Faithless in Death (In Death, #52)(81)

“Is he violent with you?”

“Sometimes. Not bad, not like Mr. Piper with Marcia. Harley just slaps or takes away a privilege.” She stroked the baby’s cheek as he kneaded her other breast and stared up at her. “I can watch one hour of screen a day, or read for one hour, as long as all my housework is done.”

She looked down, continued to stroke her baby’s cheek. “It’s not right. I know it’s not right. But they watch—some of the other women on the block. Gina—she lives across the street—she told me once they get extra privileges if they report infractions. She tried to leave once, but they caught her. She had a black eye after. She used to laugh a lot, but not anymore.”

“What’s Gina’s full name?”

Zoe looked up again. “Can you help her?”

“I’m going to try. What’s her name?”

“Gina Dawber. She’s the one who told me how to get a little money from the marketing. Every few times you go, you take something back you haven’t opened or used, and ask for cash instead of credit to the debit card. Harley always checks the debit card when I go, but if you just return some cleaner or something, get the cash, you can start saving.”

Smoothly, she shifted the baby to her other breast. “I saved, and put the money in one of Gabe’s diapers—a clean one,” she added with the first hint of a smile. “Harley doesn’t change Gabe. That’s a mother’s job. I bought the clone ’link, and hid that, too. We’re not allowed to have our own ’link.”

Gracie and Roarke brought in tea, coffee, some muffins that looked freshly baked.

“Look at that little angel, sound asleep now.” Gracie trailed a finger over Gabe’s down of brown hair. “He’s got your jawline, and your nose. Would you like me to take him up, settle him in his crib? I raised two of my own,” she added.

She walked over to a small screen sitting on a table. After tapping some buttons, she gestured. “That’s your room I’ve programmed on, and his crib right there. You’ll be able to see and hear him. I’ll sit in the rocker right by the crib, and when you’ve finished your talk, I’ll come and bring you up to your room.”

“You’ll stay with him? He’s a good sleeper, but …”

“It’s a new place, and if he wakes he’ll want his mama, won’t he? Don’t worry, I’ll bring him straight to you if he wakes.”

“Thank you.” Tears welling again, Zoe lifted the baby toward Gracie. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Not to worry.” She settled the sleeping boy on her shoulder. “Bless you,” she said to Roarke, then turned to Eve. “Bless you both.”

When Gracie carried the baby out, Roarke stepped back again. “I’ll just be in the next room.”

“You don’t have to go,” Zoe told him. “I recognize you, too. I’ve seen you both on-screen, when Harley watches the news. I’m better now, I think. I feel better. Oh, look! She’s putting Gabriel in his crib. He’s a good sleeper. He’s so sweet. I couldn’t stand the idea of him growing up in that house, in the order. And now with another.” She pressed a hand to her belly. “I couldn’t bear it.”

“You’re very brave.”

Zoe shook her head at Roarke. “I’ve been afraid nearly every day for almost two years. But I saw you today, Lieutenant Dallas. I saw you and the other policewoman next door at the Pipers’, and I thought, It’s a sign. It’s a sign that it’s time, that there’s someone who can help. And still I didn’t do anything.”

“You called for help.”

“Not until after … Marcia.”

“I need you to tell me what happened. You said they took her away. Who took her?”

“Mr. Piper came home. He doesn’t have to stay at the compound for retreat like Harley does. Because Marcia’s not well, and they have children, and he’s a VP and all. It was quiet. It’s always quiet on the block at night. I put Gabe to bed at eight. I couldn’t settle. I was trying to think what I should do, how I should do it. And then I heard them.”

“Next door?”

“Yes. I had windows open, and I guess Marcia did, too, so I heard them. He was shouting at her, calling her stupid and swearing at her. I could hear him hitting her, and her crying. I put my hands over my ears. I sat on the floor with my hands over my ears but I could still hear them.”

When she picked up her tea, her hand shook again.

“It’s happened before. It happens a lot. The kids used to cry when it happened, but the last few times, they stay quiet, and I thought about them with their hands over their ears like me.”

She breathed out, drank some tea. “He just screamed at her, horrible things, and I could hear thumps and crashes, things breaking or falling over. It was worse this time than the other times. I kept hearing something—her, I think—hit the wall. The shared wall between our houses. Then it stopped. At first, I thought, Thank God, it’s over.

“I felt sick. I was afraid to close the windows in case he heard and realized I’d heard him beating her. I went upstairs, and I couldn’t settle. I told myself to go to bed, just go to bed and I’d figure out what to do in the morning. Then I saw the van drive up.”