The living room had gotten quiet when Carter called for Elliott. Somebody even turned the music on the television off.
Everybody in the living room was sitting still. The only sounds that could be heard came from Ava and Eugene, who were sobbing into their mother’s chest. They were still holding each other’s hand.
The Anderson’s daughters all were crowded around their mother, who was sitting in a chair. She held Molly in her lap.
Billy and Dominique, who had spent most of the party playing tag, had all settled down as well. They were sitting quietly with their grandmother.
Kathleen was extremely worried about her husband, but she knew that Mary, Katy, Nadia, Casey, and Selma (she was sitting alone at the dining table) were much more worried about their husbands. When the gun was fired, Jenkins, Anderson, Stewart, Sullivan, and Freeman were not in the room. Any of them could have been the one that was shot. Or, just as bad, the one that fired the gun.
Elliott was gone for a few minutes after responding to Carter’s call. When he returned, he had a strange look on his face.
“What happened?” Frances asked.
Elliott waited about a second before he spoke.
“Freeman is dead.”
Everybody just froze for a second. And then Kathleen spoke.
“No.”
Elliott nodded. “Yes”
Selma, who had turned even whiter than a sheet, stood up and walked over to Elliott. Her hands covered her mouth.
“My husband…is dead?” Selma asked. She uncovered her mouth to speak, but covered it again after she was done speaking.
Elliott nodded again.
Selma hunched over and burst into tears. Her hands now covered her entire face.
Elliott put his arm around her shoulder.
“Who shot him?” Katy asked.
“I don’t know,” Elliott said. He patted Selma’s arm. She continued to cry.
“Where’s Samuel?” Kathleen asked. “And where are the others?”
“I don’t know who exactly killed Freeman,” Elliott said. “But the suspects are Stewart, Anderson, Howard, Sullivan, Jenkins, and Cruz. They were the only ones with Freeman in the basement when he was killed.”
Selma walked over to the couch and sat down next to Casey, who handed her a box of tissues.
“It wasn’t James,” Casey said.
“It wasn’t George, either,” Nadia said.
“And it wasn’t Jason,” Katy said.
“There was no way it was Randy,” Mary said.
“My dad would never kill anybody,” Victor Jenkins said.
Elliott sat in an empty chair.
“Carter is in the basement with them. He’s not leaving until he finds out himself who killed Freeman. And he’s not going to let anybody else leave.”
Several people shouted: “What?!”
“Freeman was his best friend. Or, one of them. He wants to find out who killed him all on his own. And he’s going to stay in the basement until he finds out. And he won’t let any of the suspects leave.”
Nadia looked furious.
“That lunatic!” she shouted. “How dare he?”
“My husband is not a lunatic,” Kathleen said. “He just cared so much about his friend.”
“But that doesn’t mean he has to hold people hostage!” Nadia said, bitterly. “That’s why we have the police!”
“Lou,” Frances said. “You need to call the police.”
“Carter doesn’t want anybody to call the police,” Elliott said. “He wants to solve the murder himself. And if I call the police, it may create a standoff. Carter would end up being arrested.”
“Who does he think he is?” Nadia asked. “Sherlock Holmes? He can’t solve a murder!”
“I agree,” Katy said. “Only a police investigation could figure out what happened.”
Elliott put his hands on the side of his head. He looked like he was having a migraine.
“My point is,” he said, trying to calm down. “Carter is not going to leave or let anybody leave the basement until he finds out who killed Freeman. I don’t know what that is going to take, but I have a feeling they may be in there for a while.”
Nobody said a word.
“I suggest you all go home, now,” Elliott said. “I don’t want you all to be home extremely late because of this.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Kathleen said.
Everybody looked at her.
“Pardon me?” asked Elliott.
“I’m not leaving without my husband,” Kathleen said.
“Carter is not going to leave until he…”
“If he stays here, then I stay here.”
Everybody looked at her, awkwardly.
“Kathleen,” Frances said. “That is not a good idea.”
“I don’t care,” Kathleen said, firmly.
“I really don’t think you should…”
“I’m with her,” Mary said.
“Mary?” asked Elliott.
“I’m not going to go home and sleep alone, knowing that my husband is in someone else’s basement. I’m staying.”
“Ladies!” Elliott said. “You shouldn’t be…”
“If I go home without Jason, I’m going to worry about him all night,” Katy said. “So will my kids. I’m staying, too.”
“So will I,” Casey said.
“If my dad stays here, then I’m staying here, too,” Victor Jenkins said.
Selma, who had been crying the whole time, suddenly stopped. She wiped her eyes with a tissue.
“I guess I’ll stay, too,” she said, sniffling. “If I go home…then I’ll be alone.”
“What about you, Nadia?” Elliott asked.
Nadia grunted. “I guess I’m staying, too,” she said. “If a lunatic is going to hold my husband hostage, I at least want to stay close by.” Her daughters all walked out of the room.
Elliott shook his head. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll be in my room.”
As he walked out of the living room, he muttered to himself: “What did I get myself into?”546Please respect copyright.PENANAAzQqR2Le1G