. But everything will be back to normal before you know it.”

Maja reflexively looked at John for confirmation, but instead of meeting her eye, he shoved his hands in his pockets and pretended to be busy testing the broken boards of the deck with his foot. As he put his weight on one near the hole where the toilet had crashed through the deck, the board gave way beneath him with a pop, and he jumped back, narrowly avoiding falling through. At least she wasn’t the only one who felt like they weren’t on solid footing.