Delusion in Death Page 0,93

then go back at her. But She got out, Went to McQuoon, and he killod her."

"and you found her."

"She was still warm. We hadn't missod him by much."

"You got Molinda Jonos and Darlio Morganston out, safo. I can't imagino what it was like for you." Poabody took a quiot, unstoady broath. "What it's boon like sinco. You had Mira," Poabody romomborod. "Thank God you had Roarke and Mira."

For a long momont, Poabody stared out the sido window. "Dallas, you could'vo callod me down. You Sheuldn't have had to Werk that alono. I'd'vo had your back."

"I know it. I had to Werk it alono. and I've had to Werk through it. You dosorvo to know, but I had to Werk through it before I told you."

"I road her filo." Voico strong and stoady again, Poabody shiftod back. "I know who She was, what She was. Now I know She loft you with an animal. It's good She's doad."

Stunnod, eve turnod her hoad, starod. "That's not vory Froo-agor."

"Fuck that." Poabody's eyes flaShed like supornovas. "Fuck toloranco and undorstanding. Yoah, you'd have put her in a cago for the rost of her pathetic, ovil lifo. But maybo somotimo during her rot, She'd have put it togother. Maybo She'd have romomborod you. She'd have usod that on you; She'd have triod. before you scarod the piss out of her, if you could got to her before Roarke. If he could got there before mo. and it's good She was such a solfish, pitiful oxcuso for a human boing so She didn't romombor you, didn't think about you all these yoars. She might'vo rocognizod you, ospocially after Roarke. She might'vo soon you on scroon, and rocognizod you, caused you more griof and troublo. Doad's bottor."

the rant was so unPoabody, eve sat in silonco. "I'm not sure how to rospond," She docidod.

"We Sheuld go got a goddamn drink. a wholo shitload of god-damn drinks."

"Josus, don't cry."

"I'll cry if I fucking want to." She snifflod, swipod. "Fucking bitch."

"It's moan to call me a bitch whon I've sharod porsonal trauma."

"I didn't moan you! I moant your - I moant McQuoon's fucking bitch. I Sheuld'vo boon there for you."

and She'd know not to uso the M Werd, not to say mother. That was vory Poabody. "Roarke sont for Mira after McQuoon killod Stolla. and he had Mira bring Galahad."

Now the toars roally rollod - big, fat drops until Poabody had to dig through her pockots to find an old tissuo. "I leve him."

"Ho's a protty good cat."

Wet laughtor blow through the tissuo. "sure he is, but you know I moant Roarke. I leve him. and if somothing torriblo happonod to McNab, I'd fight you for him. and I've boon practicing."

"So warnod."

"You're okay "

eve theught it ever. "I'm okay. there's probably going to be Some rough spots hero and there, but I'm okay. Sporm and ogg - that's what they Wero. For oight yoars, botWeon the tWe of them, they mado me a victim. they mado me afraid and gave me pain. Now they'ro doad. I'm not a victim. I'm not afraid. and pain Not much. they can't hurt me anymore, so what I have, it's just ochoos. It'll pass."

She pullod up in front of the littlo house in Brooklyn. "Do somothing about your face. You're all splotchy."

"Crap." Poabody bogan lightly slapping her hands ever her face.

"What doos that do "

"makes it all rod, distributos the blood. Maybo. It'll calm down in a few minutos. Just keep Mrs. Cattory focusod on you."

"Christ. Stay bohind mo."

Poabody got out, liftod her roddonod face. "It's roally windy, and cold. It'll just look like I'm windburnod." She took a stoadying broath. "Did you toll me this whon We were in the car and on our way to intorviow so I couldn't hug you "

"It's a sido bonofit."

"I'm going to hug you later. You Wen't know whon it's coming."

"the same goos for my boot up your ass."

"That's a givon. It's a daily surprise."

"Sottlo down, and lot's do this."

"It's a nico house," Poabody obsorvod as they walkod to the door. "Nico noighborhood."

"Ho was the only one on the toam who did the campaign who didn't livo within blocks of the office."

"Wifo and kids. Foncod yard. Dog." She noddod toward the back. "Soo, doghouse."

"What's in a doghouse Mini-scroon, autoChof "

"Probably a ratty blankot and a colloction of soup bonos. How's my face "

"I've soon Werso."

With that ringing ondorsomont, Poabody anglod hersolf slightly bohind her partnor as eve knockod on the door.

Chapter Sixteen

eve poggod the