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Using the navigation on her wrist unit, Eve turned into a driveway that circled to a house on a small rise. VanWitt had gone for a modified U-shape with the center two-story leg connecting the long, single-story juts in a mix of stone and wood and glass.
Flowers were cheerful and plentiful, trees tall and shady.
She angled where the drive widened into a small lot, and pulled in beside a spiffy little topless number in stoplight red.
“It’s pretty.” Peabody looked around as they walked to the main door. “Probably a nice place to raise kids with all this room. Low crime area, good schools.”
“You thinking of moving?”
“No. I want the buzz, too. But I can see how people aspire to places like this.”
A woman in cropped pants and a tucked white shirt answered the bell. “May I help you?”
“Felicity VanWitt.” Eve held up her badge. “Lieutenant Dallas and Detective Peabody, NYPSD. We’d like to speak with her.”
“The children.” The woman’s hand rushed up to slap against her heart.
“It has nothing to do with the children.”
“Oh. Oh. They’re on a field trip in New York today, with their youth club. I thought . . . Sorry. Doctor VanWitt is in session. Can you tell me what this is about?”
“Who are you?”
“Anna Munson. I’m the house manager.”
“We’ll need to speak with Doctor VanWitt directly.”
“She should be done in about ten minutes.” Still she hesitated. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to be rude, but we’re not used to having the police at the door.”
“There’s no trouble,” Eve told her. “We’re hoping the doctor can give us some insight regarding an investigation.”
“I see.” Clearly she didn’t, but she stepped back. “If you don’t mind waiting. I’ll let the doctor know you’re here as soon as she’s out of session.”
The house was as pretty and spacious inside as out, managed, Eve supposed, very well by Anna. Flowers looked to have come straight from the gardens, and had been arranged without fuss. Anna showed them to a sitting area with views of those gardens, and a pretty little house that served a sparkling swimming pool.
“Can I get you something cold to drink? I was just thinking about iced coffee.”
Eve couldn’t understand why anybody wanted to screw good coffee up with ice, and shook her head. “No, thanks.”
“I’d love some, if you’re making it, anyway.”
Anna smiled at Peabody. “It gives me an excuse to have some. Please, sit down, be comfortable. I’ll only be . . . did you say Lieutenant Dallas? Eve Dallas?”
“That’s right.”
“In the book? The Icove investigation? I read it last week. Oh, it’s so exciting—horrible,” she added quickly. “But I couldn’t put the book down. Dallas and Peabody. Imagine that. Doctor VanWitt’s reading it now. She’ll be thrilled to meet you.”
“Great,” Eve said and left it at that. She didn’t roll her shoulders to shift off the discomfort until Anna hurried out. “How long do you figure that’s going to happen? Ooh, the Icove book. Crap.”
“I don’t know, I think it’s pretty frosty. And you’ve got to admit, it changes attitudes. She was polite but suspicious, now she’s juiced we’re here.”
“I guess there’s that.” Eve wandered the room. Flowers, some family photos, nice paintings, comfortable furnishings in soft and serene colors.
Given the size and layout of the house, she suspected this was a kind of company room rather than a family hangout.
Anna was back quickly with a tray holding Peabody’s iced coffee, a second glass, and a cup of hot black. “I remember from the book you like coffee, Lieutenant, so I made some just in case. The doctor will be right with you. The other iced coffee’s for her. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No. We’re set. Thanks for the coffee.”
