Vendetta in Death (In Death #49)(46)

“How can we help?”

“We need to verify Ms. Pettigrew’s whereabouts from nine P.M. to five A.M.”

Darla sobbed, struggled to compose herself. “They think I hurt Thaddeus.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. You’re upset, but you’re not stupid. They need to know to eliminate you from suspicion. You were married, sweetie, and—I’m sure they know, too—he tossed you aside for Marcella.”

Eloise cuddled Darla close.

“Darla was here.” She spoke firmly, eyes direct on Eve’s. “We were watching a vid. I’m afraid I fell asleep—I tire out much too easily. But we were settled in for the night. You checked on me,” she said to Darla. “I don’t know the precise time, and I admit I was half-asleep, but I remember you laying your hand on my forehead to check for fever. Which I haven’t had in weeks.”

She squeezed Darla’s hand. “Darla moved here with me, at my request, during the divorce. Thaddeus, his betrayal, hurt her very deeply.”

“You helped me so much, Grand.” The picture of grief, Darla pressed her face into her grandmother’s shoulder. “You helped me get through it.”

“We’ve helped each other.” The sweetness in the tone vanished as Eloise looked back at Eve.

Here was a woman with fiber and spine.

“More, Darla had her own company, one she’d worked so hard to build, and he cheated her out of her fair share, insisted as part of the divorce they sell it.”

“If you’d built it, Ms. Pettigrew, how did he force you to sell?”

Still holding Eloise, Darla wiped at her eyes. “Because Grand’s wrong,” she said with a sigh. “Sometimes I can be stupid. I gifted him the majority. It was supposed to be for tax purposes, estate purposes. I believed that, and I believed him. And I simply didn’t notice he used that majority to draw funds from the company until it was too late. I had to agree to the sale or the company would sink. And me with it. And, to be honest, I didn’t have the spine to fight him. But I got through it, with Grand’s help. She pushed me until I finally agreed to go to a support group, and they helped, too.”

Big buzz, Eve thought. “What support group is that?”

“Women For Women. Going showed me I wasn’t alone, and I hadn’t been stupid as much as I’d simply loved and believed someone who’d betrayed me. I haven’t been in months now because I did get through it. I did!”

“And you wouldn’t leave me when I was ill.” Stroking, Eloise spoke gently. “You should go back for a booster, sweetie. We all need our women to encircle us in hard times.”

“Maybe. Yes, maybe I will.”

“In this group,” Eve said, “you shared the issues and details of your marriage, divorce?”

Darla cast her swollen, red-rimmed eyes down. “Yeah, that’s the point. To share. It’s private—you agree to that going in, and that helps encourage you to share, to open. We all only use first names.”

“Did you attend any meetings with a Jasmine or a Leah?”

Darla’s shoulders drew in. “I—it’s confidential. I don’t feel right saying yes or no.”

“It may help with the investigation.”

“I don’t see how—”

“It’s not your job to see how,” Eloise put in, still gentle but firm. “It’s theirs, sweetie.”

Darla sighed. “It still doesn’t feel right, but yes. A Leah and a Jasmine were both in group, at least for a while. As I said, I haven’t been in months, and I’m pretty sure both of them stopped coming even long before that. How could that help? How could that have anything to do with Thaddeus?”

“We’ll find out. I want to thank you for your cooperation and your time.”

“Lieutenant,” Darla began as Eve and Peabody rose. “I know we were no longer married, but … Will you tell me if you find a suspect? If you find who did this to Thaddeus?”

“We’ll relay any information that’s appropriate.”

“Thank you. I’ll walk you out.”

“I’ll do that.” Eloise also got to her feet. “I need to move, remember? And I’m starving, Darla. Would you go back and see that breakfast gets going?”

“Absolutely! I’m so glad you’re hungry. Grand’s appetite hasn’t been the best,” she explained. “I hope you find the person who did this. I hope you find them soon.”

Darla went out, and Eloise slowly started forward.

“What did you want to say?” Eve asked her.

“You’re very astute. Two things, actually,” she said as she led them into the foyer. “First, I’m going to say I’m not sorry he’s dead, but that’s personal. I’m sorry for Darla because this upsets her, and she’ll grieve. The other’s a question. The way you said he’d gone with someone, then hours later his body … Left outside his house. I’ve spent far too much time watching the screen these last couple of weeks since I’m better but not all the way back. Was this, was Thaddeus like the man—I can’t recall the name—left outside his apartment building?”

Word would be out soon enough. “There are similarities.”