Page 14 of Little Last Words

Foley shot me a wink. “You’re not like most women, though, with your violet hair and vintage clothes. Who knows … maybe he’s ready for something different.”

“Even if I was single, and even if he was my type, which he isn’t, there’s no way a guy like him could handle a woman like me.”

Foley laughed. “Isn’t that the truth.”

I socked him in the shoulder, not hard, just enough to tease him back.

Foley assumed Becker had stared at me because he was attracted to me. I didn’t. I believed it was for a different reason. Iknewthings about him, things about his private life—who was coming, who was going. It made him uncomfortable.

“All right,” Foley said. “Let’s head inside, get those curtains closed before any other prying eyes descend on the place. I’ll grab Higgins and have him keep an eye on the neighbors and any shenanigans they try to pull.”

“I’ll bet you ten bucks Binocular Lady is the next one to walk over.”

“I’m sure I’d lose that bet. At any rate, Higgins can deal with it. We have more pressing matters. It’s time I had a chat with young Sadie Barlow.”

CHAPTER6

Sadie was sitting on the couch next to Luka when I arrived home, her lips covered in a dark-brown sticky substance. Based on the giant bowl of half-eaten ice cream in her hands, it was easy to see what had happened here.

Foley looked at Giovanni and me and tipped his head toward the hallway so the three of us could have a conversation outside of Sadie’s earshot.

“I was just trying to keep her happy,” Giovanni explained. “I had no idea the ice cream would get everywhere.”

“It’s fine,” I said. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s asked for her mother several times, and for you,” he said. “She also wanted to know if her mother is awake yet.”

This meant one of two things: Sadie either didn’t know her mother was dead, or she couldn’t accept it yet.

“Did she say anything else?” I asked.

“Not much. I did my best to distract her. You were gone for a while. She knows you weren’t here.”

“I know. I feel awful about leaving.” Turning to Foley, I added, “How do you want to handle talking to her?”

He glanced at Sadie and then at me. “Questioning a kid her age about a homicide is the least favorite part of my job. I wouldn’t usually do it this way, but I’m thinking you should take the lead, Georgiana. She’s had some time to warm up to you, which tells me you have a better chance at getting her to talk than I do.”

I agreed.

Giovanni retreated to his office to make some calls, and Foley and I joined Sadie in the living room.

I sat next to her and said, “Are you having a good time with Luka?”

Sadie set the bowl of melted ice cream on the coffee table and crossed her arms, huffing an irritated, “You left me.”

“I know I did. I’m sorry.”

“Why did you leave?”

I decided to answer the question with a well-timed diversion.

I may have left, but I hadn’t returned emptyhanded.

“I brought you something,” I said.

“You did? What?”

I reached into my handbag, pulling out the stuffed koala she’d been so attached to earlier.