Page 132 of Passions in Death
They both fit the profile, she thought, because they were very much alike.
“Both of them used to getting their way. Instead of letting it play out, hire a fancy lawyer and let it play out, Lopez’s mother whines to the mayor. The fucking mayor, when her daughter gets busted for being a raging, violent asshole. I’m betting if Barney hit any bumps along the way, his family found a way to smooth them, too.”
“Appearances,” Peabody said. “Looks, status—those are top priorities for them. Yeah.” Thoughtfully, she nodded. “Yeah, both of them. And they were both sort of stars in high school, right? She had all those write-ups about her dancing, and he was part of The Couple.”
“And neither of them had the same shine in college. Smaller fish, bigger pool. Still, they’re entitled, both of them. She’s got family money behind her, but he does well enough. They’re both attractive and wouldn’t have trouble with those hookups.”
“Except for her, Erin,” Peabody added, “and for him, Shauna.”
“Exactly. For her, I don’t think she realized how deep her feelings were for Erin until Erin was dead, so it starts with jealousy. With him? It’s pride, not passion. If he wants Shauna back, it’s not love, not lust, not passion. Straight pride. He may actually feel some of the love, lust, passion for Becca—she pretty well suits his needs. But he doesn’t feel enough to let go of the shine.”
Eve eased the hip on her desk again, and this time stayed, let out a breath.
“And none of that’s evidence. None of that builds a solid case. So the question is?”
“How do we prove it?”
“How do we prove it?” Eve echoed. “I thought leaving the case was a mistake—panic or just stupidity—but I’m more convinced than ever that was deliberate, a part of it. Shauna had to pay, too, for bruising that pride.”
She pointed at Peabody. “What do you want to bet Shauna shared that dream with Barney back in high school. Their dream honeymoon.”
“No bet.” Peabody scooped a hand through the air. “It slides right in.”
“It’s the salt in the wound again, for him. So he gives it right back to her. Fickle bitch won’t be going to Maui now.”
“It’s just mean.”
“Yeah, and again, the mean’s part of the point. He had the motive, means, and opportunity. Erin gave him the perfect opportunity. Here’s a difference between him and Lopez, as I see it. Lopez would’ve waited Erin out, sure the relationship, even tied up in marriage, wouldn’t last. He couldn’t wait.”
“Because, for one thing, it’s a personal insult.”
Now Eve smiled. “There you go. He had that weapon ready, maybe planning to kill her before the wedding. Maybe at the damn wedding. But the Maui thing, that couldn’t be tolerated, plus, perfect opportunity.”
She pushed off the desk to pace again.
“Erin asks him to help her with the big surprise because she trusts him. Why wouldn’t she? He’s not so much part of the tribe, right, but of the circle. He’s Shauna’s good friend, he’s Becca’s cohab. He’s not going to the party—girls only—so it’d be easy to get him the case, the swipe, give him what she thinks is the basic timing. ‘Just come in the back way.’”
“And he’s ‘Okay, sure, no problem.’ The good friend, the good guy, all happy to help.”
“Slip in, do the kill. Need to take her ’link, as there’s some communication on that, but he’s going to stage a robbery anyway. Shouldn’t have picked a place like the D&D—that’s insulting, too. A sex club? That’s not the place for Shauna. He covered himself well. Close the shop himself—so we have that security footage. Meet a mutual friend at a place he’s known. Buy the damn flowers.”
“Then go home, bide your time, turn on the screen.” Peabody picked up the threads again. “Make sure it’s programmed for something you can say you watched at the time of the murder.”
“Take the case, the weapon, and have a short walk in the rain. He has to let her know he’s there—send a quick text or get one—because he’d still have the swipe. She slips away, a little drunk, a lot excited. And he’s right there. He has to move fast, the minute she shuts the door.
“It’s easier than he thinks.” She could see it. She could fucking see it. “Easier, quicker. It’s horrible, all that blood, but it’s done. Take the ’link, the little bit of jewelry, leave the swipe, and get out.”
“He could’ve walked for blocks to ditch the weapon,” Peabody added, “the ’link and jewelry, too.”
“Not too far, but far enough. He has to be home when Becca tags him. He needs to be home so she can say he was home when the body’s discovered and she tags him.”
“You have to be right about the communication on the ’link. If we can just cobble together enough probable cause to look at his.”
“If he’s smart, and he is, he’d have destroyed it and gotten a new one. Contact Mira, see about getting me a consult. I want to run all this by her. I need to finish the report on Lopez and I want to swing up to EDD.”
“EDD?”
“I want Feeney to take a look at the smirk. I’m not basing the investigation on that, but it was the capper. Meanwhile, do a search for people who graduated with him and the two women. Get impressions.”
