Adam finds a servant and drinks from her. He's too distracted and worried to do much in the way of making it pleasurable for her, but when she cries out in pain he makes a greater effort.

He takes far more than he intended to and leaves instructions with the cook on her care. He chews himself out internally. He doesn't need to be killing his staff. It's been years since any of his staff was killed due to overindulgence. They have more than enough willing donors that they don't need to drink that deeply. He should have taken a second donor rather than go that deep.

Just as he thought his life couldn't get any worse there's a knock at the door. When the maid answers he hears, "Is Mr. Adam Demarco at home?"

Adam frowns, he doesn't recognize the voice. "Who might you be?"

The maid is more than a little hostile. Strangers don't come to the Demarco estate often and almost always they have an invitation. Her hostility means that they aren't delivery people.

"Melissa, thank you, I'll take it from here," Adam says going into the hall and to the door.

"Mr. Adam Demarco?" The tall stranger says and even before he flashes his badge Adam pegs him for a cop. 

"My name is Detective Michaelson and my partner Detective Addison." The detective points to a smaller man that at first glance appears short and stout but upon appraisal it's muscle not fat the detective has on his body.

"Please come in. Can I get you something? Coffee, tea, soda, water perhaps?" Adam says and ushers them into the front living room.

"Nothing for me, thanks," Michaelson says. He takes a quick appraising look around the room.

"I'll have water, if it wouldn't be too much trouble." He too looks around the room before taking a seat when Adam gestures to them to do so.

"Melissa a water for the detective and a glass of juice for me please?" Adam says to the maid that awaits orders.

"Yes, sir, anything else?" Melissa asks respectively. They don't get many officers to the house. The last time had been before she was made into a maid.

"No, just that for now." Adam dismisses her. He silently lets his brothers know about their visitors and makes sure that they keep the children upstairs.

Adam turns his attention to the two before him, "What can I do for you detectives?"

"We'd like to talk to you about an employee of yours, a Miss Judy-" at her name Adam is unable to control his anger.

"Have you found the thieving bitch?" Adam says angrily, cutting off whatever the detective was going to say.

Detective Michaelson raises one eyebrow at his words. "Thieving bitch?"

"She left work early and took all the money. She was working for me to pay off the debt she owed after falsely accusing my brother of rape. We had a deal, she worked and half her money she owed goes towards the debt. She's only paid about half of the debt.

"She was free to leave, but she needs to give me notice and set up a way to pay back the debt. She left one night, leaving everything in her apartment and taking the money. It had been a good night and she made more than two thousand that night. I'm not sure exactly how much since she liked to have private time with her clients. She sometimes would do more than dance if you know what I mean. I have no idea what she charges for that."

Detective Addison turns a bright red and messes with the collar of his shirt as he mumbles that they did.

"That's not why we're here sir," Detective Michaelson starts but is interrupted by the maid bringing in the glasses of refreshments.

"Thank you, Melissa," Adam takes his juice and takes a drink. The detective waits until the maid has left the room.

"Her body was found a few miles outside of the town where she grew up. We were hoping to speak to you and your wife about your relationship with her." Michaelson frowns at the face Adam is giving him.

"You are welcome to ask me anything you'd like detectives, but I'm afraid my wife won't be able to speak to you." Adam does his best to hide his emotions but he's having a hard time and the detectives pick up on that.

"Why's that? She was friends with the deceased before she so falsely accused your brother was she not?"

"My wife was friends with her, until the backstabbing bitch almost made her lose my babies. Then she had the temerity to have my brother falsely accused and arrested.

"You can't speak to my wife, because she's upstairs very ill. We're not even sure if she'll live."

The detectives are doubtful, Adam can feel their doubt about Julie's illness roll off of them in waves. 

Adam orders Aaron to have the children out of the room, that he's taking the detectives to see Julie. Aaron confirms even as Adam extends the invitation. "If you don't believe me, please see for yourself."

Adam leads the way to Julie's room.

They go in and only his mother is in the room with Julie. 

Mary Ann looks up at the detectives and they can tell that she's been crying, "Adam?"

"Mother, this is Detective Michaelson and Detective Addison. They are here to talk about that bitch Judy." At his words Mary Ann's face turns cold and angry. 

"I hope that bitch is dead after all she's done to this family."

"She is Mrs. Demarco, that's why we wanted to talk to Mrs. Julie Demarco." Michaelson says but looking at the woman lying on the bed, with an IV hooked up to her, he knows that he won't be getting any answers from her.

"How long has she been like this?" Addison asks. He's seen photos of Julie and had been excited to meet her. The woman lying in that bed is just a shell of the woman in the photos.

"It came on suddenly yesterday. Our doctor says that there's nothing they can do and so suggested we just keep her here where she can be with family. Now it's up to her whether she fights to live or not.

"So, what questions do you have detectives?" Adam says when he let the silence go on for as long as he dared. His temper isn't improving any at seeing Julie lying there with little physical improvement. He doesn't even dare look at her aura right now for fear of losing his temper completely.

"We can go elsewhere to give your wife peace if you wish." Addison speaks up and his partner nods at his words. Neither wish to be more intrusive than they already are. They can see how hard it is for Adam already.

"Thank you. Let's go to my study." Adam leads the way to his study and once more offers them seats.

"From the words of Mrs. Demarco and your words earlier I take it there is hard feelings?"

"I would stay away from my brother if you are asking about her. Hard feelings hardly describes it. But if you want suspects, Alex, my brother, hasn't seen her since the night she was arrested. He didn't even go to the trial and see her sentenced. That was ten years ago.

"If you want background my other brother Arthur married Michelle, another friend of Julie's she was also a friend to the backstabbing bitch. But she's exhausted helping out with my wife and the collapse of Azlo's wife as well."

This gets the detectives attention. "Another of the Demarco ladies is ill?"

"Mostly exhaustion, Sarah was told that she'd never get pregnant and has now found herself in that state. She's overdone it and is now on bed rest. Azlo, Arthur and Aiden and myself were away on business and so our wives were left with dealing with things. With three out of the four of them pregnant and twenty tweens to deal with," Adam shrugs his shoulders. "We have excellent staff to help out but still it's overwhelming at times."

The two detectives look at each other. Mr. Demarco is being far more helpful and forthcoming than they had expected. They knew there was bad blood between the victim and the Demarco's and he's not hiding his disdain for her at all, even knowing that she is dead.

"If that would be permissible, we'd very much like to speak with her." Addison finally says when his partner doesn't speak up. They had feared that the Demarcos wouldn't give them anything.