“Yes. The rock star. No. Status.”
“Well, shit, now I want a doughnut. When we got here, Ms. Ruzaki was up and getting breakfast into her kid. Cute kid,” he added. “Both of them still in pajamas. Ms. Fassley, also up and trying to drag her kid out of bed to get breakfast in him. He’s a pistol. Trueheart checked the security feed. No sign either woman left the premises at any time after you and Roarke exited.”
Baxter glanced toward a door where Eve clearly heard the sound of kids whooping it up. “He’s in there with them now—in Ruzaki’s place. She’s shaken up, and it doesn’t read grief and sorrow, just shock. And some nerves about being a suspect.”
Now he leaned back against the wall beside the door. “Both women agreed to show us their ’links, let us look through their comps for any communication. We can do that, it’s pretty straightforward, and save EDD the trouble.”
“Do that, clean it up. I’m not looking at either of them, but we fill the holes.”
“Want my take?”
“It’s why you’re there.”
“These two are too busy raising kids and making rent to cook up a plot to kill three guys.”
“Yeah, that’s my take. But fill the holes.”
“Are you sure there aren’t more doughnuts?” he asked.
She cut him off.
When she glanced over to where Peabody still talked to Nadine, she frowned, and Roarke strolled to her. “They’re wrapping it up. She did well.”
“Great. Do you need transpo?”
“Actually, I’m catching a ride with Jake. I’m going to give him a quick tour of An Didean before I go to work and he goes to bed. Nadine’s going in to work as well.”
“She’ll be watching for it.”
“Sorry?”
Eve wanted to say Darla, but said, “The killer. She’ll be watching for the media, the reports, the reactions. She wants some credit, some attention. She always did. That’s why she wrote the poems. Peabody!” she shouted when she saw the camera lower. “With me. Now! Gotta go. No.” She jabbed a finger in his chest before he could lean in for a kiss. “No mushy stuff on a crime scene.”
He simply caught her finger, then arched eyebrows when Nadine and Jake exchanged a pretty serious goodbye kiss.
“She’s not a cop.”
“Well, if kissing my wife is off-limits, see that you take good care of my cop.” Then he tugged her finger to his lips, made her roll her eyes. “She won’t outsmart you, Lieutenant. Not for long.”
When he walked away, she looked back, watched the morgue team load the body bag in the wagon. Not for long just wasn’t good enough.
She opted to walk the handful of blocks to the bar, spare herself the frustration of finding a place to park.
“It’s going to be a beautiful day.” Peabody lifted her face to the breeze.
Eve jammed her hands into her pockets. “Tell that to the dead guy.”
“Well, he’d be dead even if it was going to be a crappy day.”
“That’s a point.”
“So, pretty day, and it’s supposed to stick awhile. I talked Mavis into going with me, bringing Belle, to the community garden over the weekend if we’re clear. Lots of things we can help plant this early in the season.”
Baffled, Eve turned her head and stared. “Mavis is going to plant stuff? In the ground?”
“It’s fun to dig in the dirt, and good luck when a pregnant woman plants.”
Eve couldn’t figure where the fun was in dirt, but it took all kinds. “Hasn’t she already been planted?”