Chapter 3 - LINDA'S STORY
Linda told police something different.
She said Noah felt warm.
She believed he might have a fever.
She opened the freezer drawer only to retrieve a cold pack wrapped in a towel.
She denied lowering him toward the drawer.
She said Claire entered during a confusing moment.
“Postpartum emotions are unpredictable.”
The officer wrote that down.
Not as fact.
As Linda’s statement.
Richard listened.
His jaw tightened.
“You were holding a newborn while reaching into the freezer?”
“I had him securely.”
“Why not put him in the bassinet?”
“He was crying.”
“Why was the towel over him?”
“To protect him from the cold pack.”
The story was possible in pieces.
Together it sounded wrong.
Then Richard asked:
“Where is the cold pack?”
Linda looked toward the freezer.
Police searched.
There were three reusable cold packs.
All frozen solid.
None had been removed.
One officer asked:
“Which one were you reaching for?”
Linda pointed.
“The blue one.”
The officer photographed it.
Still beneath a bag of frozen vegetables.
Unmoved.
Linda’s expression changed.
Not much.
Enough.
Then Daniel arrived from the hospital briefly to speak with police.
He heard his mother’s explanation.
He stared at her.
“You thought he had a fever?”
“Yes.”
“Did you take his temperature?”
“He felt warm.”
“Mom.”
“Daniel—”
“You taught me not to guess when I had a fever as a kid.”
Linda blinked.
Daniel continued:
“You used to make me sit still while you checked twice.”
“That was different.”
“No.”
He pointed toward the freezer.
“You know better than this.”
Linda’s eyes filled.
Then she shifted.
“Claire is exhausted.”
Daniel stared.
“What does that have to do with what you did?”
“She is making mistakes.”
“Which mistakes?”
Linda looked at Richard.
He looked away.
Daniel noticed.
“Dad?”
Richard said:
“Your mother has been worried.”
“About what?”
Linda answered:
“Claire.”
May you like
There it was.
The accusation she had been building for weeks.
