Page 141 of Random in Death
Peabody pointed an accusatory finger. “You know more about shopping than you admit.”
“No, that’s buying, and efficient. Efficient means she makes more profit. The client wants conservative, button-down shirts. You provide. Trousers, same deal. No baggies, no skin pants, maybe, possibly some sweats, but again, high-end. Black, gray, brown, tan, nothing outside the lines.”
“I got it.”
When she walked into the bullpen, she spotted Quilla sitting on the edge of Jenkinson’s desk. And she smelled brownies.
Quilla pushed up, offered an easy and innocent smile.
Eve jerked her thumb toward her office for Quilla, then, eyes narrowed, pointed at Jenkinson.
He shrugged and brushed brownie crumbs off his irradiated rabbits.
“I did not give you the go on interviews with my squad.”
“I wasn’t. We were just talking. I heard he got a promotion.”
“So you brought him brownies.”
“I brought enough for everybody. Well, except you and Peabody, because, man, they wolfed.”
Molded by Nadine, Eve thought.
“Quilla, I don’t have time for this, or you.”
“You weren’t even here, and I just came down after I finished my interviews in EDD.” Quilla pushed at her purple hair. “Well, I still have to put it all together, edit, work on the narration, polish, but—”
“Quilla, go away.”
“But wait. I heard how you found where he got the shoes.”
“That’s not for public consumption.”
“I know that.” That earned a double eye roll. “Jeez. Like I’d blab about it so he gets to kill more girls. So I was talking to Mouser—you know, Dorian’s friend, the new kid.”
“You talked to him about official police business?”
“It wasn’t blabbing. I wanted his, like, expert opinion. He was on the street longer than me. Longer than anybody I know. He knows stuff. And I talked to Jamie about it.”
“Jesus.” At wit’s end, Eve scrubbed her hands over her face.
“Jamie already knows official stuff, and we’re hanging out. Sort of maybe dating a little. He’s really smart, and he’s decent. I mean, it can’t really go anywhere because he wants to be a cop, and I’m going to be an investigative reporter, so, you know, won’t work. But I like hanging with somebody smart and decent. I never really did before, and without the school, without Nadine, I probably never would have.
“And I need to go to college.”
To Eve’s intense dismay, Quilla’s eyes filled. “Nadine says I need a good education. She’s going to pay for me to go to college. I’m going to work for scholarships so it doesn’t sting so much, but I’m going to college. I mean I have to finish at An Didean first, but then.
“Can I have a Coke?”
Trying to ignore the headache creeping back, Eve waved at her AutoChef.
“Sorry, it sort of closes me up right here.” Quilla pressed a hand under her throat. “I never should’ve been here, like this, and I wouldn’t be if not for you, and Roarke, and Nadine. I could’ve ended up like the girls behind the wall, or the girls on your board. So I need to help.”
She cracked the tube, downed some Coke Eve hadn’t known was stocked.
“So I talked to Mouser because he knows stuff. Like where the snooty rich kids shop, especially the doofs, and he said…”
Pausing, she eyed Eve. “This has to be confidential. I mean like he’s a source, right? You won’t bust him down or anything, right? I should’ve said that first.”