Innocent in Death

by J. D. Robb

  Most of all, she couldn’t get Mrs. Straffo’s poor, pale face out of her head. Maybe it was just a headache, maybe it was. But she knew very well the woman went into the blue place every now and then. It wasn’t right to leave her there, to leave Rayleen alone with her if the mum was feeling sad and sick.

  She’d just check another time, she told herself. Fix that nice cuppa for the missus, and a bite to eat. If the missus needed to rest, why, she’d just cancel her date with her friends and take the girl out herself. No point in having the mite’s day spoiled because her mum was doing poorly.

  Fact was, she’d never be easy, she wouldn’t have a good time at all worrying about the missus and the mite.

  Such a rough patch they were all going through, with those horrible murders right at the school, and the police swarming all over the house like ants.

  Hardly a wonder poor Mrs. Straffo was feeling blue.

  Some tea, maybe a little soup, a nice nap. Those were the tickets.

  Cora got off the subway, climbed up the steps to street level and began to walk through the blustery air. She was so lucky to have a position like this, with such a lovely family in such a beautiful home in such an exciting city.

  The girl was fun and bright—a bit testy now and then, sure, but neat as a pin. And so interested in every little thing. And never did you hear a raised voice or dodge a thrown dish, as you would as a matter of course in her own house back in Ireland.

  Truth be told, she missed the yelling and carryings-on from time to time. But she couldn’t ask for a better position with a nicer family.

  She smiled at the doorman, gave him a bit of a flirt. Now if that one had asked her to a vid matinee, she might have ignored those pricks in her conscience.

  She took out her key as she rode up to the top. When she let herself in, it was so quiet, she wondered if she’d overreacted and Mrs. Straffo and Rayleen had gone out to lunch and the salon after all.

  Wouldn’t she just kick herself if she’d wasted the subway fare!

  She called out, got no answer. Rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you an arse, Cora?”

  She nearly turned right around and went back out, but decided to glance in the coat closet first. Surely if the missus had gone out, she’d have worn a coat, and there were none missing that she could see.

  She called out again as she started upstairs.

  And there was Rayleen, sitting at her desk in her room with her headset on while she worked on her art. No point in bothering her, Cora thought, though she did raise her eyebrows at the snack of chocolate cake and a fizzy on the desk.

  They’d have a bit of a word about that one later.

  For now, she was worried about the missus. Probably gone to bed with that headache, she thought. And without a bite to eat.

  Since the bedroom door was closed, she knocked softly, then opened it to peek in.

  There was Mrs. Straffo in bed, a tray across her lap, and a cup overturned on it. Fell asleep sitting up, poor lamb, spilled the tea, Cora thought, and moved forward quietly to take it away.

  She saw the pill bottle then, the empty bottle lying on the duvet.

  “Oh, Mother of God. Sweet Jesus. Missus!” She grabbed Allika’s shoulders, shook. When there was no response, she slapped her once, twice.

  Terrified, she grabbed for the bedside ’link.

  Are you troubled by this situation on a personal level?” Mira asked.

  “I haven’t decided.” Eve was running hot, sirens screaming. “I don’t know if I didn’t look at her hard enough, straight enough, right from the get because I didn’t want to, because I was fucked up about Roarke, or because it just didn’t click. Probably won’t ever know.”

  “Do you want to know what I think?”

  “Yeah, sure. You stupid son of a bitch, don’t you hear the sirens?”

  “I think…” And Mira decided she’d just close her eyes so the image of oncoming death by traffic wouldn’t distract her. “No one would have looked at her hard enough or straight enough initially. We’re wired to protect the young, not to believe them capable of premeditated murder. You may be right about her, about all of it. I believe you’re right about what happened to her brother. However, my opinion on this veers more heavily toward Arnette Mosebly.”

  “Fifty.”

  “Fifty what?”

  “I got fifty that says I’m right, you’re wrong.”

  “You want to bet on a murderer?”

  “It’s just money.”

  “All right,” Mira said after a moment. “Fifty it is.”

  “Done. Now I’ll tell you why she didn’t do it. The school’s her core, her pride, her vanity. Maybe she could kill, but she’d do it off school grounds. She wouldn’t bring that kind of publicity, that kind of smear to her beloved Sarah Child. This is costing her students. And it’s probably going to cost her her job.”

