Chapter Twelve #2
“He was with Ivanna and some other people. Anyway, he and Ivanna came to the house. We ran into Trina, too.”
Since Eve had already noted Peabody’s hair sported more red streaks, she’d deduced that.
“So she and the guy she was with—Ben, it’s not serious.”
“I was worried about that.”
“Ha. They came over, too. We made a ginormous pot of chili.” She let out a sigh. “We had so much fun.”
Before Eve could say something snarky, Peabody finished with, “I really appreciate you giving me the time. I went in yesterday.”
“You went into Central?”
“Yeah. McNab went in to give Feeney a break, so I went with him. I didn’t hit anything but a wall, but I read your reports, the interviews. All those ex-wives. And maybe a blonde.”
“We’re going to push on the blonde.”
Eve turned to the gates of Barrister House. She pulled out her badge, held it up for the scan.
“NYPSD, Lieutenant Dallas, Detective Peabody.”
“It’d be a handy break if she’s connected, and we can identify her. McNab said there’s some chatter, but right now it’s gossip, speculation, anticipation. Willowby says if they’re going for an auction, they’re letting it brew, getting buyers revved up.”
“And waiting to see where the wind’s blowing,” Eve added as the gates opened. “If it’s blowing too warm, they might sit on the emeralds awhile. It’s not like they’ll be worth less in a month. In six fricking months.”
“So we’ll hope the blonde’s a link, and we connect her.”
“There are a couple possibles we pulled out from the investigators’ reports. The kind who might get hired for a high-profile job like this. I tossed them to Interpol.”
“Oh.”
“That doesn’t mean we don’t look, too.”
She pulled up, parked. “Abernathy can have the shine of the emeralds, as long as we get the killer.”
Peabody’s voice turned wistful. “Be nice to get both.”
“We won’t toss it aside.”
The butler opened the door as they walked toward the portico. His eyes, deeply shadowed, looked exhausted.
“Lieutenant, Detective. Do you have— Pardon me. Do you wish to see Ms. Carville?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Tyler, we don’t have anything new to report. We do have a few more questions. I’m sorry to disturb the family again. Are they available?”
“Of course. The family is in the dining room. Should I have them come to the parlor?”
“We can go to them. We’d also like to speak with you, Ms. Acker, and Ms. Fortigue.”
“Ms. Acker is upstairs with Trisha, the day maid.”
“Day maid.”
“Trisha assists Ms. Acker on Mondays and Thursdays.”
“If we could also speak with her? Peabody, why don’t you take Trisha in the parlor?
“Could I bring you coffee, Detective?”
“If it’s no trouble.”
“Not at all. Please, come this way.”
Tyler showed Peabody into the parlor, then escorted Eve toward the dining room.
“The family’s just finished breakfast. Divine urged Ms. Carville to eat. She told her the girls wouldn’t if she didn’t.”
“That did the trick?”
His lips curved slightly. “It did.”
The family sat together at one end of a dining room table that would have sat, comfortably, thirty. Though the day promised warm, a low fire simmered, surrounded by pink-grained white marble. A trio of chandeliers, their crystals winking with light, spanned the ceiling.
Both girls wore sweatpants, the older with a Harvard sweatshirt, the younger, a T-shirt where Mavis Freestone grinned. While Joy Barrister wore a business suit, the widow hit between her daughters and sister-in-law with black pants, black sweater.
And all looked at her with anticipation.
“I can’t give you much new information,” Eve began, “but I can assure you we’re working diligently on identifying the person responsible for Mr. Barrister’s death.”
“He’ll still be gone.”
Eve looked at the younger daughter. “Yes, he will. But your father deserves justice. You all deserve justice.”
“Please, sit down, Lieutenant.”
As Aileen spoke, Divine bustled in with coffee.
“Can I offer you some breakfast?”
“No, thanks. I would like to speak to everyone in the household. My partner is speaking to your day maid, but if I could speak to everyone else?”
“Ms. Acker is on her way down,” Tyler said. “I’ll take the detective her coffee, and come right back.”
“I’ll see to that.” Divine patted his arm before she started out.
“Lieutenant.” Joy took a long breath. “To say this is a difficult time doesn’t begin to cover it. We’ve had to screen our calls—even the girls. The media, they’re relentless.”
“We’ll conduct a media conference later today. I hope that will take some of the weight off that area.”
“You have to tell them Dad didn’t take those things.” Chloe gripped her hands together on the table. “You have to tell them he didn’t even know until…”
“As the primary in this investigation, I will tell them we have evidence Nathan Barrister was not responsible for the contents of the vault. And when he learned of them, began the process, along with his wife and sister, to expedite their return.”
