“That’s right, but it’s okay to talk to the police, isn’t it?” Peabody took out her badge, gave it to the little girl. “Did your mommy tell you about the police?”
“They help people and catch bad guys.”
“That’s right. I’m Detective Peabody, and this is Lieutenant Dallas.”
“Whatsa Loonat?”
“It’s a job,” Peabody said without missing a beat. “It means she’s a policeman who catches lots of bad guys.”
“Okay. I can’t find my mommy. Aunt Deann’s sleeping. Can you find my mommy?”
Peabody’s eyes met Eve’s over the little girl’s head. “Why don’t we go find your aunt Deann?” Peabody suggested.
“She’s sleeping.” Her voice spiked, her lips began to tremble. “She said a bad man hurt my mommy and she can’t come home. I want my mommy to come home now.”
“Vonnie—”
But she shook Peabody off, planted herself in front of Eve. “Did a bad man hurt my mommy?”
“You should come with me now, Vonnie.”
“I want her to say.” She pointed her little finger at Eve, poked out her bottom lip. “She’s the Loonat.”
Jesus, Eve thought. Oh, Jesus. She jerked her head, signaling Peabody to get Deann, then she sucked it in, crouched as Peabody had. “Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Tears were gathering in big eyes the color of bluebells. “Did she go to the doctor?”
Eve thought of Morris, the steel table, the cold, clear lights of the morgue. “Not exactly.”
“Doctors make you better. She should go to the doctor. If she can’t come home, can you take me to her?”
“I can’t. She’s . . . she’s in a place we can’t go. All I can do is find the person who hurt her, so he can be punished.”
“He’ll have to stay in his room?”
“Yeah, so he can’t ever hurt anyone else.”
“Then she can come home?”
Eve looked over, helpless and weak with relief when Deann rushed in. “Vonnie. Come with me, baby.”
“I want Mommy.”
“I know, baby. I know.” Deann gathered her up, snuggled her in as the child began to weep on her shoulder. “I fell asleep. I’m sorry.”
“I know it’s hard. I know it’s bad timing all around. I need to ask you where she got the supplies in this basket.”
“Her sewing basket? Here and there. She loved to make things. I went with her a few times. She tried to teach me, but I was hopeless. There was a place on Third—ah, God—um, Sew What. And a big supply house downtown, near Union Square. Total Crafts, I think. And the one at the Sky Mall. I’m sorry.”
She rocked back and forth on her heels, stroking Vonnie’s hair. “She’d go in to a shop if she was passing, rarely came out empty-handed.”
“Would you know where she bought this, specifically?” Eve held up the ribbon.
“No, I don’t.”