  “A good argument, but self-preservation supersedes even a treasured job. If Foster knew about her relationship with Williams, he was a direct threat—and may have told her he intended to report her. Williams, by her own statement, did just that, in an attempt to blackmail her into keeping him on.”

  “Want to make it a hundred?”

  Before Mira could answer, Eve’s communicator signaled again. “Okay, what now? Dallas.”

  “Dallas, Allika Straffo’s on her way to the hospital. OD’d. Her condition is critical.”

  “Where’s the kid?”

  “The au pair took her. They left right after the ambulance, took a cab to Parkside, it’s the closest. I missed this by minutes, again. First on scene said the kid was hysterical.”

  “I bet she was. You in the penthouse?”

  “I came up to talk to the cops who responded to the nine-one-one. MTs were called in by the au pair. Reported overdose, which sent out the uniforms.”

  “I want the diary. Find it. I’m headed to the hospital.”

  “This isn’t your fault.” Mira shifted in her seat when Eve whipped the wheel. “If this woman couldn’t face the idea that her daughter killed and tried—or succeeded—in self-terminating, it isn’t on you.”

  “The fact that I didn’t figure the kid would kill her own mother is on me. If Allika Straffo swallowed a fistful of pills, it’s because that little bitch gave them to her. Goddamn it.”

  She punched the gas. “If she was going to do herself, she’d have left a note. Going to protect the kid, she’d have left a note confessing. If she was just going to give it up, can’t face it anymore, why did she call the kid home?”

  “Rayleen realized her mother knew, and might be a threat.” Mira shook her head. “Induce her to take an overdose, and the threat’s removed. Her own mother.”

  “She shoved her little brother, who was wearing footie pj’s, down the steps on Christmas morning. Pumping Mom full of pills isn’t much of a stretch.”

  “If Allika Straffo dies, you’ll never prove it. Even if she lives, she may not implicate her own child.”

  “She’ll be counting on that. She’s going to be wrong.”

  Eve strode into the chaotic misery of the ER, scanned the bruised, the bleeding, the broken. She snagged a hustling nurse, then flipped out her badge to cut through any bull. “Straffo, Allika, OD. Where?”

  “Trauma Room Three. Badge or no badge, you can’t go in. Dr. Dimatto’s a little busy trying to save her life.”

  Louise Dimatto. Eve smiled. Sometimes it actually paid to have friends.

  “You can get in there. So go in, tell Louise that Dallas needs a status report on her patient. Where’s the kid? The Straffo kid?”

  “In the A chairs, with her nanny, father’s on the way. You know Doctor D?”

  “Yeah, we go back. A chairs?”

  “Follow me.”

  Apparently claiming Louise had grease, and slid Eve and Mira straight through the general area to the trauma section. In an alcove across from a set of double swinging doors sat Rayleen, huddled against Cora.

  The kid’s face was
splotchy from weeping, eyes red and swollen. Eve thought: Good job. Drama Club paid off.

  Cora spotted Eve first, and her eyes went weepy. “Lieutenant Dallas. It’s…it’s the missus.”

  But Eve’s eyes were all for Rayleen. The girl’s body stiffened. Didn’t expect me to drop in, did you? Eve thought. Then Rayleen pressed closer to Cora.

  “I don’t want to talk to her. I don’t want to talk to anybody. I just want my mommy.”

  “There, there now, darling. Don’t you fret. The lieutenant’s only here to try to help. Everyone’s here to help.”

  Eve glanced at Mira, jerked her head. Understanding, Mira stepped forward.

  “Rayleen, I’m Dr. Mira. I know you’re very frightened and very upset.”

  Rayleen sniffled, raised her head to study Mira’s face. “You’re a doctor? Are you going to fix my mother?”

  “Yes, I’m a doctor, and I know the doctor who’s helping your mother now. She’s a very, very good doctor.” Mira crouched down, all compassion and concern.

  Good, Eve decided. Good and smart. Don’t align yourself with me. Just an attractive, female doctor. A motherly one. Eve turned, looking through the glass porthole on the trauma room door as Mira talked to Rayleen.

