Dark in Death (In Death 46)

hat claimed GIRLS ROCK AND RULE on a compact frame.

She may or may not have been a wheeze.

“I know who you are,” Piper said, and looked up at her mother. “Who got killed?”

“No one you know. Lieutenant Dallas, Detective Peabody, my daughters, Heather and Piper. Sit down, girls.”

They sat on the sofa, immediately went from squabbling siblings to a unit. All four females ranged themselves together.

“I went to see the lieutenant and the detective this morning because a woman was killed last night. She was stabbed with an ice pick while watching a vid in a theater in Times Square.”

“Like in your book,” Piper said, those odd elf eyes direct on Eve’s face.

“Yes, and there was a murder last month of a licensed companion, and it was like one of my books.”

“That’s awful.” Heather snuggled closer to her mother. “Mom, that’s awful.”

“It’s sick plagiarism.”

“Piper.” Heather shot out an elbow, slickly evaded by its target. “It’s not a joke.”

“I’m not joking. Somebody’s copying Mom’s books to kill people. Sick plagiarism. Do you have a suspect?”

Does the kid ever blink? Eve wondered.

“I’m here to ask the questions. Has anyone approached either of you asking questions about your mother or her work?”

“Just the usual.” Heather took the lead. “Sometimes one of the teachers or one of the other parents asks when a new book’s coming out, or they want us to ask Mom to come talk to a class or their group. She doesn’t much do that.”

“Because she’s working,” Piper … piped up. “And some people just don’t get it.”

Closed ranks, Eve observed.

Girls rock and rule.

“Have you noticed anyone around the neighborhood you felt didn’t belong?”

The sisters looked at each other, shook their heads.

“Peabody.”

Peabody pulled out the photos again. “Have you seen this person?”

“You can’t see the faces, really. Are they the suspects?” Heather asked.

“Not they,” Piper corrected. “Her. I’ve seen her.”

“Don’t make things up.” Elbow jab.

“I’m not.” Return jab. “She was wearing those dopey goggles and the lame-o hat from the other picture. And that coat. The goofy one.” Piper closed those eerie eyes. “She had a scarf, too, but not the one in the picture. I think it was black-and-white. I think.”

“Where did you see her?”

“It was before Christmas. Remember we went on the stocking-stuffer hunt, then had dinner at Angelo’s? We walked.” She shifted to look directly at Eve. “The shops are only a few blocks away, and with the stocking-stuffer hunt, everything’s small, so no prob with big, heavy bags. And we kind of spread out so everybody doesn’t see what everybody else is buying. I saw her in City Kitchen when I was buying those spice bags for Grand, and I found those sugar spoons, too, for Mom’s coffee.”

“Did she approach you?” Eve demanded.

“Nuh-uh. Then we went into … At Your Leisure, and I got Heather those frilly socks, and I spotted Mom going gooey over this robe with blue checks, but she didn’t buy it. So I told Heather and we went back and bought it for her for Christmas.”