“You believe us,” Aileen murmured.
“I believe you, but with your cooperation, EDD has searched your electronics, and in them found your considerable research on the contents—starting last July—your additional research on how best to facilitate their return, which corroborates your statements. I’ll be meeting with your estate lawyer as well, and trust he will further corroborate. ”
“Thank you. I couldn’t stand for Nate’s reputation to be smeared by this.”
“I have to go in shortly.” Joy pressed her lips together, then lifted the back of her hand against them. “I have to speak to key staff, key accounts. The business has to … billions of people depend on Zip.”
“Understood. I’ll try not to keep you long.”
When Divine and Uma joined them, Eve looked back at Aileen. “Could everyone sit?”
“Oh yes, of course. I’m sorry. Please, everyone, sit down. I’d like to say something first. I want to say how much I, the girls, Joy appreciate and value everything you’ve done.”
“Ms. Carville—”
As Uma started to speak, Aileen held up a finger.
“Please let me say this, let me thank you. Yesterday, while the girls and I had to spend hours making arrangements, contacting friends, relatives, while Joy had to handle business and the media, you all tended to us, looked after us. Uma, I know what you did in the office.”
She put a hand to her throat, steadied herself.
“I’m forever grateful. Tyler, when the girls decided to take this semester off, you arranged for their things to be packed and shipped so we wouldn’t have to deal with it.
Divine, you put food on the table, managed to convince us to eat.
And I heard you give that reporter a very colorful piece of your mind when they managed to get your personal ’link number. ”
“I enjoyed that, missus, maybe more than I should have.”
“I did, too. For myself, for Joy, for my beautiful girls, for Nate, thank you for taking care of us.”
She took a breath, turned to Eve. “You must have more questions.”
“We’re following a line of inquiry. Henry Barrister’s fourth wife mentioned a blond woman at a party held in Europe during her marriage.”
“There was always a woman,” Joy said dryly. “Not necessarily a blonde, but there was always a woman.”
“She was very young at that time, possibly about twenty, which would make her mid-thirties now.”
“He liked them young.”
When Aileen shot a sharp look at her youngest, Anya just shrugged. “Like Chloe and I didn’t know? Come on, Mom.”
“According to my information,” Eve continued, “this woman, whom the former Ms. Barrister couldn’t identify, made a play for—I’m using first names—for Henry. Lacey also states that she saw this woman a few more times, and believed she and Henry were involved.”
“This isn’t surprising information.” Aileen held up her hands. “I couldn’t count the number of women Henry was involved with, one way or the other, since Nate and I were together.”
“After speaking with his ex-wives, it became clear Henry had declined in the months before his death, as you and Joy have stated. Lacey further states that she saw this woman in New York during that time period. I’d like to know if she visited Henry here, at Barrister House.”
“A blonde in her mid-thirties.” Once again Aileen lifted her hands. “I couldn’t begin. And I’m not sure why she’s important, considering.”
“Ms. Carville—”
“First names.”
“Great. Aileen, if everyone in this room has spoken the truth, if no one in this room told anyone—excepting the lawyer—about the vault and what was in it, that leads me to believe Henry did. Whoever broke in, whoever stole the emeralds, whoever killed your husband knew the location of that vault, and came for the emeralds.”
“He might have. Joy! He might have.”
“He’d kept that secret for so long, half his life from what we can tell. Why would he talk about it to some blonde?”
“He wasn’t himself the last few months.” Chloe spoke up. “The last year or so really. He got me and Anya mixed up a few times, and remember, Mom, we were having dinner and he called you Lacey.”
“Those are just slips, and he was slipping, but to tell someone, some woman about the vault?” Joy shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“I’d like to identify her, if possible. Maybe you remember someone like that who attended one of his dinner parties toward the end of his life. Or was a houseguest. Possibly last December.”
“That narrows down the timing, but I honestly don’t remember.”
“Ms. Carville, I think I might.” Uma glanced at Tyler. “Ms. Fancy.”
As he nodded, Divine let out an Ohhh.
“That one,” she continued. “Breakfast in bed at nine sharp. Greek yogurt—one-half cup exactly—with fresh berries. One slice of whole wheat toasted lightly, cut on the diagonal. Six ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice—no pulp—and coffee with cream, no sugar or sweetener.”
“That’s specific,” Eve commented.
“I’ve got a good food memory.” She started to rise when Peabody stepped in. “Let me get you some more coffee.”
“No, thanks. I’m fine.”