"Darpan was never outside with that girl, and you know it," Ramani said, keeping her voice low, although the anger was loud and clear. "Did you get in a fight with Taylor over Steve?"
Serene shrank back from her mother's wrath.
"Where were you?" Jim asked Ramani.
"In bed with Darpan. He never left the bed to go outside. We watched a movie and fell asleep."
Jim sighed. "What were you watching?"
"When Harry Met Sally. We went to bed right after Serene and her friends left for Enzo's, and that's where we stayed until the ambulance and the flashing lights of the police cars woke me up. Darpan was right next to me. He's a deep sleeper. I got out of the bed without him noticing and stepped out to see what was happening. I had a bad feeling when I saw the crowd at Enzo's. I got dressed and went right over."
"And Darpan stayed at the house?" Jim asked.
"He slept through the whole thing. I only woke him to let him know what had happened after I picked up Serene from Enzo's and to tell him we were going to the station."
Jim nodded and flicked the pen back and forth in his fingers.
"Is it possible that you may have dozed off while watching the movie?" The attorney asked Ramani.
"Of course, it's possible. But it didn't happen."
Jim shook his head. "This is a problem. We have conflicting stories. And Ramani, I'm representing Serene. Darpan, as you know, given what Serene is telling us, will need to hire his own attorney."
"Why don't you tell the truth," Ramani growled at Serene. "This is a serious accusation you're making against Darpan. I know you don't like him, but you're potentially destroying an innocent man's life. It's just like with Cedar." Ramani sucked in her breath. "Krista asked you to watch him for a moment, and you let him climb up on that ledge."
Serene felt her body grow cold, and for seconds there was just the sound of Ramani's breathing. Jim lowered his notepad. "Can I have some time alone with Serene?"
Ramani made an about-face and took herself to a water cooler, grabbing a paper cone from the dispenser. Jim gave Kanani a look, and she wandered away after giving Serene a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Serene."
Serene met the attorney's eyes, not bothering to wipe the tears rapidly slipping down her cheeks.
"Your mother is right. It is a serious accusation to say you saw Darpan interacting intimately with Taylor. My job is to get all the facts so that I can properly represent you. If you keep information from me or give false statements, it makes my job that much harder. Do you understand?"
Serene nodded down at her hands.
"So, I'm going to ask you to tell me honestly. Did you see Darpan and Taylor talking earlier tonight, and did you see Darpan kissing Taylor?"
"Yes," Serene whispered.
"I want you to tell me everything you remember again."
She did, the missing gap of time between Darpan and Taylor's kiss and her return to Enzo's nagging at her all the while. The problem was that she'd found herself back in Enzo's kitchen with no recollection of how she got there.
"And you saw nothing else happen between them?"
Serene shook her head, no.
"Darpan!" Ramani called out, prompting Serene to look over her shoulder. He was being led into the room by two policemen. "What are you doing here?" She asked, aghast.
"I don't know, man," he said with a shrug, trying to look casual and cool, but his features were pinched with tension, his skin a pasty white. "They want to ask me about that girl Taylor."
Ramani stormed over to Darpan and the officers escorting him.
"This is madness! He has nothing to do with Taylor."
"Ma'am, please back down," one of the officers said.
"Don't you tell me to back down," her eyes bulged with rage. But Jim was already at her side, taking her arm.
"Ramani. Let's not make a scene."
"You've got to help him," her tone turned desperate.
"I'm representing Serene. It would be a conflict of interest. You know that."
"I'll get her someone else. He needs representation now. They'll fleece him."
Serene tried not to look over at Bets and Steve with their parents, watching her mother abandon her at that moment. Tried to shield her shame by turning away, but not before she caught Ron reaching for Carrie's hand and clasping it firmly in his, a subconscious reaction of one parent watching another turn her back on her own child.
31
Detective Greiner - July 1996
For the second time that day, Detective Greiner canvased Jackson Avenue. She'd made her rounds in the morning around seven, but most of the residents had already left for work. No one she talked to had seen or heard anything suspicious Monday night between ten and ten thirty PM, other than the whelp of police sirens and their flashing lights waking them up. It was seven-thirty in the evening now. A full twelve hours had gone by. Greiner wanted to give people time to get home, unwind, have dinner and a glass of wine possibly. The detective was aware that every hour that went by further compromised people's memories. She'd returned to the houses whose doors were not answered earlier. So far, there was no luck. If it weren't for a tangle of night blooming jasmine Greiner stopped to admire, she might have missed the smaller residence set back behind an enclosed porch shrouded by foliage. The detective let herself in at the tall wooden gate and rang the bell. A woman with short light brown hair and tired eyes answered.
"Yes?"
"Sorry to disturb you. I'm Detective Greiner." She showed the woman her badge. "Last night, there was a murder that took place on this street."
The woman's brows shot up. "On Jackson?"
"Yes, ma'am. A teenage girl."
The woman gasped like they all did.
"We're just trying to understand what happened. Did you see or hear anything
