Forgotten in Death(40)

“You have things walk off a job.”

“From time to time. And if you let it slide, the ones doing the walking will not only do it again, they’ll inevitably up the stakes. So you not only track it down, you let it be known you are. Now and again, things walk right back on—ah, look here, we found the missing items. Just misplaced.”

He shrugged. “That’s not always the case, of course, but it can and does happen.”

Bolton came back with his older daughter. “Lilith will be right in. She’s bringing coffee. She can’t help herself.”

“It’s appreciated.” Eve looked toward Harmony. “You’re chief financial officer of your father’s company.”

“I am. And if you’re thinking nepotism, I have a master’s in accounting and degrees in finance and business management.”

“Harmony.”

“Just establishing my bona fides, Dad. A lot of people thought I was just the boss’s daughter, indulged by her daddy. A lot of people found out differently.”

“As that’s the case, you could answer some questions.”

“Happy to, once I know what this is all about. We all know about the woman who was killed, and we’re all sorry. But I don’t know what that has to do with the family, or the books. And if this gets too deeply into that, I’d like my husband to sit in as legal representation. He’s taking the bar next month, but he can give us legal advice.”

No pushover this one, Eve thought. Tough and pithy, with a no-bullshit air she admired.

“You’re free to do that if you feel the need.”

Eve glanced over as Lilith wheeled in a smart and efficient-looking stainless cart.

“If I recall from the Icove vid, you both take your coffee black.”

“It’s kind of you to trouble,” Roarke told her.

“No trouble at all. Clearly, Bolt’s upset, so I’m assuming you didn’t bring good news.”

“Lilith, Carmine Delgato’s dead.”

“What?” Her hands froze in the act of pouring coffee. “No, oh, Bolt, no. How, when? My God, I just spoke with Angie this morning.”

“About what?” Eve asked.

“Open Hearts—I work with my mother-in-law in her foundation—we put on a fashion show every fall, a benefit. Angie’s been cochair for the last five years. And she’s a friend, we’re friends. I need to call her. Should I go over to see her?”

“You should hold off on that,” Eve said. “Her children are with her.”

“She separated from Carmine—you must know. But she loved him. She couldn’t live with him anymore, but she loved him. This will crush her. Oh my God, did he have an accident on a job site?”

“No.”

“Sit, Mom. I’ll do that.”

Lilith sat, reached for and gripped her husband’s hand. “What happened to him?”

“He was found hanging in his apartment in what appeared to be self-termination.”

“No, no, no, that’s somehow worse. But it can’t be, it can’t be. He loved her, too. He had a sickness, but he loved her and his children. He wouldn’t do that to them. I don’t believe it.”

“There are certain factors that call the self-termination into question. The medical examiner will determine.”

“You’re very cool about it,” Harmony muttered as she passed Eve and Roarke their coffee.

Ignoring that, Eve studied her. “Did you know Mr. Delgato?”

“Of course. I’ve worked for Singer in a full-time capacity for six years, and worked summers since I was seventeen. I know her better, as I also help run the annual benefit. I’m the numbers nerd.”

“And as the numbers nerd for Singer, what sort of percentage goes into the lost or missing equipment and material column every quarter?”

“That would depend on the quarter, the nature of the jobs included in that quarter, but, in general, that figure ran about three percent when I came on. I had it down to one and three-quarters when I took my parental leave. When I come back, I intend to push it down to under one percent.”

She passed coffee to her parents, then poured her own.

“How long have you been on leave?”

“Nineteen months. Marvi’s eighteen months now, and Justin and I wanted to give her up to two years before we hired child care. I left in my last month of pregnancy, as I came under considerable pressure to do so.”

She sent her parents the side-eye.

“You were exhausting yourself,” her mother reminded her.

“Before that time, did any avenues lead toward Delgato?”

“I can’t say, as my boss, the CEO, felt it more important to try to lower the percentage than point fingers.”

“The cost of doing business,” Bolton began.

“Shouldn’t be allowing employees and subs to pick the company pockets,” his daughter finished. Then smiled brightly. “The CEO and the CFO disagree on this point. You think Carmine Delgato was picking company pockets?”

“I do. But I don’t have hard evidence as yet.”

“If these avenues and information provide that hard evidence, or vindicate Mr. Delgato, we should find the information. And if it helps find out what happened and why to Mr. Delgato, I know the CEO and CFO would fully agree to looking into it.”