“Ma’am, stay downstairs.”
She protested.
“It’s my son’s house.”
I almost corrected her.
My house.
Purchased with my money.
But it did not matter then.
Caleb entered the bedroom.
He found the snake within three minutes.
A large western diamondback.
Alive.
Agitated.
Under the comforter beside my pillow.
The officer looked at me.
“You’re lucky you saw it.”
I looked at Kristina.
“Yes.”
“Very.”
Caleb carefully secured the snake.
Then he noticed something.
He lifted the pillow.
Underneath was a small piece of fabric.
Brown canvas.
I recognized it.
The cloth bag.
Kristina had apparently pulled the snake out but left part of the bag trapped beneath the pillow.
Caleb picked it up.
“That’s unusual.”
The officer took it.
He smelled it.
Then looked at Kristina.
“Does anyone here keep reptiles?”
“No.”
She answered too fast.
The officer looked at me.
“No.”
I said.
He asked whether there were gardening tools upstairs.
I said no.
Then he noticed the gloves.
They were sitting inside the bathroom trash can.
Not hidden well.
Heavy leather gloves.
Fresh dirt on the palms.
The officer looked at Kristina again.
She started talking.
“I garden.”
“In the bathroom?”
“No.”
“I took them upstairs because…”
She stopped.
I watched her.
The officer did too.
“Because?”
She swallowed.
“I don’t remember.”
The room went quiet.
Then headlights appeared outside.
Edgar.
Home early.
He entered through the front door.
“Why are police here?”
His voice was irritated.
Then he saw the snake container.
His expression changed.
“What the hell?”
Kristina stood.
“Edgar.”
He looked at her.
Then at me.
“What happened?”
I answered.
“There was a rattlesnake in our bed.”
He stared.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
That was the first question he asked.
It sounded sincere.
I wanted desperately to believe it.
Then Kristina rushed toward him.
“She found it before anyone got hurt.”
Her voice shook.
Edgar looked at her.
“Mom.”
“Why are you acting weird?”
