CLAIRE
"We're here," Julian said as the car pulled up to the station.
Detective Rodriguez met us in the lobby, a woman in her forties with a no-nonsense demeanor. "Ms. Cross, Mr. Cross," she said, shaking our hands. "Thank you for coming in, I know this is difficult."
"Let's just get it over with," I said.
She led us to a small interview room, plain walls and a table with a few chairs.
Marcus waited outside while Julian and I sat down. "I'm going to record this," Detective Rodriguez said, setting up a small device. "Is that okay?"
"Yes," I agreed.
She started the recording and stated the date and time, then looked at me. "In your own words, Ms. Cross, can you tell me what happened last night?"
I took a deep breath and started talking. I described the showcase, the final speech, se
