Page 146 of Passions in Death
“What sort of thing, do you think?”
“See, that’s a question I’ve been playing with. Nothing big, nothing anyone else would notice. Family and a couple other friends have been in there getting things for Hunnicut, taking Albright’s clothes and stuff, so nothing that stands out.”
“Something tucked away then.”
She pointed at him with what was left of her peach. “See that? That’s cop thinking, and you just have to swallow it.”
“I don’t at all, because it’s thief thinking as well. And there I have the foundation.”
“Well, maybe.” She’d allow it, she decided as they strolled toward the pond. “But even tucked away, not really something people would notice right off. They’re bringing clothes and so on to her. And she was wearing earrings at the memorial. Not the ones she had on the night of the party, so someone brought those to her.”
“Seems like something more between the two of them—Hunnicut and Barney.”
“That’s what makes the most sense. Something he wanted back because she didn’t deserve it now. Maybe something he gave her at some point. And probably when they were a couple. That’s what it feels like to me.
“‘I gave you this when you were perfect, and now you’re not. You can’t keep it.’”
She sat on the bench by the pond, looked at the floating lilies. The tree with the flowing branches she and Roarke had planted seemed to have grown some. That struck her as an accidental triumph.
“I could be off there. Could be something else. A note he wrote her, a photograph. Maybe even something Albright gave her that burned his narrow-minded ass. Maybe something to do with the wedding the others hadn’t removed yet.”
She tossed the peach pit. “Wouldn’t it be a kick in the ass if it grew a tree there?”
“I’d say more a minor miracle.”
They sat a moment, enjoying the evening, the shine of the water as the sun dipped lower yet, the spread of the plants around the pond.
The worst edges of his day worn away, he laid a hand over hers.
“And how will you know what he took?”
“That’s the sticky part. I have to convince Hunnicut—push her if it comes down to it—to go back to the apartment with me and Peabody. She hasn’t been back since the murder, and she’s made it clear she won’t. But I have to get her to not only go back, but go through the place. To look in closets, in cupboards, in drawers. Then make absolutely sure she keeps her mouth shut about it.”
Eve let out a breath. “She’s used to sharing. It’s her nature to tell things to her friends, her family. Possibly complete strangers. So the trick is, go back where she’s staying in the morning, when we can be reasonably sure she’s alone. Then convince her to go back, go through, and tell no one.”
“She loved Albright. I don’t think it’ll be as sticky as you imagine to convince her to do this if she believes it will help.”
“She’s also used to trusting.” As day slipped toward dusk, Eve tipped her head to Roarke’s shoulder. “I have to make her trust me more than she does her tribe.”
“She may not, but she’ll respect your authority. She’s a rule follower, isn’t she? Wouldn’t that be one of the reasons, besides her looks, why Barney was attracted to her, attached himself to her?”
“You’re right about that. Hunnicut broke one of his rules, so she had to pay for it.”
“How will that help you, if you find what he took?”
“By getting a search warrant for his place, finding what he took, charging him with theft, getting him into the box on it, then pushing the right buttons. I’m going to make it work. You took the edge off my day, too.”
“Did it have one?”
“Mostly the edge of frustration. I know he did it, I know where to find him. I know how he did it—or close enough. Why, or close enough. But I can’t just knock on his door and cuff him.”
“But you like a challenge, Lieutenant.”
“I guess I do. He’s such a weak asshole, Roarke, the motive is so idiotic, it annoys me. He’s so not worth it.”
“So you remember Erin Albright is.”
God, he understood her.
