“Can we get another seat in here?” he said. “And put it where?” Jerry demanded. Much as I hated to admit it, Jerry was right. The office comfortably sat three, and five exhausted people were a strain. I felt rested having spent the afternoon with Lucy, drifting in and out of sleep on the couch with her nestled next to me. Usually she wouldn’t have sat still that long, but I let her watch SpongeBob and she was riveted. Perched on one of the deep windowsills, I felt lucky to avoid the crush around the desk: Chief Donnelly, Jerry, Dave, and Special Agent Hale Bascom. I couldn’t see Hale’s face from my seat, which was fine with me. I had hoped never to see him again. I slid backward on the sill until my shoulders were pressed against the window. The chill seeped through all four layers of clothing I was wearing. “The Brouillettes wish to have the body released,” Jerry said, brandishing his cell phone, a proxy for the congresswoman and her husband.
