Memory in Death (In Death 22)

“Well, D.K., he’s what you’d call a risk-taker. I never would’ve gone out on my own if he hadn’t nudged me. My mama, she could be a little critical of people. She didn’t think we’d make it in the business, but we’re doing okay.”

“They didn’t get along?”

“Mostly, D.K. and Marita stayed out of her way. Marita’s his wife.”

“Anyone else she didn’t get along with?”

“Well, I guess Mama wasn’t what you’d call a people person.”

“How about people she did get along with, people she was close to?”

“Me and Zana. Always used to tell me she didn’t need anybody but me, but she made room for Zana. She raised me on her own, you know. That was hard. She had to give up a lot to make sure I had a good home. I came first. She always told me I came first.”

“I know this is hard. How about her assets? She had the house, right?”

“It’s a good place. Can’t have a son in the business and not have a good property. She was pretty well set. Worked hard all her life, was careful with her money. Frugal.”

“You inherit.”

He looked blank. “I guess. We never talked about it.”

“How’d she get along with Zana?”

“Good. Things were a little rough at first. Mama—I was all she had, and she wasn’t real happy about Zana right off.

You know how mothers are.” He caught himself, colored. “Sorry, that was stupid.”

“No problem. She had a problem with you marrying Zana?”

“Just me getting married, I’d say. But Zana won her over. They get—got along fine.”

“Bobby, were you aware that your mother went to see my husband on Friday afternoon?”

“Your husband? What for?”

“She wanted money. A lot of money.”

He simply stared, shook his head slowly side to side. “That can’t be right.”

He didn’t look shocked, she noted. He simply looked baffled. “Do you know who I’m married to?”

“Yeah, sure. There were all those media reports after the cloning scandal. I couldn’t believe it was you, right up on the screen. I didn’t even remember you at first. It’s been a long time. But Mama did. She—”

“Bobby, your mother came to New York for a reason. She wanted to contact me again because I happen to be married to a man who has a lot of money. She wanted some of it.”

His face remained blank, his voice slow and careful. “That’s just not true. That’s just not.”

“It is true, and it’s very likely she had an associate, and that associate killed her when there was no money given. Bet you could use a couple million dollars, Bobby.”

“A couple million… You think I did that to Mama?” He got shakily to his feet. “That I’d hurt my own mother? A couple million dollars.” His hands went to the sides of his head, squeezed. “This is crazy talk. I don’t know why you’d say things like that. Somebody broke in, came in through the window, and killed my mother. He left her lying on the floor in there. You think I could do that to my own blood? To my own mother?”

She stayed where she was, kept her tone just as brisk, just as firm. “I don’t think anyone broke in, Bobby. I think they came in. I think she knew them. She had other injuries, injuries she sustained hours before her death.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The facial wounds, bruising elsewhere on her person, all were inflicted sometime Friday night. Injuries you claim you knew nothing about.”

“I didn’t. It can’t be.” The words hitched and jumped out of his mouth. “She’d have told me if she was hurt. She’d have told me if somebody hurt her. For God’s sake, this is just crazy.”