Imitation in Death (In Death 17)

“As I’ve just said.”

“Mummy.”

They both turned and looked at the young girl—gold and pink and white, as pretty as a frosted cake—on the stairs. A woman of about twenty-five, with a spill of black hair clipped back neatly at her nape, held the girl’s hand.

“Not now, Rose. It’s impolite to interrupt. Sophia, take Rose back upstairs. I’ll let you know when the guests have arrived.” She spoke to her daughter and the woman in the same polite and distant tones.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She gave the girl’s hand a little tug—Eve saw it, and the slight resistance of the child before the girl went obediently back up the stairs.

“If there’s nothing more, Lieutenant, you’ll have to make an appointment with either myself or my husband through our offices.” She walked to the door, opened it. “I hope you find who you’re looking for soon, so this can be put to rest.”

“I’m sure Jacie Wooton and Lois Gregg feel exactly the same way. Thanks for your time.”

Chapter 10

With the help of Lois Gregg’s daughter-in-law, Eve mapped out the daily routine of the victim’s life.

Leah Gregg served iced tea in the compact nook off her compact kitchen. S

he wanted to keep her hands busy, Eve could see. And her mind occupied. More, Eve saw a woman who wanted to take some active part in standing for her husband’s mother.

“We were close. Actually, Lois was closer to me than my own mother. Mine lives in Denver with my stepfather. We have issues.” She smiled when she said it, a tight-lipped grimace that indicated they were big issues. “But Lois was the best. Some of my friends have trouble with their in-laws. Unwanted advice, little digs, interference.”

She shrugged, and sat across from Eve at the narrow service bar. Then she nodded at the ring on Eve’s left hand. “You’re married, so you know how it can be—especially with mothers of sons, who don’t want to let go of their baby boy.”

Eve made a noncommittal sound. There was no point in saying no, she didn’t know how it could be. Her husband’s mother had been forced to let go of her baby boy a long, long time ago.

“But I didn’t get any of that from Lois. Not that she didn’t love her kids. She just knew how to keep it all balanced. She was fun, and smart, and had a life of her own. She loved her kids, she loved the grands, she loved me.” Leah had to take a long, calming breath. “Jeff and his sister, all of us really, are just flattened by this. She was young and healthy, vital and active. The sort of woman you expect to live forever, I guess. To lose her this way, it’s just cruel. But well . . .” She took another breath. “I guess you know that, in your line of work. And it’s not why you’re here.”

“I know this is hard, Mrs. Gregg, and I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me.”

“I’ll do anything, absolutely anything, to help you find the bastard who did this to Lois. I mean that.”

Eve saw that she did. “I take it you talked to her often.”

“Two, three times a week. We got together very often: Sunday dinners, shopping sprees, girl days. We were friends, Lieutenant. Lois and I . . . she was, I guess I’ve just realized, she was my best friend. Oh, shit.”

She broke off, pushing off to grab some tissue. “I’m not going to lose it, it won’t help her or Jeff or the kids for me to lose it. Just give me a second.”

“Take your time.”

“We’re having a memorial tomorrow. She didn’t want anything formal or depressing. She used to joke about it. ‘When my time comes,’ she’d say, ‘I want you to have a nice, tasteful memorial service and make it short. Then, break out the champagne and have a party. Celebrate my life.’ That’s what we want to do, we will do because she wanted it. But it wasn’t supposed to be now. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I don’t know how we’ll get through it. One minute at a time, I guess.”

She sat again, breathed again. “Okay. I know what was done to her. Jeff told me. He tried not to, but he fell apart and it all came pouring out, so I know what was done to her. You don’t have to be delicate with me.”

“She must’ve liked you a lot.” It was the first time Peabody had spoken, and the comment had Leah’s eyes tearing again.

“Thanks. Now what can I do?”

“She wore a ring, third finger, left hand.”

“Yes, she considered it her wedding ring though she and Sam never made it formal. Sam was the love of her life. He died a few years ago in an accident, and she continued to wear his ring.”

“Can you describe it?”

“Sure. Gold band, channel set with little sapphires. Five little sapphires because he gave it to her on their fifth anniversary. Very classic, very simple. Lois didn’t like flashy jewelry.”