  Inside, it looked to her as if they’d pumped stuff out of Allika, and were pumping stuff in. Louise wore a protective cape, her delicate blond hair clipped back, her smoky eyes intense.

  If Allika had a shot, Eve knew Louise would give it to her.

  Behind her, Mira spoke in a voice that exuded sympathy and authority. “I know you’re going to be brave now, Rayleen.”

  “I’ll try, but—”

  “I know it’s very hard. Can you tell me what happened?”

  “I don’t know. My mom…We were supposed to have lunch at Zoology, then go to the salon. It’s our girl time.”

  “Isn’t that nice?”

  “We have lots and lots of fun together. But she called when we were in the museum and said we had to come home instead of her coming to meet us. She didn’t say why. She looked really tired, and she was acting funny.”

  “Funny?”

  “She said Cora should go, because it’s her half-day off. When she did, my mom cried.”

  “I shouldn’t have gone out. I should have stayed.”

  “It’s not your fault, Cora. My mom said she was sorry, and not to be mad at her. But I wasn’t mad at her. She couldn’t help it if she was sick. She gets sick sometimes, and needs to rest.”

  “I see.”

  “She hugged me, really, really tight. Like she does when she and Daddy go on a trip, and I don’t. A good-bye hug. She told me I was her princess, and the best part of her whole life, and how she loved me.”

  Rayleen’s mouth quivered as she took a handkerchief with her name embroidered on the corner from her purse. She wiped at her eyes. “How she knew I’d be brave and strong, no matter what.” Her gaze ticked up to Eve’s back, held for an instant. “She said to remember, no matter what, she loved me best of all. Then she said I could get a snack and go play in my room, to be good. She was going to sleep. I was really quiet.” Fresh tears gushed. “So I wouldn’t wake her up.”

  The nurse swung out, took a look at the weeping little girl. Her face radiated compassion, then she drew Eve out of earshot. “Condition’s still critical. If Dr. D manages to stabilize her, they’re sending her up to CCU. Her chances aren’t very good, but Dr. D’s fighting the fight.”

  “Okay. Appreciate it.” Eve stared over the nurse’s shoulder. “That’s the husband coming down.”

  Straffo bolted down the corridor, and Eve could all but feel the fear radiating from him. Rayleen jumped up, and into his arms. Cora rose, weeping and babbling.

  Eve left them to it, while Straffo clutched his daughter, murmured to her. Then he set her down, brushed the hair from her face. She nodded, then sat with Cora again. Straffo went to the porthole, staring in as Eve had done.

  Eve went to stand beside him.

  “What do you know?”

  “I know the doctor who’s working on her,” Eve told him. “She’s good, and she doesn’t give up easy.”

  She heard him draw in a breath, let it out, and the sound was raw. “Thank you.”

  “She’s critical, once she’s stable enough they’ll move her to CCU. She was overdosed with sleeping pills.”

  “Oh, God, oh, God.” He laid his forehead on the glass.

  “What was her mood when you left this morning?”

  “She was stressed. We’ve both been stressed, for Christ’s sake. But…this has to wait. For God’s sake, Dallas, that’s my wife in there.”

  “All right. I need to talk with Cora.”

  “Yes, yes, fine.”

  “Straffo?” She waited until he tore his gaze from the trauma room, met her eyes. “I’m pulling for her. For both of you. Believe me.”

  Tears swam as he nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Dr. Mira happened to be with me when we were informed. You know her, you know she’s good. She can stay with your daughter, talk to Rayleen while I interview Cora, and you’re focused on Allika.”

  “Mira.” Distracted, he glanced around, saw Mira standing to the side. “Yes, yes. I’d appreciate that. I don’t want Rayleen left alone, and I need…”

  “You need to be with Allika. Got it.”

  Eve turned, walked over to the chairs. “Cora, I need to talk to you. Dr. Mira will sit with Rayleen.”

  “I want my daddy.”

  Two could play, Eve decided, and sent Rayleen a sympathetic look. “Yeah, I know, and he’s not going anywhere. Try not to worry. I just need Cora to talk to me about your mother.”

  “Will it help my mommy?”

  “I hope so.”

