“Molly?” Kate asked. She’d been with them for twenty years and was very loyal—and especially close to Lily. Kate thought back to the day of the funeral, when Molly had been a total wreck. Kate had attributed it to the circumstances, but was there another reason she’d been so distraught?

“Yes. Molly Grassmore. She says she overheard loud, angry fighting, doors slamming. Your mother was extremely upset. Crying.”

Kate’s hands tensed into tight fists at the thought of her mother in distress. Lily was not a crier. What on earth could have made her so agitated? And why hadn’t her father mentioned it?

“Do you have any idea what they were fighting about?” he asked her.

She sat up straighter, her back rigid against the chair, and crossed her arms over her chest. What was he getting at? Some lunatic was stalking her, and he was wasting his time with this? She had to fight to keep her voice even. “My father hasn’t said anything about any argument. Molly could be mistaken. Maybe she heard the television, mistook it for their voices.”

“She seems pretty convinced, Dr. English.”

“What did she say they were arguing about?”

“She couldn’t hear very well. Just angry shouting, and tears.”

“Why did she wait until now to come forward?”

“Because she didn’t want to do something that might hurt your father. In the end, though, she decided the police needed to know.”

“Maybe she’s making it up.” Even as the words left her lips, she knew it was unlikely.

“Why would she do that, Dr. English?”

“I don’t know. People make things up. People fight. Why do you keep asking me?” But she was beginning to second-guess her own words. Her back and arms were starting to ache.

The detective leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. His face remained impassive as he watched her. “Two days after the argument, your mother was dead.”

“I don’t know what to tell you. People argue. Did you ask my father?”

“We did. He won’t tell us what they argued about, and his refusal to talk doesn’t look good.” He leaned forward. “One more thing. Were you aware that your mother had plans to change her will?”

She took a deep breath before answering. Gordon had said he’d told him. “No. I first heard that from Gordon Barton when we met to go over the will.”

Anderson cocked an eyebrow. “You can see why we’d be concerned. Your parents argue, and your mother calls her attorney to change her will. Only before she can, she’s murdered.”

Was he trying to rattle her? What happened to his assertion that he didn’t want to share details of the investigation? “My father was at the hospital when she was killed. Surely you’ve verified that.”

“Yes, we have. However, there are a couple hours where his movements are unaccounted for.”