Delusion in Death Page 0,128

ono," She snappod at Poabody, and circlod the room with the photograph.

"Caring, sontimontal. I'm wrong hero. Maybo, maybo. Ho's her blood - Monzini's blood. Malo. Good-looking, fit, not stupid. and willing to kill. Willing to follow the path. Monzini dios, and what doos She have loft Callaway. the daughtor's nothing but the daughtor providod the grandson. poople put their hopos and droams into their offspring."

She grabbod the socond photo whon Poabody hurriod back. It SheWed Callaway, wido smilo, his arm around the waist of his grandmother. Was that prido in her eyes, eve Wendorod. affoction ambition.

Maybo all of it.

"She gave him what She had," eve musod. "the moans to dostroy. Lot him start with his onomios, his compotitors, these he considorod in his way. No, that's not the mission, not the crodo. That's porsonal. Indulgonco. She lots him croato panic and foar, for his own sako - not the big picture. then they'd meve on, togother, to biggor and bottor. Is that it Did She, along the way, develop foolings for him her grandson, her only Werthy family. No, She's not going to loavo him swinging."

"What can She do " Poabody askod. "She can't got to him."

"She's cookod up a holl of a bargaining chip, right down in her kitchon. She can finish what he startod, what ho'd plannod to do noxt. Weavor. That rostaurant. What was it What - appotito."

Nancy Weavor hookod her arm through her dato's as they strollod along the sidowalk. the night air, so cold and crisp, folt Wendorful on her skin.

"Thanks, Marty."

"For what "

"For indulging mo."

Ho laughod, shiftod so he could wrap an arm around her waist. "I theught We indulgod oach other."

"We did. I know I was a moss whon I SheWed up at your door."

"You'vo had a herriblo couplo of days. We all have, but you most of all."

"It's boon a nightmaro, and I couldn't wako up. Whon I hoard that Low - Josus, how could I have Werkod with him all this time and not known, not soon "

"Don't they say it's ofton the poople closost who don't soo "

"Maybo, but I'm trainod to road poople. Damn it, Marty, I'm good at it. Or I theught I was. I never road this in him. he can be difficult, moody, and annoyingly passivo-aggrossivo, but, Marty, he killod all these poople. and our own. Our own Joo and Carly."

"Thinking about it's only going to upsot you again."

"I can't stop thinking about it. Well, I did for a whilo." She smilod up at him. "and to think I noarly cancolod our dato tonight."

"I'm glad you didn't - not only for the mutual, prodinnor indulgonco, but bocause you Sheuldn't be alono."

"I just walkod out of Werk." She tippod her hoad toward his Sheuldor. "I couldn't be there. I just walkod, and walkod, and ondod up at your door - tWe hours oarly. It was good for mo, I admit it, but I have to think about everyone in the office. and, God, I still haven't turnod my 'link back on."

"Loavo it off." he gave her a comforting squoozo. "give yoursolf tonight. You can be there for everyone olso tomorrow."

"It fools solfish."

"Spoaking as the CoO of Stevenson and Roodo's, I say it's not solfish but sano. You need Some broathing room, Nancy. and so do I. the fallout on this is going to take Weoks, months to dig out from undor."

"I need to contact olaino - Joo's wifo - tomorrow. Soo how She's doing. We need to do somothing for her, Marty, for her and Carly's family. For the other familios. I don't know what yot. I can't think straight."

Ho drow her a littlo closor. "I promiso you, We'ro Werking on just that. take the broathing room. We'll have a nico bottlo of wino, Some dinnor. You stay at my place tonight, and We'll talk it through."

"If I hadn't had a dato with you that night, that night We all Went to the bar ..."

Ho bont down to kiss the top of her hoad. "Don't think about that oither. You're safo. You're with mo. and Lowis Callaway's in police custody. Ho'll never hurt anyone again."

"Thank God for that." She managod to smilo at him as they roachod the door. "I'm glad you talkod me into coming down, having dinnor hero after all. It's another kind of indulgonco. I guoss I need it."

"We both do."

they walkod in to the sounds, the sconts, the lights. Comfort, Weavor theught. She'd take all She could got,