you understand she’s had a shock.”
“What kind of a shock have you had, Ms. Huffman?”
“I—well—I—I found Ariel. She was …” Gwen turned her face into Merit’s shoulder. “So much blood.”
“You were in her apartment?”
“Yes. This morning.”
“What time?”
“Early. I’m not sure, but it had to be about seven-thirty. A little before? I’m not sure.”
“How did you get into the apartment?”
Gwen turned her face back toward Eve, but left her head on Merit’s shoulder. “The door was open a little. I could hear the music—she likes music on when she works—so I just went inside. I called up to let her know, then I started to go up to her studio. I’d brought coffee and muffins from this place she likes. I was telling her that. ‘I’ve got lattes and cranberry muffins.’ I think I said something about being a little early, maybe how she shouldn’t leave her door unlatched.
“Then when I went up … I saw her. On the floor, and all the blood. I saw her face, her eyes. I think I screamed. I don’t know. I couldn’t breathe, I felt sick and dizzy and terrified. I ran out. Oh, Merit, I shouldn’t have run away like that.”
“You were in shock.”
“Did you touch anything?”
“I don’t know. The door, the railing. I don’t know.”
“How did you get back here?”
“I got a cab somewhere. I don’t even know. I ran, I walked. I felt outside myself.” She pressed her hand with its dazzling diamond to her heart. “It didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be real.”
Eve gestured to another chair when Peabody came back in.
“How long have you known Ms. Byrd?”
“We met last fall—September, I think. It must have been September because Merit was on a business trip. I went to an art opening downtown. Ariel was one of the featured artists. I liked her work so much.”
A single tear slid rather beautifully down Gwen’s cheek. “I bought one of her pieces, and we talked. We just hit it off. I admired her fierce dedication to her art, but she also had a breezy side, if you know what I mean. We became friendly.”
“Friendly enough for you to drop by her apartment at seven-thirty in the morning?”
“I was early, as I said. I was supposed to be there at eight, but I was excited. I’d commissioned her to do a piece in marble for Merit, for a wedding gift. I was going to do a sitting.”
“Did she often leave her door unsecured?”
“I … I don’t know. I didn’t go to her place that often. We’d usually meet for drinks or to browse a gallery, have some lunch. Of course I’d been to her place, seen her work space, but I don’t recall her door being unlatched before.
“She could be careless,” Gwen added. “When her mind was in her work, she could be careless.”
“All right. You were friends. You met her other friends.”
“Not really. It’s not that she’s an unfriendly person, but she didn’t socialize much.”
“What about romantic partners?”
“She never mentioned anyone specifically. I used to tell her Merit had an adorable cousin, and I could fix her up.” She smiled a little now when she looked at her fiancé. “Henry. But she’d had a bad breakup a couple of years ago, and said she wanted to concentrate on her work. Romance could wait.”
“Did she mention the name of the ex?”
“No.”
“Okay, why don’t you tell us about your evening?”
Those soft and teary blue eyes widened. “My evening?”
“Where you had dinner, what time, with whom.”
“I don’t understand.” Once again, she looked at Merit.
“You’ve established time of death,” he said.
“We have. I’d like to get this out of the way, let Ms. Huffman have some quiet and some privacy.”
“Do they think I could do that to her?” Eyes wide, lips trembling, she clutched at Merit. “To anyone?”
Eve shot Peabody a glance so her partner leaned in, all understanding. “Ms. Huffman, this is such a difficult time for you. You suffered a shock and a loss. Everything you tell us helps us find out what happened to your friend, who hurt your friend. Maybe you talked to her last evening?”
“No, I … Did I? No. We texted! That’s right, in the afternoon. I texted her to confirm the sitting, and she texted back that she was looking forward to it. I was meeting with our wedding planner, Marjorie. Merit and I are getting married in July.”
“Congratulations.” Peabody added a smile.
“I came home after. Merit’s preparing for a court case, so he’d be working late. I got restless.