Page 6 of Fury In Death

“People can be really stupid.”

They passed two bedrooms, a hall bath, and approached the main.

The widow sat on the bed, her outstretched legs covered with a throw the color of lilacs. Her hair made a shining halo around a face ravaged by weeping.

The female officer sat on the side of the bed facing her and speaking softly. A second uniform, male, stood at the foot of the bed.

And snapped to attention when Eve stepped in. Young, Eve thought, pretty much fresh baked out of the Academy.

“Sir.”

“Officer.” Eve gestured him over, kept her voice low. “The morgue and the sweepers have been notified. You can go down, wait for their arrival.”

“Yes, sir.”

As he left, the female officer murmured something to the widow, then rose and walked to Eve.

“Lieutenant, as I reported to Detective Peabody, Ms. Pressley was unable to give a coherent statement when we responded to the nine-one-one. The MTs, on their arrival, subsequent to examining the deceased, administered a mild sedative. I thought it appropriate to bring her upstairs.”

The uniform glanced back. “She’s somewhat calmer now, and I have her verbal statement on record.”

“Copy that to Detective Peabody for the file. Why don’t you stand by, Officer Arnette? The morgue team and the sweepers are en route.”

“Yes, sir. Ah, they were married sixty years. She told me that several times.”

“Understood. Peabody, take the lead.”

A quick blink betrayed Peabody’s surprise, but she stepped over to the bed.

“Ms. Pressley, I’m Detective Peabody. This is Lieutenant Dallas. We’re very sorry for your loss.”

The woman stared. Not a blank look, Eve thought, but a distant one.

She said, “Dave.”

“We understand this is a difficult time for you, but we need to ask you some questions.”

“I don’t understand. He shouldn’t have been on that ladder. He didn’t have to do that. DJ’s coming tomorrow, and he could’ve gotten on the ladder.”

“DJ?”

“Our son. He and Dave are going to the ball game. DJ’s picking him up, and they’re meeting Robbie and Curt and Jorge at the ballpark. Guys’ night. Dave’s looking forward to it. He didn’t need to get on the ladder. Haven’t I told him?”

She sighed it. That distant look, the vague voice told Eve the sedative had kicked all the way in.

“But he’s stubborn.” Smiling, she shook her head. “He’s always been stubborn. We’ve been married sixty years. We had a big party for our anniversary last June.”

“Why did Dave get on the ladder?”

“I don’t know, but he shouldn’t have been on the ladder. I’d have given him a good piece of my mind.”

“Where were you when he got on the ladder?”

“I don’t know. The salon?” She lifted a hand to smooth her hair. “It’s my salon day. Dressa did my hair, and Lulu did my nails. I bought some new product. Dressa said it’s good, and she never steers me wrong.”

“When did you go to the salon?”

“Oh, I guess I left about two-thirty. We had lunch first, then I left for my three o’clock appointment. Dave said: ‘Don’t come home too dolled up, Marleen, my heart can’t take it.’ He jokes that way. He said he was going to take a walk over to the dog park. We don’t have a dog anymore, but he likes to walk over and watch the dogs and puppies. But he’d be home before me, and maybe he’d make the spicy pasta we like for dinner. It’s not really that spicy. Dave likes to cook every now and then, and I’m fine with that.”