Chapter 17: No Touching

Courtney's mother crossed the dining room with her purse already swinging from her fist.

"You," she said, and pointed at Elliot. "You put my daughter in the hospital."

"Ma'am," the detective said, standing up.

"She's been crying since Saturday. She hasn't eaten. Her blood pressure is through the roof."

"I'm so sorry, ma'am," Elliot said.

"Don't you sorry me."

She swung her purse at his face.

He did not duck, and it hit him across the cheekbone.

The sound was loud in the empty room.

"Hey," Dale said, and stepped forward.

I got there first.

I do not know how.

I was holding the cane in my left hand, and I put my right hand flat on her chest.

"Stop," I said. "Look at the screen."

She looked down at me, at the dress, at the cane.

"You're the sick girl," she said. "The one who hit my baby."

"I didn't hit anyone."

"Ma'am," the owner said quietly. "Come and see what my cameras recorded."

She hesitated.

Then she let him lead her to the monitor.

He ran the hallway feed.

She watched her daughter lock the door.

She watched the clock tick two minutes.

She watched her daughter's hand flick the latch before anyone knocked.

She did not say anything.

The color left her face from the forehead down.

"She told me the girl pushed her," she said at last, in a small voice.

"She told me you pushed her, and that man defended her."

"I know," I said.

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