Page 124 of Passions in Death
Barney stood behind Becca and Shauna, a hand on each of their shoulders.
When Shauna stepped forward, he said something to her. But she shook his hand away and walked to the front.
“Erin changed my life,” she began in a voice that trembled like the hands she clasped together. “She expanded my life and she brightened it. Who knew a pair of pink shoes could matter so damn much?”
A low ripple of laughter, and she managed a ghost of a smile.
“Without those shoes, she might never have shown me what love is, what it can be, what it needs to be. The sixteen months we had together opened my world, my mind, my heart.”
As she spoke of love, Eve caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.
Lopez came in.
She wore red, stoplight, in-your-face red. A body-skimming dress that stopped at mid-thigh she’d paired with sky-high heels in the same bold color.
She moved through the crowd in a saunter that had Eve’s instincts prickling.
“This won’t end well,” she muttered, and started to follow.
Lopez stopped a foot from Shauna, put a hand on one hip.
“This is bullshit.”
Stillwater moved toward ChiChi, but Shauna shook her head.
“Leave her alone. What’s bullshit, ChiChi?”
“This, you, all of it. You standing there with your teary eyes and in your shop clerk’s black suit, talking about Erin like you knew her. You didn’t! You knew what you wanted her to be. You know what you wanted out of her, and it’s bullshit.”
Lopez’s grandmother spoke in low Spanish—Eve didn’t need the language to recognize a harsh rebuke.
Lopez just flicked a hand.
“I knew her. I knew who she was. Not the boring doormat you turned her into. She had life, and you drained it right the hell out of her. You fucking killed her. You bitch, she’s dead because of you.”
People gasped, as expected. Stillwater moved forward again, but not before Lopez struck out with a slap that rang in the shocked silence.
And neither he nor Eve moved quite fast enough to stop Shauna when her fist jabbed out.
Good punch, Eve thought as Stillwater managed to catch Lopez before, eyes rolled up, she crumpled.
“She had that coming.” Shauna heaved out a breath. Instead of gray-tinged fatigue, her face glowed with rage. Those dull eyes went brilliant with it. “I’m not sorry. She had that coming.”
The grandparents stood. With dignity, the woman approached Shauna. “We apologize for ChiChi’s behavior, her disrespect at such a time. We’ll take her home.”
“She’s, ah, out.” Stillwater looked up at Shauna with a mix of horror and admiration. “I can carry her out. I guess.”
“Just out of the room,” Eve told him. “If she needs medical attention, we’ll call for it. Then she’ll be charged with assault.”
“Oh, but—” Shauna started to speak, then stopped at Eve’s sharp, fierce look. “I hit back.”
“Self-defense.”
“She was overwrought,” Ms. Lopez began.
“Yes, ma’am, she was. We’ll give her time to settle down. She’s coming around. If you could take her out so they can continue with the memorial, we’ll take it from there.”
“You’ll make her pay a price.” Ms. Lopez sighed. “Perhaps that’s best. We should contact our lawyer. Should she have a lawyer?”
