Mavis put her head in her hands and struggled to bring it back. Holding onto the memory was like trying to hold a fistful of water. ‘I just don’t know. I was seriously impaired. I remember walking and walking. Getting to Leonardo’s, thinking it was the last time I was going to see him. I didn’t want to be drunk when I did, so I took some Sober Up before I went in. Then I found her, and it was a lot worse than being drunk.’

‘What was the first thing you saw when you walked in?’

‘Blood. Lots of blood. Things knocked over, ripped, more blood. I was so afraid that Leonardo had hurt himself, and I ran back to his work area, and saw her.’ This was a memory she could bring back with perfect clarity. ‘I saw her. I recognized her because of the hair, and because she was wearing the same outfit as she’d had on earlier. But her face . . . it really wasn’t even there at all. I couldn’t scream. I knelt down beside her. I don’t know what I thought I could do, but I had to do something. Then something hit me, and when I woke up, I called you.’

‘Did you see anyone as you were going into the building, on the street outside?’

‘No. It was late.’

‘Tell me about the security camera.’

‘It was broken. Sometimes street punks get a charge out of bashing them. I didn’t think anything of it.’

‘How did you get into the apartment?’

‘The door wasn’t locked. I just walked in.’

‘And Pandora was dead when you got there? You didn’t speak with her, argue?’

‘No, I told you. She was lying there.’

‘You’d fought with her earlier, twice. Did you fight with her tonight in Leonardo’s apartment?’

‘No. She was dead. Dallas—’

‘Why did you fight with her on the previous occasions?’

‘She threatened to ruin Leonardo’s career.’ Emotions flickered over Mavis’s bruised face. Hurt, fear, grief. ‘She wouldn’t let him go. We were in love, but she wouldn’t let him go. You saw the way she was, Dallas.’

‘Leonardo and his career are very important to you.’

‘I love him,’ Mavis said quietly.

‘You’d do anything to protect him, to see that he wasn’t harmed, personally or professionally.’

‘I’d decided to get out of his life,’ Mavis stated with a dignity that warmed Eve. ‘She’d have hurt him otherwise, and I couldn’t let that happen.’

‘She couldn’t hurt him, or you, if she was dead.’

‘I didn’t kill her.’

‘You went to her home, argued, she hit you and you fought. You left and got drunk. You made your way to Leonardo’s apartment, found her there. Maybe you argued again, maybe she attacked you again. You defended yourself, and things got out of hand.’

Mavis’s big, tired eyes registered puzzlement first, then hurt. ‘Why are you saying that? You know it’s not true.’

Eyes flat, Eve leaned forward. ‘She was making your life hell, threatening the man you love. She hurt you, physically. She was stronger than you. When she saw you come into Leonardo’s she went for you again. She knocked you down, you hit your head. Then you were afraid, you grabbed the closest thing at hand. To protect yourself. You hit her with it, to protect yourself. Maybe she kept coming at you, so you hit her again. To protect yourself. Then you lost control, and kept hitting her, and kept hitting her, until you realized she was dead.’

Mavis’s breath sobbed through her lips. She shook her head, kept shaking it while her body trembled violently. ‘I didn’t. I didn’t kill her. She was already dead. For God’s sake, Dallas, how can you think I could do that to anybody?’

‘Maybe you didn’t.’ Push, Eve ordered herself as her heart bled. Push hard, for the record. ‘Maybe Leonardo did, and you’re protecting him. Did you see him lose control, Mavis? Did he pick up the walking stick and hit her?’

‘No, no, no!’

‘Or did you get there after he had done it, after he was standing over her body. Panicked. You wanted to help him cover it up, so you got him out; called it in.’

‘No. It wasn’t like that.’ She lunged up from her chair, cheeks white, eyes wild. ‘He wasn’t even there. I didn’t see anyone. He could never do that. Why aren’t you listening to me?’

‘I am listening to you, Mavis. Sit down. Sit down,’ Eve repeated more gently. ‘We’re almost done here. Is there anything you wish to add to your statement, or any change you wish to make in its content at this time?’

Tags: J.D. Robb In Death Mystery
Source: readsnovelonline.net