In Death 20 - Survivor in Death
God, like family. We .. . Keelie and I shared patients, and we . . . we all ... the girls, the girls are like sisters, and we--Matt.” She encirled him, rocked again. Said his name over and over.
“Can you think of anyone who wished them harm? Who wished anyone in the family harm?”
“No. No. No.”
“Did any of them mention being worried about anything? About being threatened or bothered by someone.”
“No. I can’t think. No. Oh God, my baby.”
“Was either of them involved with someone, outside of the marriage?”
“I don’t know what you .. . Oh.” She closed her eyes as her husband continued to weep on her shoulder. “No. They had a good marriage. They loved each other, enjoyed each other. Their children. Coyle. Oh my God. Nixie.”
“She’s all right. She’s safe.”
“How? How did she get away?”
“She’d gone downstairs for a drink. She wasn’t in bed at the time of the murders. I don’t believe she was seen.”
“She wasn’t in bed,” Jenny said softly. “But my Linnie was. My baby was.” Tears flooded her cheeks. “I don’t understand. I can’t understand. We need to ... Where is Linnie?”
“She’s with the Medical Examiner. I’ll arrange for you to be taken to see her, when you’re ready.”
“I need to know, but I can’t.” She turned her head so her shoulder rested on her husband’s as his did on hers. “We need to be alone now.”
Eve dug a card out of her pocket, laid it on the coffee table. “Contact me when you’re ready. I’ll arrange the rest.”
She walked away from their grief, and she and Peabody rode down to the lobby in silence.
The law offices boasted a comfortable waiting area, divided by theme rather than walls into distinct parts. A child’s corner, with a mini comp and a lot of bright toys, flowed into a section designed, Eve imagined, with the older child in mind. Mag vids, puzzles, trendy comp games. Across the room, adults could wait their turn in pastel chairs, and watch vids on parenting, sports, fashion, or gourmet cooking.
The receptionist was young, with a cheerful smile and a shrewd eye. She wore her streaked red and gold hair in what Eve assumed to be a stylish fringe of varying lengths.
“No appointment, but then cops don’t usually need one.” She made them as cops before badges were shown, and angled her head. “What’s up?”
“We need to speak to Rangle,” Eve said and pulled out her badge for form.
“Dave’s not in yet. He in trouble?”
“When do you expect him?”
“He’ll swing in any minute. Early bird. We don’t open for business until nine.” She made a point to gesture to the clock. “Still nearly an hour shy.”
“That makes you an early bird, too.”
The woman smiled, toothily. “I like coming in early, when it’s quiet. I get a lot done.”
“What do you do here?”
“Me, personally? Manage the office, assist. I’m a paralegal. What’s up with Dave?”
“We’ll wait for him.”
“Suit yourself. He’s got an appointment at.. .” She turned to a data unit, tapped the screen with short, square-shaped nails painted gold like the streaks in her hair. “Nine-thirty. But he likes to get here, line up his ducks beforehand like me. Should be in soon.”
“Fine.” Because she wanted Peabody off her feet, Eve gestured her partner to the chairs, then leaned casually on the reception counter. “And you’d be?”
“Sade Tully.”
“Got an eye for cops, Sade?”
“Mother’s on the job.”
“That so? Where?”
“Trenton. She’s a sergeant, city beat. My grandfather, too. And his daddy before him. Me, I broke tradition. Seriously, is Dave in trouble?”
“Not that I know of. Anybody else here, in the office?”
“Dave’s assistant isn’t due until ten. Health appointment. Receptionist generally clocks in about quarter to nine. Grant Swisher, Dave’s partner, should be in pretty soon. Grant’s between assistants, so I’m filling in that slot. We got a droid clerk, but I haven’t activated it yet today. Law student comes in about noon--after class--today. Well, if you’re going to hang, you want coffee?”
“I would. We would,” Eve corrected. “Thanks.”
“No prob.” Sade popped up, walked two steps to an AutoChef. “How you take it?”
“Black for me, sweet and light for my partner.” As she spoke, Eve wandered, gave herself the chance to study the setup. Friendlier than most law offices, she decided. Little touches of hominess in the toys,
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