In Death 24 - Innocent in Death

we argued, or that I was very angry. And he was diving into the pool, very much alive, when I left. I showered, dressed, then came directly here to contact the chairman and relay the situation.”
    “What time was that?”
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    “It would have been around eight when I got to my office and made the call. When I’d finished, I found Eric-Mr. Dawson, and asked him to monitor Reed’s fourth-period class today. I also spoke with Mirri and Dave, assigning each of them to one of Reed’s classes.”
    She stopped, sighed. “A small scheduling nightmare. I had intended to wait for Reed to come out of the locker room, give him another chance to leave on his own. Then, as ordered by the board, I would call security and have him escorted out of the building. I didn’t know Nurse Brennan had made the nine-one-one call until the medical technicians were rushing in. I didn’t know…I had no idea what had happened.”
    “You know the routine by now. I need the names of everyone who was in the building between seven and eight-thirtyA. M. My partner and I will begin interviews.”
    “But…but this was an accident.”
    Eve smiled thinly. “That’s what you said about Foster.”
    There was little variation as far as staff on premises, Eve noted. But it was very interesting to learn that Allika Straffo had signed in, with her daughter, at seven-thirty-two, and hadn’t signed out again until eight-twelve.
    Her gauge had put Williams’s TOD at seven-fifty.
    She mulled it over as she set up to interview Mirri Hallywell.
    “I don’t know how much more we can take,” Mirri began. “This place, it’s like a tomb.
    Like it’s cursed. That sounds dramatic, but that’s how it feels to me.”
    “Why were you here so early? I show you signing in at seven-fifteen.”
    “Oh. Drama Club. We’re meeting before classes. In the theater. Discussion, a vid of some scenes fromOur Town. ”
    “I’ll need a list of the students and staff present. Parents and guardians.”
    “Of course, no problem. I was the only staff there.”
    “Did you leave the theater at any time during the meeting?”
    “No. I was there from seven-thirty to eight-fifteen. Actually, a little before seven-thirty as I set up the vid, and probably a few minutes after eight-fifteen as I broke them down. I didn’t hear about Reed until I was back in my classroom.”
    “You knew Williams had been arrested yesterday.”
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    “Everyone knew.” She lifted a shoulder. “I can’t say I was surprised, and maybe-I probably shouldn’t say this, but maybe a little pleased. Comeuppance, you know? But this? Drowning the way he did, that’s horrible. I just don’t know how it could’ve happened.”
    We’re going to chat with the fragile and lovely Mrs. Straffo.” Eve got behind the wheel.
    “I wonder how she handled the irony of having her husband defending the guy she dicked around on him with. And what she was doing in the building for forty-five minutes.”
    “Straffo wasn’t on Hallywell’s memory list of parents in the theater during the meeting.”
    Peabody shifted a little, kept looking straight out the windshield. “So, how are things?”
    “What things?”
    “I, ah, happened to have the screen on this morning when I was grabbing a bagel. Caught that stupid bit about that blonde and Roarke. Anybody could see it was bullcrap.”
    “Then why do you bring it up?”
    “Sorry.”
    “No,” Eve said after a minute. “No, no point in slapping at you for it. It’s outside the box right now, that’s all. And it’s staying outside the box because it’s not part of the job.
    Clear?”
    “Sure.”
    “I can’t let it in right now,” Eve said after another moment of screaming silence. “I can’t think about it right now.”
    “Okay. I’m just going to say this one thing, then lock the lid. Bullcrap.”
    “Thanks. Okay, why did Mrs. Straffo take the kid to school today. Why not the babysitter?”
    “That would be the au pair on their level. Good question.”
    Eve pulled up in front of the apartment building. “Then let’s ask it.”
    She had to cut through the doorman who tried to block them. “Mrs. Straffo has her penthouse on privacy mode. Door and ’links. She doesn’t want to be disturbed.”
    “Pal, I don’t know what kind of Christmas bonus you get from the Straffos, but now’s the time to ask yourself if it’s worth you getting hauled into Central and held for obstruction 170
    of justice. This is a badge. Read it and