“Why do law firms actually sound like law firms? What’s his deal?”
Peabody balanced her PPC and the dog’s massive head. “Specializes in estate planning, tax law. Money stuff.”
“Like our wit. Interesting. See if there’s a connection between Dickenson and his firm and Whitestone and his.”
“Dickenson’s firm has two floors in . . . Roarke’s building—his headquarters.”
“More juicy real estate.”
“No cross on him and the wit, but they might have some clients who overlap.”
“I just bet they do.” She paused at the sound of the front door opening, turned.
Judge Gennifer Yung rushed in. Her stride hitched when she saw Eve, and for a moment—just a moment—her body seemed to sag. Then her shoulders straightened, her face went blank. She crossed to Eve in front of a slight-bodied man of Asian descent.
“Lieutenant.”
“Judge Yung. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. My brother?”
“He needed a minute.”
Judge Yung nodded. “Daniel, this is Lieutenant Dallas, and Detective Peabody. My husband, Doctor Yung.”
“The children,” Dr. Yung said. “Do they know?”
“They’re sleeping. I don’t believe they know anything’s wrong.”
The dog had already deserted Peabody, tail slapping like a whip as he wiggled around the judge and her husband.
“All right, Cody, good boy. Sit down. Sit.”
A striking woman with brown skin smooth, dark eyes prominent, a reputation for the fierce and fearless on the bench, Judge Yung laid a hand on Cody’s head, stroked. Stroked.
“I’m going to speak with Denzel. I know you have questions, and I know time is always at a premium, but I’m going to take a few moments with—” She broke off when Denzel came out, his face ravaged.
“Genny. Oh God, Genny. Marta.”
“I know. Honey, I know.” She went to him, wrapped her arms around him.
“Someone broke her neck.”
“What?” The judge pulled back, took her brother’s face in her hands. “What?”
“They said her
neck . . . Why didn’t I make her take the car service? Why didn’t I call them and make her take it?”
“Ssh now. Ssh. Come with me. We’re going to go in the other room for a while. Just lean on me, baby. Daniel.”
“Yes, of course.” Yung turned to Eve. “Would you like some coffee?”
She thought she could kill for some, but didn’t want to take the time. “We’re fine. Were you home when your brother-in-law contacted your wife?”
“Yes. It was about midnight, and he was frantic by then. Marta wasn’t answering her ’link and was nearly two hours late. He’d already contacted night security, and they had her logged out about ten, I believe. He’d called the police, but as you know there’s little done when a person is, seemingly, late coming home. So he called his sister for help.”
“I take it, as far as you know, Mrs. Dickenson wasn’t in the habit of being late.”