Salvation in death

She paced back. “The water’s on the table, behind the drop,” she remembered. “Smarter to do it when the singers are already out there-what do you call it-upstage. In front of the drop. Vic’s in his dressing room, most everyone is except the ones onstage. It takes a minute, if that. Sealed hands, maybe thin gloves, like a doctor’s. I bet there’s a medical on staff. Smart, pretty smart. Still, maybe stupid enough to toss the sealant or gloves, the empty poison container in one of the arena’s recyclers. Why wouldn’t you? It’s just going to prove what you want us to find out anyway. Somebody poisoned him.”

Morris smiled at her. “As Reverend Jenkins and I are now so intimately acquainted, and you appear to know who somebody is, share.”

“His name’s Billy Crocker. And it’s time we had another chat.”

11

THEY TRACKED BILLY DOWN AT THE TOWN HOUSE on Park. The attractive brunette who opened the door looked pale and wrung out-and surprised. “Detective Peabody. Is there-do you have news?”

“No, ma’am. Lieutenant Dallas, this is Merna Baker, the na

“Oh, hello. I’m sorry, when I saw you on the security screen, I thought… Please, come in.”

The foyer was short and wide, narrowing to a hallway Eve noted bisected the house. Merna stood, puffy-eyed, in her calf-skimming dark skirt and blue blouse. Her short hair curled around a face that showed no signs of enhancements.

Wouldn’t have been Jenkins’s type, Eve thought.

“We were told Mr. Crocker was here,” Eve began. “We’d like to speak with him.”

“Oh. Yes, he’s here. He’s back with Jolene and some of the family. We’re… It’s such a hard day.”

“We’ll try not to make it any harder.”

“Yes, of course. If you’d just wait here a moment.”

She walked down the hall, knocked on a door. When it opened, she spoke in a voice so quiet it didn’t carry. But Eve heard Jolene’s voice spike up inside the room.

“The police? Do they know what happened to my Jimmy? Do they-”

She came out fast, pushing her way through. She wore a long pink robe, and her hair bounced like tangled springs on her shoulders. Both her feet and face were bare, and Eve had a moment to think how much prettier she was without the layers of glop she painted on.

“Jimmy Jay.” She gripped Eve’s arms, long, pink nails biting in, as several people poured out of the room, into the hall. “You’re here about Jimmy Jay. You found out what happened.”

“Yes, ma’am, we did.”

“It was his heart, wasn’t it?” The words hitched on sobs. “That’s what I’ve been telling everybody. His heart, it was just so big, so big and so full. It just gave out, that’s all. It gave out, and God called him home.”

There was a plea on her face, a terrible need in her eyes.

What was worse than telling someone their loved one was dead? Eve thought. Telling them their loved one was murdered.

“No, I’m sorry. Mr. Jenkins died of cyanide poisoning.”

Her eyes rolled back. Even as the small army of people rushed forward, Eve caught her, held her upright. And Jolene’s eyes blinked, went clear. Went cold. She slapped back at the hands reaching for her, kept those cold, clear eyes on Eve.

She went from zero to sixty, Eve thought. From fragile matron to avenger.

“You stand here, and you look me in the face, and tell me you know-absolutely, without a single doubt-that someone poisoned my husband. You look me in the eye and tell me that’s God’s own truth. Can you do that?”

“Yes. Someone poisoned your husband.”

Around them, family broke into sobs, into calls for Mama, or Mama Jo. When they pressed in, reached for her, Jolene spun around.

“Y’all hush! You hush now, every one of you.”

The noise shut off as if she’d slapped a switch. When she turned back to Eve and her lips trembled, she firmed them. When her eyes filled, she blinked back the tears. “How do you know, without a single doubt.”

“It’s my job to know. I’ve just spoken to the medical examiner-the Chief Medical Examiner of this city, ma’am-and the cause of death is confirmed. Lab results will confirm that the cyanide was added to his stage water. Unless you can stand here, look me in the face, and tell me you have any reason to believe your husband killed himself by cyanide poisoning, then I’m telling you he was murdered.”

“He would never have taken his own life. Life is a gift from God. He would never have left me, his family, his church by his own hand.”

She stepped back, drew herself up. All trace of the cotton candy fluff vanished. “You find who did this. You find who took that gift from God away from my husband, from the father of my children. You do your job.”

“I will.”

“Luke.”

“Mama Jo.” One of the men came forward, put his arm around her, gently.

“You’re head of the family now. I expect you to do whatever needs to be done.”

“You know I will. Let Jackie take you upstairs now, Mama Jo. You go on upstairs and get a little rest. We’ll make sure everything’s done the way Jimmy Jay would have wanted. The way you want. I promise you.”

She nodded, rubbed his shoulder. “Thank you for coming to tell me, Lieutenant. I want to go upstairs now.”

“Come on with me, Mama.” The daughter, Jackie, enfolded her mother, led her to the stairs. Jolene stopped, looked back.

“Billy, you help guide them now, like you guided their daddy.”

“I will. Don’t worry, Jolene. I don’t want you to worry.” His face was a study of misery as he watched her climb the stairs.

“Lieutenant, I’m Luke Goodwin-Jackie’s husband.” Though he offered a firm handshake, his eyes showed a dragging fatigue. “I wonder if you could tell me, ah, when we might be able to take my father-in-law home. We’re making arrangements for his lying-in-state and memorial, his burial. We want to get the family home as soon as we can.”

“I hope it won’t be much longer. I’ll have someone contact you directly when we’re cleared.”

“Excuse me.” Another man nudged forward. Not quite as tall as the first, he had sharp cheekbones and a mouth set in hard lines. “Unless my mother-in-law is a suspect, I’m going to insist she be allowed to return home. She’s given her statement, and you have no legal reason to detain her.”

“And you are?”

“Samuel Wright, Jimmy Jay’s son-in-law. I’m a lawyer.”

“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed. I’m not detaining Mrs. Jenkins, but am requesting she, and anyone involved in last night’s production, remain in New York and available while this investigation is ongoing. And I didn’t hear Mrs. Jenkins request permission to return to her home residence.”

“We’re making arrangements for that. She needs to-”

“Then she can talk to me about it herself. In the meantime, I have some follow-up questions. I’d like to speak with you, Mr. Crocker.”

“Yes, of course. Could we make an appointment?” He actually reached for his memo book. “We still have so much to do-arrangements, and cancellations.”

“It won’t take long. And it should be now.”

“But-”

“Unless Billy’s a suspect,” the lawyer began.

“Let’s make this easy then. You’re all suspects. As far as I can ascertain, every one of you, along with the other members onstage, and behind it, had the opportunity to lace the water with cyanide. Means? Cyanide’s not something you pick up at the local pharmacy, but it’s easy to obtain through black and gray markets. Motive-lots and lots of money.”

“That’s both insulting and inappropriate.”

“Sue me. Meanwhile, I can follow up with Mr. Crocker here, or we can go downtown.”

“That’s not necessary, of course that’s not necessary. Sam.” Billy tapped a calming hand on Sam’s arm. “We all want to do whatever we can to help the police.”

“You’re not talking to her without me being present as your representative.”

“Works for me,” Eve said cheerfully. “Want to do this here in the hall?”