But no one had answers, frustrating him, so that by the time he’d reached a Cleveland police detective, he’d run out of patience.
“I know it’s early in the case.” Greg had raised his voice to the detective. “But why can’t you guys tell me what the hell my wife was doing out there? Someone must’ve seen something! How did she get to this city?”
“Mr. Griffin, we’re working with the other agencies. We’re talking to people who survived the crash. The freeway traffic cameras are live, but they don’t record. We’re working to obtain any dashcam, or security video footage, and we’re canvassing. But you have to understand,” the detective said, “it happened near an industrial area, with empty lots and vacant warehouses. It’s a challenge, sir.”
So is having my wife go missing only to die alone on a freeway, Greg thought, grappling with his pain as they arrived at the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Greg had requested a meeting to get more information. Forensic pathologist Dr. Lynn Narlow greeted them in the lobby. The air and atmosphere of the building evoked a hospital as she led them to her office.
With great sensitivity, including how identification was confirmed using DNA, Narlow explained the process used in Jenn’s case. When she finished, she asked Greg if he had questions.
“I want to see her.”
“I understand—” Narlow’s tone was kind “—but I’m afraid that’s not possible. I’m sorry. At this time, the remains are about to be transferred to the funeral home vehicle for delivery to Buffalo.”
“Show me the pictures you took, the scene, the autopsy, everything. I want to see them.”
“I can’t. They’re part of the investigation, and...” Narlow leaned forward, eyes glistening with empathy. “Even if I could, Greg, I would strongly recommend you not look at them.”
But Greg read the concern written in Dr. Narlow’s face.
Jenn had died in a god-awful way in a god-awful tragedy.
Before they left the office, Kat’s quick thinking resulted in Narlow arranging for them to follow the funeral home’s vehicle back to Buffalo.
So, in a lonely two-car cortege, Kat drove her purple Jeep close behind the dark blue Cadillac hearse from the Lansing and Elklend Funeral Home as they traveled east on I-90.
Along the way, Greg and Kat sank into their thoughts. Kat tuned in an FM station playing classical music; she kept the sound low. The soft strains were soothing until Greg’s phone rang.
It was Vince, who was back in Trailside with Jake.
“Hey, Greg,” Vince said. “Sorry if I got you at a bad time but Jake wants to talk to you.”
“Okay, Dad, put him on.”
He heard the muffling of the phone being passed.
“Hi, Dad,” Jake said.
“Hi, son.”
“Did you find Mom? Is it really true?”
Greg swallowed hard, staring at the back of the hearse.
“Yes, and it’s really true. We’re bringing Mom home now.”
A few seconds passed before Jake said: “Okay, Dad. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Stay strong now, buddy. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
Ending the call, Greg dragged his hand over his face.
“How’s he holding up?” Kat asked.
“He’s stronger than me. Has more faith than me. He’s like her.”
Kat nodded.
Greg’s thoughts hurled back to the site where Jenn died, the old news photos of Jenn’s home burning in the night, again the vile replay of horror, her parents’ deaths by fire, Jenn’s death by fire, Greg and Kat losing their mother, Jake losing his mother...
Dear God, please help us.
He stared at the road rushing under him, stared at the hearse carrying his wife. Blinking back tears, he turned to Kat.
“Thank you for being such a good sister, for helping me through this, through everything.”
She patted his hand, took a breath, and nodded.
“What is it that you were going to tell me, Kat?”
“What?”
“The other day, about Jenn and Sellwin, you said you never told me everything.”
“Oh, Greg, it’s not important now.”
“No, I want to know. I deserve to know. You said you’d argued with Jenn and it got bad. Tell me, Kat. It’s just you and me here.”
She tightened her grip, looked straight ahead at the hearse.
“We argued about Sellwin and what I saw. Things were said. Later, I felt so bad, I couldn’t leave it alone.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wanted to apologize, you know. So I drove over to your house.”
“When was this?”
“That night.”
“The night she didn’t come home?”
“Yes. I wanted to see her and clear the air.”
“I went to your door but nobody answered. Nobody was home.”
“Then what?”
“I drove home.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you told Kozak and Carillo that you were home all night.”
“I was. Coming to your house was not even worth mentioning, in the whole scheme of things.”
Greg stared at Kat.
“That’s it, Greg. Quit looking at me like that.”
He swallowed, then looked at the hearse ahead of them.
Fifty-Six
Greater Buffalo, New York
The smell of candle wax, flowers, the calm, lush tone of the pipe organ, and the creaking of the oak floors and pews blended in the church.
The brick building sat on three acres of serene countryside at the edge of the city where it was built in the 1800s by settlers who attended services in horse-drawn carriages.
This church was where Greg and Jenn were married.
Now, it was where her funeral was taking place, and where she would be buried, near her parents.
Consumed with torment grinding to his marrow, Greg was constrained in his tight-fitting dark suit, battling to hold himself together for this day.
Gently, he gripped Jake’s knee, his son sitting beside him in his new dark suit. Jenn would love it. Kat had taken Jake to W.C. Supersuits to pick it out. Now, sitting on the other side of Jake, she held his hand. Vince, a tissue crushed in his fist, sat next to Greg.