  Rayleen straightened her shoulders. Brave little soldier. “I’ll be okay.”

  “I know you will. How about if Cora and I get you something to drink?”

  “May I have some juice, please?”

  “You got it. Cora, let’s take a walk.” Eve could feel Rayleen’s smug delight as she turned away.

  “Run it through for me, Cora.”

  “I shouldn’t have left her, I’m telling you that straight off. I could see how poorly the missus was feeling, but off I went.”

  “How long were you out of the apartment?”

  “Too long, that’s the truth of it. Less than an hour. I don’t know exactly.”

  Eve listened, let Cora select juice from a machine.

  “Then I saw the pills,” Cora continued. “And I knew. I couldn’t wake her up. I shook her, I slapped her, but I couldn’t wake her. I called nine-one-one, and I told them to come, and why. I couldn’t tell if she was breathing, so I did CPR until I heard them at the door. Then I ran down, let them in.”

  “What about Rayleen?”

  “Oh, merciful Mary, the poor child.” Cora paused, pressed both hands to her face, scrubbed hard. “She came out of her room just as I was running down for the door. I knew I had to hurry, and didn’t even stop.”

  “Did she say anything?”

  “Well, she did. I imagine she was puzzled, as I must’ve looked to frighten the devil himself, and wasn’t supposed to be there at all. That’s what she said, come to that. ‘What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here.’”

  “Annoyed?”

  “Aye, I’d say. She likes things to run as they’re planned, and there I was on her day with her mum. Oh, Lieutenant, what an awful thing for a child. She just went into hysterics when the MTs charged in.”

  “I bet.”

  “If I hadn’t left—”

  “You came back,” Eve interrupted. “If you hadn’t, she’d be dead. If she pulls through this, it’s not just the doctors who’ll have saved her life. You did.”

  “Thanks. Thanks for that. I can’t stop leaking.” Cora wiped at tears. “She’s good as gold to me, the missus. Good as gold.” They headed back, then Cora clamped her free hand on Eve’s arm. “They’re bringing her out
.”

  “Yeah.” Eve watched the trauma team move the gurney out of the room toward the elevators. “That means they’ve stabilized her.” For now. “Listen to me, Cora. Look at me.”

  “What?”

  “You have friends in the city?”

  “I do, yes.”

  “I want you to stay with them tonight.”

  “Oh, but…I’ll be with little Ray. She’ll need me, poor mite.”

  “No.” Eve wasn’t going to risk another innocent. With her latest plans thwarted, Rayleen might take out her frustration on Cora. “When you leave here, you’re going straight to your friend’s, and you’re going to stay there tonight. I’ll make arrangements for Mr. Straffo and Rayleen.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “You don’t have to, yet. But if you don’t give me your word you’ll do what I’m telling you, I’m having you taken down to Central and held as a material witness. Your choice.”

  “Well, that’s harsh.”

  “It’s going to get harsher. Straffo and the kid are heading up. You can go up and take Rayleen her juice, talk to them, reassure yourself as best as you can. Then I want you to leave, and do what I’ve told you.”

  “All right, all right then, I will. I suppose she’ll only want her da now anyway.”

  Satisfied, Eve headed for Louise.

  “Dallas. Small world.”

  “And why are you in it?”

  Louise smiled. “I’m a rotating Attending here, and took the big Valentine’s Day Saturday shift. Charles is busy, and we’re having our romantic rendezvous tomorrow.”

  As Louise’s main man was a high-class licensed companion, Eve imagined he was fully booked on heart day.

  “You look beat.”

  “Rough one. And if you’re going to ask me her chances, I can tell you they’re very shaky. We’ve got her on life support. She’s not breathing on her own yet, and may not respond. But if she’d gotten here ten minutes later, she wouldn’t have had any chance at all. So we take what we can get.”

  “My lab’s going to need a sample of what you pumped out of her.”

  “No problem. The au pair has a steady head on her shoulders. Gave the nine-one-one the name of the med, gave the MTs the bottle. We knew what we were dealing with straight off, and that made a difference, too. She’d started CPR, gave the patient another fighting chance. Beautiful woman, the patient. Husband, sweet little girl. You never know.”