“I’m going to arrange for her data and communication equipment to be taken in. Would all her transactions and transmissions have been made and received by the ones in these rooms?”
“She might have called her mother, say, from one of the other ’links. But she did all her personal work on her own unit. I need to settle Vonnie down.”
“Go ahead.”
Eve studied the
ribbon. “It’s a good lead,” Peabody said.
“It’s a lead.” She put the ribbon in her evidence bag. “Let’s run it down.”
The main door of the penthouse opened as Eve walked back into the living area. The man who entered had a shock of gold hair, a pale, tired face. She saw Deann spring up from the couch where she was holding Vonnie and, with the child still in her arms, leap toward him.
“Luther. Oh, God, Luther.”
“Deann.” He enfolded both of them, dropped his head to his wife’s shoulder. “It’s not a mistake?”
She shook her head, and let go with the weeping Eve imagined she’d been holding in for hours.
“I’m sorry to intrude. I’m Lieutenant Dallas.”
He lifted his head. “Yes. Yes, I recognize you. Deann? Sweetheart, take Vonnie in the bedroom.” He kissed them both, and let them go.
“I’m very sorry for your loss, Mr. Vanderlea.”
“Luther. Please. What can I do? Is there something I should do?”
“It would help if you answered a few questions.”
“Yes. All right.” He looked in the direction his wife had gone. “I couldn’t get here sooner. It seemed to take forever to get home. Deann told me . . . I’m still not clear. Elisa—she went out to walk the dog, and she was . . . Deann said she was raped and murdered. Raped and murdered right over in the park.”
“Would she have told you if she was being bothered by anyone, if she was concerned about anything?”
“Yes.” He said it without hesitation. “If not me, certainly she would have told Deann. They were very close. We . . . We’re family.” He sat, let his head fall back.
“Were you and Ms. Maplewood close?”
“You’re asking me if Elisa and I had a sexual relationship. I wondered if you would, and told myself not to be insulted. I’m trying not to be. I don’t cheat on my wife, Lieutenant. I certainly wouldn’t take advantage of a very vulnerable woman in my employ, a woman I liked very much, a woman who worked very hard to give her child a good life.”
“I don’t ask to offend you. Why do you characterize Ms. Maplewood as vulnerable?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, dropped his hand. “She was a single parent who had been misused by her husband, who was dependent on me for her salary, for the roof over her head, come to that. Not that she couldn’t have found other employment. She knew how to work. But she might not have found a situation that allowed her child to grow up in a home like this, with a playmate, with people who loved her. Vonnie’s welfare was first for Elisa.”
“Was she threatened by her ex-husband?”
He smiled, humorlessly. “Not anymore. She was a strong woman, who’d put him where he belonged. In the past.”
“Do you know of anyone who’d want to hurt her?”
“Absolutely no one. That’s the God’s truth. I can’t resign myself, not fully, to the fact that anyone did. I know you have a job to do, but so do I. My wife needs me, the children need me. Can we do whatever else needs to be done later?”
“Yes. I want to take this.” She pulled out the roll of ribbon. “I can give you a receipt.”
“Not necessary.” He pushed to his feet, rubbed his hands over his face. “I’ve heard you’re good at your job.”
“I am good at it.”
“I’m depending on you.” He offered his hand. “We all are.”