Vendetta in Death (In Death #49)(45)

“Well, probably not,” Peabody admitted. “But some people do hang on to what was. And maybe hold on to hope they can get it back. Like if Roarke pulled something stupid like that, you wouldn’t be able to just turn off how you feel about him.”

“Maybe not. But I’d have already peeled the skin from his body, fried it up, and fed it to the wolves.”

“Huh.” Peabody drank more coffee. “Some people just get their hearts broken. Still …”

She trailed off as a panel in the wall opened, and a woman stepped out.

Eloise Callahan was no longer the vibrant young bride in the painting, but she wore her ninety-plus years well. Her hair, still blond—with, Eve assumed, plenty of assistance—waved around a face where beauty hadn’t faded. It lived in the bones, in the eyes the same blue as the chandelier.

She looked frail, a little pale, but had obviously gone to some trouble to counteract that with expertly applied enhancers, with the silky flow of black pants and a rose-pink tunic.

Peabody surged to her feet, actually stammered. “Oh-oh, Ms. Callahan.”

“Detective Peabody.” Her voice, like the silk, came soft and smooth as she slowly crossed the room. “What a treat! Ariel said we had visitors, and finally told me who. I am such a fan! Eve Dallas. Oh my.” She clasped Peabody’s hand, then Eve’s before she lowered herself into a chair.

“I want to thank you both for all you do for the city I love. I came here to lose myself after I lost my love.” She looked to the painting. “Beautiful, weren’t they? The city, its energy, kept me going, helped me push myself back into the world, back into the work Bradley and I both loved.”

“I … my granny marched with you,” Peabody blurted out.

“Oh? Did she? Who’s your granny?”

“Josie McNamara.”

“No! Josie?” Eloise let out a bright laugh, clapped her hands together. “Josie, really? How marvelous! I’ll be damned. I remember Josie so, so well. What a spitfire. Tell me she’s still with us.”

“Yes, ma’am, and still a spitfire.”

“Of course she is.” She laughed again, full and rich. “Oh, what times we had. You tell Josie that El sends her the very best. God, what times we had,” she repeated. “Changed the world some, too, by God! Is that black coffee?” she asked Eve.

“Yes.”

“Could I just …”

Bemused, Eve handed Eloise her cup.

“Darla’s so strict about my caffeine intake these days. It’s juice, meds, water, juice, meds, water.” After a roll of her lovely eyes, Eloise sipped the coffee, sighed in pleasure. “That’s what I’m talking about.” She took another sip, then handed the cup back. “Our secret,” she said with those crystal eyes sparkling.

“Sure.”

“She takes such good care of me—too much of her time doing so. I’ve been under the weather recently, and I’m past the age where I just bounce back. Pissed me off, if you want to know the truth.” She sighed again. “Now tell me, what brings New York’s finest to my door today?”

Before Eve could respond, Eloise glanced toward the arch. Age, Eve concluded, hadn’t hurt her hearing. At the sound of footsteps, Eloise grinned. “Uh-oh, busted.”

Darla, composed again, stepped in. But grief lived in her swollen, red-rimmed eyes. Age also hadn’t dimmed Eloise’s vision.

“Darla! ” When she pushed to her feet, wobbled a bit, Eve moved quickly to steady her. “What’s the matter? Sweetie, what happened?”

“Oh, Grand.” Composure cracked, and fresh tears spilled through the fissures. “It’s Thaddeus. He’s dead. Thaddeus is dead.”

“Dead?” Eloise opened her arms as Darla rushed into them. “Oh, my poor, sweet girl. Here now, you sit.” She steered Darla to a sofa so she could sit beside her, keep an arm around her. “I’m so sorry, Darla. So sorry.”

She looked over at Eve as she soothed and stroked. “Jesus, I’m slow this morning. You’re Homicide. I should have known it was something like this, but I was so delighted to meet you both, I didn’t take the next step.”

“You should rest,” Darla began. “You shouldn’t get upset.”

“I’m fine, just fine. You stop. We’ll get you a soother.”

“No, no, I have to feel. I have to get through it. Oh, Grand, someone killed Thaddeus.”

“I know. I know. We’ll get through it together. How did it happen?” Eloise asked Eve.

“We’re investigating. I can tell you he left his residence in the company of an as yet unidentified female at approximately nine P.M. last night. His body was discovered at his residence several hours later.”

“At?” Eloise frowned as she hugged Darla to her side. “Outside? You didn’t say in, but at.”

Sharp mind, too, Eve concluded. “That’s correct.”

Eloise started to speak, then as Darla continued to struggle beside her, appeared to change her mind. “He lived with a woman. But I’m sure you know that, know about Marcella. So the woman wasn’t she?”

“Also correct, as Ms. Horowitz was out of town at the time, and with several other women. We will, however, speak with her and confirm.”