Memory in Death (In Death #22)(107)

"No. I guess it was fate. You know how you see somebody, and you just know?"

Eve thought of Roarke, of the way their eyes had met at a funeral. "Yeah, I do."

"It was like that for me and Bobby. D.K., um, Densil K. Easton, Bobby's partner, used to say every time we talked to each other, little hearts flew out of our mouths."

"Sweet. Whose idea was it to come to New York at this time?"

"Um, well, Mama Tru's. She wanted to talk to you. She'd seen you on media reports, about that cloning business, and recognized you."

"Who selected the hotel where you were staying at the time of her death?"

"She did. I guess that's just awful when you think about it. She picked the place where she died."

"We could call that ironic, too. At the time of the murder, you and Bobby were in the room across the hall and three doors down from the victim's."

"Um, gee. I know we were across the hall. I don't remember how many doors down, but that sounds right."

"And at the time of the murder, you and Bobby were in your room."

"Yes. We'd gone out to dinner, Mama Tru said she wasn't up for it. And we got a bottle of wine. After we got back, we..." She blushed prettily. "Well, we stayed in the room all night. I went down in the morning, to her room, because she wasn't answering the 'link. I thought maybe she was sick, or a little irritated with us for going out on the town. Then you came, and—and you found her."

She lowered her eyes again, worked up a few tears, Eve noted. "It was awful, just so awful. She was lying there, and the blood... You went in. I don't know how you can do that. It must be so hard, being a policewoman."

"Has its moments." Eve opened her file, pushed through some hard copies as if checking facts. "I've got my time line here. I'm just going to read through it, on record, and see if you concur."

While she did, Zana got busy biting her lip. "That sounds right."

"Good, good, now let's see what else we need to go over. Nice sweater, by the way."

Zana preened, looked down. "Thanks. I just liked the color so much."

"Goes with your eyes, doesn't it? Trudy's were green. Wouldn't have looked nearly as good on her."

Zana blinked. "I guess not."

There was a knock on the door. Feeney stepped in. Right on schedule, Eve thought. He held a pocket 'link, bagged for evidence, keeping his hand over it so that it couldn't be clearly seen. "Dallas? Need a minute."

"Sure. Peabody, go ahead and go over the events and time line of the Monday after the murder." Eve rose, walked over to Feeney while Peabody took the ball.

"How long you want me to stand here jawing?" he said under his breath.

"Just glance over at the suspect." Eve did the same, over her shoulder. Then, taking Feeney's arm, drew him out of the room. "Let's give her a minute to think about that. You're sure this is the same type registered to the victim."

"Yep, make, model, color."

"Good. She'd have gotten just enough of a look for that to register. Appreciate it."

"Could've sent one of my boys down with it, you know."

"You look more official and scary." Since she wanted Zana to sweat another minute, Eve dipped her hands in her pockets. "So how'd it go yesterday? Fancy dress dinner."

"Had one of my grandsons tip the gravy boat. He's a good kid, and we got a nice bond." He smiled wide. "Plus I paid him twenty. Worth it. See, the wife can't get too pissed at the kid, and I got to lose the suit. That was a winner, Dallas. Appreciate it."

"Happy to help." Her communicator beeped. "Dallas."

"Baxter. Couldn't find the sweater, but—"

"She's wearing it."

"No shit? Cocky little bitch. But we've got the handbag, the perfume, and the enhancements. Also—

and you're going to love this— since the warrant included communications and electronics, I had Trueheart take a look at her 'link log. We've got her scanning about flights to Bali. She's got a hold on a reservation on one, under the name Marnie Zane, next month. Single. One way. Out of New York, not Texas."

"Isn't that interesting? I'm sending Peabody out for the bag, and other items. Nice work, Baxter."

"Me and the kid had to make up for botching the tail."

"Got her in a corner, Dallas," Feeney commented when she clicked off.

"Yeah, but I want her in a cage."

She stepped back into the room, her expression sober. "Detective Peabody, I need you to retrieve some items from Detective Baxter."

"Yes, sir. We've completed the Monday time line."

"Okay." Eve sat as Peabody went out. "Zana, did you communicate, by 'link, with the victim at any time on the day of her death?"

"With Mama Tru? On that Saturday? She called our room, told us she wanted to stay in."

Eve laid the 'link on the table briefly, put the file over it. "Did you have further 'link communication with her, later that evening?"

"Ah, I can't really remember." She nibbled on her thumbnail. "It's all sort of muddled."

"I can refresh you on that. There were more communications from her 'link to yours. You had a conversation with her, Zana. One you didn't tell me about during your previous statements."