Authors: Sandi Perry
Mr.
Woods
nodded
in
response
She
turned
toward
her
mother
accusingly,
“And
you
knew
about
this.”
“Yes."
Her
mother
looked
uncomfortable.
"We'll
discuss
this
later,
now
is
not
the
time."
"This
is
exactly
the
time—we're
here
now
with
a
lawyer."
“There’s
one
more
thing.”
The
lawyer
interrupted
as
he
drew
their
attention
back
to
himself.
“Since
you
were
named
executor
of
your
father’s
estate,
your
first
order
of
business
is
to
find
a
replacement
for
your
father
as
CEO
of
RossAir
Industries."
“Me?
I
don’t
know
the
first
thing
about
the
business,”
Allison
protested.
“Your
father
drew
up
a
list
of
excellent
candidates,”
he
said
as
he
handed
her
an
envelope.
She
opened
it
and
looked
at
it
quizzically,
“My
name
is
on
this
list.”
“Indeed.”
“Mother,
what
do
you
know
about
this?”
Allison
demanded.
“Honey,
let’s
not
take
up
anymore
of
Herbert’s
time.
There
will
be
plenty
of
opportunities
to
discuss
this.
A
decision
doesn’t
have
to
be
made
immediately.”
The
two
of
them
silently
left
Mr.
Woods'
local
office
in
West
Nyack
and
went
out
into
the
sun-lit
street.
"Mom!"
she
exclaimed
as
she
rubbed
her
temple.
"All
of
this
is
crazy!
I
didn't
know
Dad
still
held
onto
the
cottage.
And
me
as
CEO?
Is
that
some
kind
of
joke?"
Two
men
interrupted
her
rant,
introducing
themselves
and
flashing
their
badges.
“I’m
Detective
Robert
Fitzsimons
and
this
is
my
partner
Detective
Larry
Notis.
Mrs.
Ross,
we
stopped
at
the
house
and
your
sister
told
us
you
might
be
here.
We’re
sorry
to
bother
you
at
a
time
like
this,
but
we
have
a
few
questions
regarding
the
accident
that
claimed
your
husband’s
life.”
They
directed
their
inquiry
toward
Vivienne
Ross
and
gestured
to
a
bench
outside
the
building.
“Was
there
anyone
who
had
a
grudge
against
your
husband?
Maybe
a
business
deal
that
fell
through
or
something
of
that
nature?”
Det.
Fitzsimons
began.
“Nothing
comes
to
mind,
Detective,”
Vivienne
responded.
“Was
your
husband
visibly
upset
or
distracted
on
the
day
of
or
the
days
prior
to
the
accident?”
It
was
Detective
Notis’
turn.
Vivienne
paused
for
a
minute
as
she
rubbed
her
forehead,
“He
did
come
home
unusually
late
from
work
that
day."
"Did
he
say
why?"
the
detective
asked.
"No,
but
he
seemed
restless,
and
that’s
why
he
went
back
out
for
a
drive
at
that
hour
in
the
pouring
rain.”
Allison
watched
the
exchange
intently.
She’d
seen
enough
police
dramas
on
TV
to
know
that
the
police
always
suspected
those
closest
to
the
victim
first.
Their
questions
sounded
routine
but
she
was
on
guard.
She
could
not
let
this
continue.
“Excuse
me,
gentlemen,”
she
chimed
in.
“I’m
just
wondering
why
you
think
this
might
warrant
a
criminal
investigation?
It
sounds
like
my
father
missed
his
turn
and
then
lost
control
of
his
car
in
the
storm.”
“Ms.
Ross,
your
father’s
car
ended
up
at
the
bottom
of
an
embankment
behind
a
house
that
runs
along
the
Hudson
River
on
9W,
as
you
know."
He
unbuttoned
his
jacket
as
he
continued.
"The
new
owners
had
not
moved
in
yet
and
had
placed
barriers
along
the
road
to
prevent
just
such
an
accident
occurring
from
the
mud
run-off
while
their
home
and
driveway
were
under
construction.
That
barricade
had
recently
been
dragged
off,
and
the
streetlight
over
the
property
was
out.
It
is
possible
that
all
these
circumstances
will
add
up
to
coincidence,
but
when
the
CEO
of
a
large
privately-owned
company
meets
an
untimely
demise
on
a
road
that
he’s
very
familiar
with—alarm
bells
go
off.”
“Thank
you
Detectives,
I
hope
that
this
all
turns
out
to
be
an
unfortunate
accident.
I
shudder
to
think
of
any
other
outcome.”
Vivienne's
hand
shook
slightly
as
she
drew
her
fall
jacket
a
bit
tighter
around
her
waist.
“Well,
ladies,”
the
men
rose
to
signal
the
close
of
the
meeting.
“If
you
think
of
anything,
even
seemingly
insignificant,
don’t
hesitate
to
contact
us.”
Detective
Notis
handed
over
his
card
and
they
nodded
their
good-byes.