Page 86 of Passions in Death
“Sure. Pepsi, Lieutenant?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Eve sat again as Peabody went out. “Record on. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve, in Interview with Becca DiNuzio in regards to the investigation of the murder of Erin Albright.”
“It sounds really official.”
“It is. We’re focused on finding who killed Erin.”
With the intimidation factor firmly in place, she switched tactics.
“How is Shauna doing?”
“Actually a little better, I think, because she’s mad. The mad’s getting her through right now. But I worry about tomorrow. We’re having Erin’s memorial tomorrow.”
“That’s quick.”
“I know, but Erin’s family, and Shauna, too, wanted it as soon as possible. Because the wedding was supposed to be this weekend, and that’s… It’s hard. Erin’s mom actually knows someone who works for a memorial service company, so they were able to schedule it right away.”
Lifting her hands, she pressed her fingers to her eyes. “It’s a lot.”
“I understand. Peabody, Detective Delia, entering Interview. Is Shauna still staying at Angie’s?”
“Thanks.” She took the tube from Peabody, cracked it. “Yes. In fact, she doesn’t want to go back to the apartment at all. Ever. Doesn’t want the furniture or most of their things. One of my errands was to talk to her landlord to explain she’d sublet the apartment, and furnished, until the lease is up. She’s going to find another place.”
Eyes full of worry, she turned the tube around and around in her hands.
“I don’t know if that’s the right thing, but it’s what she wants. And she’s doing all that, deciding all this, while she’s so upset, while she’s grieving. I don’t know if it’s right.”
“You’re worried about her,” Peabody said. “That’s natural.”
“I—I went by their place and got their wedding dresses.” Becca took a deep gulp from the tube. “Took them to a consignment shop.”
“That was hard for you,” Peabody murmured.
“Oh God, it was awful. We helped them pick out those dresses. Me, Angie, Donna, Jodi. We made a party of it. But I think that was the right thing. I think that was right. How could she bear to look at them again?”
“She’s lucky to have a friend like you,” Eve put in.
“We’re lucky to have each other. She’d be there for me if anything happened to Greg. God, I can’t even imagine it, but I know she’d be there for me.”
“Longtime friends. But no, not really,” Eve corrected. “You weren’t friends in high school. Not part of Shauna’s—or Greg’s—social circle.”
“Me?” She laughed a little. “Hard no on that. They were gold, and I was the awkward wheeze who aced every test while always wearing the wrong clothes.”
“High school’s tough. It’s so easy to get wounded at that age, and carry the scars with you after.”
“I think I was too oblivious to get any serious wounds.” With the faintest smile, she sipped some Coke. “A few scratches maybe. I had a couple friends—fellow wheezes and/or nerds. One joined the navy right after graduation, and I haven’t seen her since. The other moved to London for a job about four years ago. We keep in touch when we can.”
“But you weren’t friends with Shauna or Greg?”
“No. I knew them—everybody did—and Shauna knew me, sort of, because we had a few classes together. We were lab partners on a chemistry assignment once. When we ran into each other again, I have to admit, I was surprised she remembered that, or me.”
Smiling, Becca sipped more Coke. “Still a wheeze at the core, I guess, but I dress better now.”
“And she and Greg? No rekindling of Shaunbar?”
“No. They’d both moved on. Lucky for me.”
She fingered a gold chain with its pair of interlocking hearts around her neck.
