Survivor In Death (In Death #20)(41)

“Yeah, we're chill now. Name?”

“Man.” He shuffled his feet. “Ramon. Ramon Pasquell. I got legitimate parole, man. I be looking for a job now, but I'm standing here jawing you.”

“Right. Ramon, if you or your associates remember anything else, you can contact me at Central.” She handed him a card and a twenty.

“Hey!” No amount of joy lighting his face could make it any less ugly. “You fridge for a big nose.”

“Sweet talker,” she said and walked into the building.

“You don't have a big nose,” Peabody pointed out. “In fact, it could be called narrow and elegant.”

“Big nose--nosey--cops, GPS, probation officers, and so on. We're all big noses to mopes like Ramon.”

“Ah, I gets. Report has the witness on the third floor. Cable, Minnie.”

It only took one glance at the grimy, dented door of the single skinny elevator to have Eve taking the grimy stairs instead. She had a moment to wonder why the stench of urine and puke always seemed to permeate the walls in such places when a uniform stepped out of a door on the third floor.

She noted he made them as cops even before he eyed the badge she'd hooked in her belt. “Lieutenant, you're quick. I just called for detectives.”

“Belay that, Officer. This incident may be related to one of our cases. She going to give me anything worthwhile?”

“Saw the whole thing. She's excitable, but she saw the grab, recognized the victim. Meredith Newman. Child Protection. I contacted GPS, and it checks. Newman was due here for a home check.”

“Okay. Rescind the request for a detective. I'll contact Central after I've talked to the wit. I'd like you to wait downstairs. I've got your unit boxed in anyway. I'll want your report when I'm done up here.”

“Yes, sir.”

As he went down, Eve glanced at Peabody, noted the beads of sweat on her partner's face. Should've risked the elevator, she thought. “You holding, Peabody?”

“Yeah, I'm fine.” She dug out a tissue, wiped her face. “Still get a little winded, but the exercise is good for me. I'm good.”

“You're otherwise, I want to know. Don't pu**y around.” Eve stepped up to the door, knocked. She could already hear the shouts, the crying, the voices. A trio of voices, if she wasn't mistaken. And two of them kids.

It seemed to be her week for kids.

“Police, Ms. Cable.”

“I just talked to the police.” A woman, looking harassed--and who wouldn't with one kid on the hip and the other pulling at your leg?-- opened the door. Her hair was a short, spiky blonde, her build going toward bottom heavy. And her eyes had the rabbit pink hue of a funky junkie.

“Lieutenant Dallas, Detective Peabody. We'd like to come in.”

“I told the other guy the works. Jeez, Lo-Lo would ya stop for two seconds. Sorry, the kids're riled up.”

“This Lo-Lo?” Peabody smiled. “Hi, Lo-Lo, why don't you come on over here with me.”

Kids responded to Peabody, Eve noted. And this one, a pint-size with hair as blonde and spiky as her mother's, peeled off her mother's leg, put her hand in Peabody's, and walked off babbling.

There wasn't far to go. The room was a little L, with a kitchen forming the jag. But there were a few toys scattered around, and the kid arrowed toward the pile to share them with her new pal.

“I saw from the window, there.” Minnie pointed, shifting the smaller child on her hip. This one had eyes as big and unblinking as an owl's, and a crop of smokey brown curls. “I was watching for her, for Ms. Newman. She don't--didn't think I'd clean up, she didn't think I'd kick the funk. But I did. Been off it six months now.”

“Good.” And if she hadn't been on it too much longer than she'd been off, her eyes might one day lose the red rims and pinkish whites.

“They were going to take my kids. I had to clean up for my kids, so I did. Not their fault I got screwed up. I'm off the funk, and I go to meetings. I get spot checked, and I'm clean. I need Ms. Newman to say I can keep my temp professional mother status. I gotta have the money, gotta pay the rent and the food, and--”

“I'll contact GPS and tell them I was here, saw you were clean, and your children cared for. Your place is clean,” she added.

“I made sure. It gets messy, with the kids, but I don't let it get dirty. I get some more money together, I'm going to move us to a better neighborhood. But this is the best I can do now. I don't want to screw up my kids.”

“I can see that. GPS will send another rep out. You won't lose your status due to these circumstances.”

“Okay.” She turned her face into the little one's neck. “Sorry. I know I shouldn't be so into what's going on with me when that lady got herself grabbed like that. But I don't want to lose my kids.”

“Tell me what you saw.”

“I was standing there, at the window. I was nervous, because she didn't like me. That's not right,” she corrected. “She didn't care. Didn't give a dried-up turd.” She winced, looked over at her older girl. “I try not to use bad language in front of the kids, but I forget.”

“Don't worry about it.” Eve stepped to the window. There was a clear view of the street. She could see the black-and-white, and her own vehicle. And the shaking fists of drivers who were fighting the logjam the double-parking caused. “Here?”