Faithless in Death (In Death, #52)(21)

“Ouch.” She spotted Huffman getting off the elevator. “Here’s my dumb-ass.”

“Go get her, Loo.”

Back to the ponytail and minimal makeup, Eve noted. But now she wore light green cropped pants in a kind of shimmery fabric with a matching jacket over a bright white tee.

No heels, but Eve imagined the sandals with their thick wedges were fashionable.

She’d changed the red toenails for green.

She twirled her sunshades in her hand as she looked around. When she spotted Eve, she worked up a trembling smile.

“Lieutenant Dallas. I’m so glad—that’s not the right word. Relieved, I’m so relieved your detective contacted me. She said you’re making progress.”

“I believe we are. We appreciate you taking the time to come in.”

“Anything I can do to help—for Ariel.”

“Understood. Actually, we can use this room right down here. I’ll get you settled, get my partner and the paperwork. We don’t want to keep you longer than necessary. You look like you’re going out.”

“Oh, no. I did have lunch with friends earlier. I just couldn’t stay in my apartment, in my head.”

“I can imagine.”

“It’s a relief, again, to do something.”

“Absolutely. Excuse me, one minute. These officers have something for me.”

Because she stood next to Gwen, Eve felt the jolt when Gwen saw Shelby.

“Thanks, officers. I’ll take that.” Eve reached for the packet Officer Carmichael carried.

“Jan? Good lord, I can’t believe it! Jan Shelby.” With a bright laugh, Gwen stepped forward, threw her arms around Shelby, who stood stiffly, her eyes on Eve’s.

“Jan, it’s Gwen!”

“Yeah, I know.” Shelby eased back. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I could say the same. You’re a policewoman!”

“That’s right. Sorry, I’m on duty, and I have to get back.”

“But we have to get together, catch up. It’s been forever. You look amazing. I just love your hair.”

“Thanks. I have to get back,” she repeated.

“Wow.” Gwen let out the laugh again. “I think that’s what they call a blast from the past.”

“Do they?” Eve asked.

“Jan and I were summer friends—vacation friends—years and years ago. We were twelve, thirteen. It’s such a nice surprise to see her again. She works for you?”

“She works for the City of New York.”

Eve opened the door to Interview B.

“Oh!” The green toenails stopped at the threshold. “This looks so … official. And dire.”

“Private and handy. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“I’d love a sparkling water, if it’s no trouble.”

“No trouble. Have a seat. I’ll get what we need and we’ll get this done.”

She hurried back to the bullpen. “Peabody, Huffman’s in B. Get her a sparkling water—a small one. I’ll be two minutes.” She moved straight back to Shelby’s cube.

She looked at Officer Carmichael, got a slight nod.

Good, Shelby had told him.

“Officer Shelby.”

“Sir.”

“Would you like to observe this interview?”

“I … Yes, sir, I would.”

“Look for tells, inconsistencies, fabrications. Note them down, write them up for me. Can you do that?”

“Yes, sir, Lieutenant, I can.”

“Good. Officer Carmichael, I’d like you and Shelby in Observation asap. I’ll be ready to start in two minutes.”

“Get on your horse, girl,” Carmichael said quietly when Eve strode away. “Our LT’s counting on you.”

Eve got what she needed from her office, then walked down to meet Peabody outside Interview B.

“I’m having Shelby observe. Carmichael will be with her.”

“Does he know?”

“Yeah. Now let’s break this lying bitch down.”

Eve opened the door, put on her I’m very distracted face. “Record on. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve and Peabody, Detective Delia, entering Interview with Huffman, Gwendolyn, in the matter of case file H-5872.”

“Official,” Gwen said again, with suspicion in her eyes. “Dire.”

“Just official,” Eve assured her. “You’re here voluntarily as a witness, in the matter of Ariel Byrd’s murder. We need everything on record. I’m going to have you read over your statement from this morning—and you can make any corrections or additions—then initial and date each page, sign and date the last.”

“All right.”

“Before I do, I’m going to read you your rights, for the record.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The lieutenant does like to cross all the t’s,” Peabody said cheerfully. “Sometimes when it gets to court, or just to the lawyers, a witness will recant, or claim they didn’t mean what they said or that the cops twisted their words and/or meaning. Dallas likes to cross those t’s, have everything by the book and on the record.”

For Gwen’s benefit, Peabody gave Eve the side-eye. “Even though it takes longer.”