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. It was such a beautiful day. I went out for a walk, some window-shopping. I guess about six? Six or six-thirty? I’m not sure. I ended up walking to the park. I’m not sure what time I got back here. Eight? Nine? Then I had a salad, a glass of wine. Two,” she corrected. “And worked on some of the things Marjorie and I had discussed. Between the wine and the long walk, I was in bed and asleep by eleven.”
“Did you meet anyone on your walk, buy anything while you window-shopped?” Eve asked.
“No. Oh, Merit and I texted, what, about nine-thirty?”
“About. I texted Gwen to let her know we were ordering in more food, and we’d probably be at prep for another two or three hours. Since we were taking a break, we texted back and forth for a few minutes.”
“Ms. Huffman, given this morning’s timeline, you didn’t call nine-one-one for approximately sixty minutes after you found Ms. Byrd.”
“I know. I’m sorry. So sorry. I’ve never in my life seen—I didn’t start to think straight until I was back home, and even then. Then it hit me. I’d left her there. Just left her. I started to take a pill, a sleep aid. I can hardly believe I nearly took a sleep aid so I could just make it all go away. I started shaking all over again, and I called the police. But I couldn’t stop shaking.”
“You put a Do Not Disturb on your room and ’links.”
“Yes, when I was going to take the pill. I nearly took it again after I called, but I just drank a soother, and I finally realized the police would need to talk to me, and I wanted Merit. I wanted Merit.”
She began to cry slow, graceful tears as she huddled against him.
“I should have stayed with her.” With pretty tears sliding, she turned her face up to his. “I should have stayed with Ariel and talked to the police there. I’ll be ashamed I didn’t for the rest of my life.”
“Don’t. Don’t blame yourself.” He brushed his lips on her forehead. “I’d appreciate if we could call this now, Lieutenant, Detective. She’s had more than enough.”
“We appreciate your cooperation,” Eve said as she rose. “And we’re sorry for your loss. We’ll see ourselves out.”
On the walk to the elevator, Eve asked, “Anything we didn’t cover from the uniforms?”
“Not really. They’d just gotten started. They said there was some stonewalling—not clearing them up because of the DND, waiting for her legal rep. Then some crying and soothing to get through.”
They stepped into the elevator, started down. “They’d started to establish the relationship, the basic timeline, then we got there.”
“Okay, they didn’t get deep enough into the initial interview to see the big, gaping holes in her story.”
“They didn’t mention it,” Peabody replied. “I guess I’m going to risk wrath and say I felt some of her version had wobbles, and I always suspect anyone who can cry and look gorgeous doing it—but that may be envy. But I didn’t see the big, gaping holes.”
“Wait for them.” Eve headed straight to the lobby desk. Before she could ask, Felicity gave her a packet, sealed and labeled.
“The copy you requested, Lieutenant. If we can be of any further assistance—”
“You can. How long has Ms. Huffman lived here?”
“For nearly four years, if memory serves.”
“Does your memory include an approximation of how long she’s been seeing Mr. Caine?”
“An approximation would be the best I can offer. I’d say about a year, less for his automatic clearance.”
“Thanks. One more thing.” She pulled out her PPC, brought up Ariel Byrd’s ID photo. “Do you recognize this woman?”
“No, I’m sorry.”
“Okay, another one more thing. The other shifts on the desk. I need their names and contacts.”
“Of course. Jonathan, get that information, please.”
Once she had it, Eve thanked Felicity again before heading out with Peabody.
Peabody waited until they were in the car. “So our wit’s a suspect. I get that, it’s routine. But I don’t get why you’re narrowing in on her right off.”