Page 81 of Random in Death

“Can you estimate his height?”

“I dunno… maybe… About as tall as my sister. Maybe about.”

“How tall is she?”

This time he just lifted his shoulders, and Eve glanced at Peabody.

When Peabody pulled out her PPC, Eve turned back to Hank. “Skin color?”

“A white guy. For sure, on that. I guess I saw his arms. Yeah, yeah, I did. Really white, so he was wearing a T-shirt. Maybe a tank type deal. I didn’t pay attention.”

“Hair color, eye color?” Eve asked, and Hank began to look distressed.

“Is this the guy who killed that girl?”

“It’s someone we want to identify.”

“Jesus, Jesus, I don’t want to guess on something like this. I don’t want to be wrong on it. I didn’t pay attention. I just gave him a glance back, that’s all. You didn’t notice?” he asked Devin.

“Sorry, man, I didn’t. I didn’t see him at all.”

“Hank.” Peabody pulled out her trust-me voice. “You’ve already helped us by what you did notice.”

“But he was our age. Shit, I don’t know that for sure, either. I just figured. I don’t know if I saw his face. I don’t think so. I’ve got nothing in the banks that says I did. I more noticed his bags, right? And thought something like, here comes a doof.”

Time to back off, Eve thought.

“I’m going to confirm what Detective Peabody just said. You’ve helped us a lot, you’ve told us details we didn’t have. We appreciate your time and cooperation.”

“Okay. Sorry that’s all I got. And, um, you could maybe eat some of the babka? Bubbe’ll be pissed if you don’t.”

“Right.” Eve broke off a piece with her fork and sampled. And found herself eating a small bite of heaven.

“Well, God.”

Hank gave her a weak version of his smile. “Told ya. We gotta get back.”

The boys rose together and, pulling on their caps, headed back to the counter.

“I ate my entire slice,” Peabody confessed. “I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Easy to see why. Height?”

“Hank’s sister’s ID lists hers at five-five.”

“We’ll call it, for now, between five-five and five-seven. He’s white. Hank confirmed the cheap-ass baggies. Apparently to go with the crap kicks. And he told us more than he realized.”

“That the guy who slid in behind him wasn’t worth noticing.”

Eve took a second bite of cake. The streusel topping it hit a grand slam.

“My pride nearly exceeds the magnificence of this babka. The minute he noticed the sad baggies, the one wearing them sank beneath notice.”

Eve pulled some cash out of her pocket, laid it on the table.

“You’re not leaving that half a slice of babka.”

“We need to get back.”