Free Permanent Sunset by C. Michele Dorsey Page B

questions. First, where are the other two Mr. Keatings? The brothers?”
    Sabrina explained where Gavin was staying and that Sean was finally sleeping and should not be disturbed if at all possible.
    “Well, if you can answer my questions, we can leave him be,” Hodge said, sounding more stern than kind.
    “Go ahead and ask,” Paul said, leaning forward and staring directly at Hodge with an “I’ve had enough for one day” face.
    Hodge opened the flap to an eight-by-eleven-inch envelope he had tucked under his arm and pulled out a piece of paper wrapped in what Sabrina affectionately called “document raincoats,” otherwise known as “sheet protectors.” Although she had grown up on the South Shore below Boston on a peninsula that seemed to fluctuate between cold dampness and hot humidity, she had never experienced moisture in the air like she had in the Virgin Islands. Everything got moldy. Shoes, bra straps, sheets, and even paper. Paper became limp and discolored in no time.
    Detective Hodge held up the document but didn’t remove it from the sheet protector. Sabrina realized he was probably more concerned about fingerprints than moisture if this was evidence in the case. She strained to seewhat the document was, but Hodge seemed to be teasing them by not bringing it closer.
    “There are two signatures on this document. One is above a line with ‘Elena Consuela Soto Rodriguez’ typed below. The other is a signature above a line typed ‘Witness.’ I need to know if anyone can confirm that the signature is actually that of Elena Consuela Soto Rodriguez. Of course, we’ll have forensics confirm it, but for now if you reasonably believe it is her signature, please indicate so,” Hodge said, sounding very formal.
    “Secondly, if you can identify the second signature above the word, ‘Witness,’ it would be most helpful. As you will see, it is not discernible unless you are already familiar with it. I cannot let you touch it, but Sergeant Detree will walk around the table to show it to each of you,” Hodge continued.
    Sabrina watched as Hodge handed the document in its plastic shrine over to Lucy Detree as if she were his handmaiden. She wanted to kick him in the shins and tell him to walk the damn document around the table himself if it was so important.
    “I think it’s Elena’s signature, if I remember it correctly. No idea about the scrawl below,” Jack said.
    Heather shook her head when Detree put the paper under her nose.
    “I wouldn’t know Elena’s signature. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. And whoever signed below should have been a doctor with that penmanship,” she said.
    Paul gestured for Detree to bring the document closer to him, which she did, but only after looking toward Hodge for approval. Sabrina strained to see what was on the paper. She could only see two lines with handwriting above them. It looked like the signature page to a legal document to her.
    “That’s Elena’s signature as best I can tell,” he said. He sat back and then leaned forward toward the document a second time.
    “But that other one, that really looks more like scribbling to me. I’m afraid I can’t help you with that one.” Paul took his cloth napkin, dabbing at beads of sweat above his mouth.
    “Do either of you know Ms. Rodriguez’s signature?” Detree asked Henry and Sabrina, almost as an oversight before she approached Kate.
    “No, I wouldn’t remember it if I did,” Sabrina said. People sent her signed rental agreements all the time. She barely paid attention to them. She and Henry were looking into switching their rental agreement forms so they could be “signed” online.
    “Ditto,” Henry said.
    “How about you, Mrs. Keating? Is that Elena’s signature?” Hodge pressed.
    “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything signed personally by Elena, Detective. She sent her thank you notes for her bridal shower gifts by e-mail. She was more inclined to text message us,” Kate