Page 16 of Random in Death
“Harve, just Harve. Mr. Greenbaum’s my old man.”
“Harve. Has anyone taken your statement?”
“Yeah, yeah. Blondie over there.” He pointed at McNab. “Sure don’t look like a cop, but he’s got that going when he gets going. He talked to me and Glo. My partner, in life and business.”
“Did he tell you you’re free to go?”
“We’re not leaving until the last kid gets out, and please God, gets home safe. It’s our place where this happened. Glo says I should shut up about that, and we’re going to get our asses sued. But Jesus on an airboard Christ, it’s our place.”
“Understood. Can you tell me where to find Detective Peabody?”
“Yeah, Pretty in Pink. She’s back of the house talking to more kids. Staff’s done, and the band. Holy God, poor Jake. Jake and the boys, they don’t forget their roots.”
“Can you take me back to Detective Peabody?”
“You bet. Oh, hey, you own the building, right?”
“That’s right,” Roarke confirmed.
“Well, I hate to mention it at such a time, but just today something went wonky with the temperature control. We didn’t have a chance to report it, but—”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“I appreciate that. Anytime something goes wonky, your people are right on it.”
“Maybe you can see if McNab’s had a chance to check the security cam on the doors,” Eve said to Roarke.
“Gave him a copy of the feed,” Harve said.
“Take a look at it, will you?” And leaving him to it, Eve went with Harve.
“It ain’t much back here. It’s not like we run to dressing rooms and all that.”
“This is fine.”
They walked past the restrooms, down a short corridor, past the alley door, where she caught a whiff of vomit under fresh cleaning fluid. And to what he called the back of the house.
About eight kids sat in chairs lined up against a wall. She saw another door with a STAFF ONLY sign, another space with some rolling clothes racks, then a door that read OFFICE.
“She’s taking them in there. How about I get you something cold to drink? It’s a little hot in here. I don’t mind it myself, but it’s pretty hot.”
“I could use a Pepsi.”
“You got it.” He knocked on the door, then stuck his head in. “Boss Cop’s here.”
She stepped into an office smaller than her bedroom closet. Though windowless, it was overly bright to her eye, and fiercely organized. Peabody sat at the desk facing the door. Two kids, one with hair as brightly pink as Peabody’s boots, another with hers sharply divided into purple on one side, that same pink on the other, sat in chairs.
Eve figured the makeup each had piled on had to weigh ten pounds.
“Okay, Gabby, okay, Apple, that’s all I need, thanks. Your mom’s waiting outside, Gabby. And your mom cleared it, Apple, for you to stay the night at Gabby’s as planned.”
“Now we probably won’t get to go clubbing again until we’re twenty. This totally gales it,” Gabby added before she and Apple walked out.
“Gales it?”
“Blows hard.”
“Maybe they should consider it gales it for the dead girl. Status?”