Festive in Death (In Death #39)(115)

“It’s us, that’s what you said when you saw this.” He looked up at her. “So it is, and it’s going straight onto my desk. Open this.”

Relieved the emotional jag had passed, she ripped in. And found the exact same photo. Different frame, but the same photo. Nothing could have struck her more.

“Look at us. We know each other.”

“And love each other anyway.”

“All glammed up, and your knuckles bleeding, my eye already going purple. To think of all that bullshit prepping for the cameras. The Trina treatment. Clothes, hair, face—and I end up with a black eye anyway.”

“You got your man. And it was a hell of an after party.”

“Bagging Frye was the best part, but, yeah, it was. If parties didn’t take so much time and work, they’d . . . Wait. Wait.”

“For what?”

“She helped with the party prep. That’s what Tella told me today. Catiana was over there, helped out, got ready for the party there. Catiana.”

Roarke dangled a ribbon for Galahad to bat at. “I suspect it’s Christmas that’ll have to wait.”

“I need to . . . No, it can wait.” She started to reach for another gift, but he took her hand.

“We know each other.”

She turned her hand under his, gripped tight. “Thank God. You can wear your new coat.”

So she ran those twists and turns as he drove, wondered if she indeed smoothed some of them out. It made a convoluted, nasty kind of sense. And considering those involved, it played right through to crescendo.

She didn’t bother to have Copley brought up, but went down to the bowels of Central, logged in, badged through and walked up to where Copley paced his cell.

“What do you want? I don’t have to talk to you. Fuck you, and you with her,” he said to Roarke.

“You can send for the lawyer you don’t respect, or you can answer a couple of simple questions. On the night of your holiday party, what time did you see or speak to your wife for the first time?”

“How the hell do I know? I wasn’t watching the damn clock.”

“Fine.” Eve turned away.

“Wait. Why does it matter? I told you when I got home, I told you I went up to dress. Tash came in later. She was running behind.”

“What about hair, makeup?”

“So what? Wait, wait. She had to deal with it herself. She was rushed, something about a screwup with catering. She was upset, said how she’d had to put out a dozen fires. I know she’d been running around dealing with things because Tella’s girl called up, caught me just after I got out of the shower, looking for her.”

“Why not tag Natasha directly?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I had a party to get ready for. I don’t get into the domestic stuff. Tash deals with that. She deals with the staff.”

“How long did it take you to get ready?”

“Jesus Christ. I don’t know. I take my time. Maybe ninety minutes.”

“So Catiana was looking for your wife about six-thirty? Sometime around six-thirty?”

“About that. So what? The girl should’ve been able to handle whatever the problem was instead of bothering us. But I didn’t kill her for it.”

“You’re a complete dick, JJ,” Eve commented, and walked away with him shouting after her.

“He is, indeed, a complete dick,” Roarke agreed.

“Yeah, but he’s not a murderer.”

EPILOGUE

A skeleton crew manned the hospital. That meant Eve had to go through more hoops for admittance to the surgical wing, but she found herself tolerant.

When she stepped into Natasha’s room with Roarke, she noted they’d brought in a tree, gifts, strung some lights.

Natasha sat up in bed, flanked by her sister and brother-in-law. She looked more alert, and had added lip dye, other enhancements. She wore a lacy robe over a silky gown.

“Lieutenant.” Martella came over to greet her. “Roarke. Oh, you work too hard to still be at it on Christmas Eve! Please, have some champagne. The doctor said Tash could have a half glass. She’s doing so much better already.”

“So I see. You look better, Ms. Quigley.”

“I feel more myself. A little weak and shaky, but much better. Tella and Lance brought me Christmas.”

“Nice. We’ll have to skip the champagne, but this won’t take long. I wanted to check in on you, and give you some updates.”

“So kind.”

“I’m going to have just a couple questions, to tie it all up. I’ll keep it simple.”

“Of course—if you’re sure it can’t wait.”

“When we’re this close to wrapping things up, we don’t want any loose threads.”

“You know what happened?”

“I do. Mind?” Eve asked as she eased down at the foot of the bed.

“Of course not. I’m so grateful for your dedication.”

“Just doing my job. And doing it, I should remind you that you can have a legal rep present. I read you your rights the other day, but I can refresh you if you need it.”

“So formal. No need for that. Of course I remember. I don’t want a lawyer.” She actually patted Eve’s hand. “Ask your questions so you can go home and enjoy your own Christmas.”