“The Clone Cops.” The boy, his gold-streaked brown hair tousled from sleep, his grin wide, and his cat-green eyes avid, rubbed his hands together. “Now, this is XL to the frosty.”
“Cram it, Trent.” On a tear-soaked snarl, Fiona sent him a vicious look only a sibling could manage. “There’s a dead woman outside my rooms, okay? How am I ever going to sleep there again?”
“You can swap rooms with me anytime.” He added a cat smile to the cat’s eyes. “You’re grounded for the rest of your life anyhow.”
“Why don’t you fuck off and die?”
While the brother wentOoooohat that, both parents got into the mix. LaValle would’ve said the decibels rose again.
And lifting both hands for peace, Peabody stepped forward. “Everyone, please stop. This isn’t helping. Why don’t we all take a minute, take a breath?”
They rolled right over her, so Eve stepped forward.
“Quiet!” Her voice whip-snapped through the melee. “All of you, shut up, and now. Otherwise, we’ll take Fiona down to Central and interview her there.”
“Mom! I don’t want to go to—”
“Then be quiet,” Eve suggested.
Fiona snapped her mouth shut as her brother snickered.
“That goes for you, too. You want to stay, knock it off. Otherwise we can give Child Services a tag and take you down for interfering with a police investigation.”
He rolled his eyes at her, but subsided.
“I don’t appreciate you speaking to our children in that manner,” Opal Whittier began.
“Maybe weigh what you appreciate less: me keeping your kids under control or the dead woman outside your house. The sooner we get to the second of those choices, the sooner you can go back to the family drama.”
“This is a very difficult time.” Roger Whittier rubbed his tired eyes. “It’s all shocking, and it’s very stressful for all of us.”
“I’m sure it is.” Peabody went back to smoothing and soothing. “Weneed to ask questions, and when we’re done, we’ll leave you alone. I’m sure all of you want some time to regroup after this shock.”
“You’re right, of course, you’re right. Opal.” Roger reached for his wife’s hand.
“Yes, yes.” Most of the angry color drained out of her cheeks. “My head’s still reeling. What if that murderer had still been there when Fiona got home? What if he’d broken in while she was alone in bed, or—”
“None of that happened,” Eve said. “Let’s deal with what did.”
“Yes, let’s please do that.”
The family shifted to sit on the back of the banquette. Peabody and Eve sat on the ends.
“I’m going to show you a photo, and ask if you recognize this person.”
Eve pulled up the victim’s ID shot, and had the family pass her ’link around starting with Roger.
“No. Opal?”
She shook her head.
Trent took a long look. “Nope, but she’s pretty steamy.”
“I think, maybe, it’s the woman.” Fiona’s chin wobbled. “The dead woman, but she looks different.”
“Have you seen her before tonight?”
“No. I swear.” Tears began to leak. “At first I thought she was a sidewalk sleeper with weird clothes on. Or maybe somebody who got drunk at like a costume party or something and just passed out there. I even yelled at her to get up, and she didn’t move at all. But then I got closer, and I could see she… The way she was staring, and how she didn’t move. She didn’t move.”
