Inside the back of the warm ambulance, the paramedic placed a small oxygen mask over Leo’s face. His hands were still trembling, but the color was slowly returning to his cheeks. I sat on the metal bench beside him, holding his small hand in mine while a police officer stood near the open rear doors with a notepad.
Officer Davis: Miss Clara, I need you to tell me exactly what happened before the fire started.
Clara: Arthur and Victoria had an argument in the library around seven o'clock. I was cleaning the hallway outside.
Arthur: Officer, don't waste your time listening to this girl. She’s disgruntled because we cut her pay last month.
Arthur tried to push his way past the paramedic standing guard at the ambulance doors, but Officer Davis raised a hand to stop him.
Officer Davis: Sir, step back and let the lady finish her statement.
Arthur: I am Arthur Sterling! I own this estate and I pay for this town's police department!
Officer Davis: I don't care if you own the moon, sir. Step back right now or I will detain you for interfering with an investigation.
Clara: Tell him what you heard in the library, Leo. It's okay, you're safe now.
Leo pulled the oxygen mask down slightly, his voice raspy and soft.
Leo: My dad told Victoria that the bank was taking the house on Friday. He said the only way out of the debt was the insurance policy on the mansion and my mother’s trust fund.
Officer Davis: What insurance policy, son?
Leo: The life insurance policy my mom left for me. Victoria said if I wasn't around anymore, the court would give all forty million dollars to my dad.
Victoria: That is an absolute lie! The boy is traumatized and confused!
Victoria: He’s ten years old! He doesn't understand financial matters!
Clara: He understands enough to know you locked his bedroom door from the outside before you ran out!
Officer Davis: Is this true, Mr. Sterling? Was the boy's bedroom locked from the hall?
Arthur: Of course not! The lock must have jammed due to the heat warping the door frame!
Clara: The lock didn't jam, Officer. The key was missing from his door. I found it in Victoria’s purse on the front table when I ran inside.
I reached into my apron pocket and pulled out a heavy brass key, tossing it onto the metal floor of the ambulance. It landed with a sharp clatter.
Clara: That's the deadbolt key to Leo’s room. Victoria put it in her bag right after she slapped me.
Victoria: You stole that from my bag! You set this whole thing up!
Officer Davis: Mrs. Sterling, keep your voice down. Where did you get that key, Miss Clara?
Clara: When she slapped me outside, her purse fell open on the lawn bench. I saw her drop the key inside right after she screamed at Leo to stay in his room.
Officer Davis: Hand me that key, please.
The officer picked up the brass key, placing it inside an evidence bag as two more police cruisers pulled onto the scene with their lights flashing.