Haunted in Death by J. D. Robb Read Free Book Online Page B

Bray.
    “She’s part of my investigation – and a secondary vic, even though she was killed a half century before I was born. She’s mine now, like Hopkins is mine. But she’s always part of the motive.“
    “And as such, I’d think you’d want to know all you could about her.“
    “I do, and I will. But I don’t have to hear her singing.“ It was too sad, Eve admitted to herself. And too spooky. “I’m going to order up some pizza. You want in on that?“
    “All right.“ Roarke rose to follow her into the kitchen attached to her office. “She was twenty when Hop scooped her up. He was forty-three. Still, it was two years before her album came out – which he produced, allegedly hand-picking every song. She did perform during that period, exclusively in Hopkins’s venues.“
    “So he ran her.“
    “All but owned her, from the sound of it. Young, naive girl – at least from a business standpoint, and from a generation and culture that prided itself on not being bound by property and possessions. Older, canny, experienced man, who discovered her, romanced her, and most certainly fed any appetite she might have had for illegal substances.“
    “She’d been on her own for five years.“ Eve debated for about five seconds on pepperoni and went for it. “Naive doesn’t wash for me.“
    “But then you’re not a sentimental fan or biographer. Still, I’d lean toward the naivete when it came to contracts, royalties, business and finance. And Hopkins was a pro. He stood as her agent, her manager, her producer.“
    “But she’s the talent,“ Eve reasoned and snagged some napkins. “She’s got the youth, the looks. Maybe her culture or whatever said pooh-pooh to big piles of money, but if she’s bringing it in, getting the shine from it, she’s going to start to want more.“
    “Agreed. She left him for a few months in 1972, just dropped off the radar. Which is one of the reasons, I’d assume, he got away with her murder three years later. She’d taken off once, why not again?“
    He stepped out to choose a wine from the rack behind a wall panel. “When she came back, it was full-court press professionally, with a continual round of parties, clubs, drugs, sex. Her album hit, and big, with her touring internationally for six months. More sex, more drugs, and three Grammys. Her next album was in the works when she disappeared.“
    “Hop must’ve gotten a percentage of her earnings.“ Eve brought the pizza in, dumped it and plates on her desk.
    “As her manager and producer, he’d have gotten a hefty one.“
    “Stupid to kill the goose.“
    “Passion plus drugs can equal extreme stupidity.“
    “Smart enough to cover it up, and keep it covered for eighty-five years. So his grandson ends up paying for it. Why? My vic wasn’t even born when this went down. If it’s revenge…“
    “Served very cold,“ Roarke said as he poured wine.
    “The killer has a connection with the older crime, the older players. Financial, emotional, physical. Maybe all three.“
    She lifted up a slice, tugged at the strings of cheese, expertly looping them up and over the triangle.
    “If it’s financial,“ she continued, “who stands to gain? The son inherits, but he’s alibied and there isn’t a hell of a lot to scoop once the debts are offset. So maybe something of value, something the killer wanted Hopkins to bring to Number Twelve. But if it’s a straight give-me-what-I-want/deserve, why set the scene? Why put on that show for us tonight?“
    When Roarke said nothing, Even chewed contemplatively on her slice. “You don’t seriously believe that was some ghostly visitation? Grab a little corner of reality.“
    “Do you seriously believe your killer has been dogging that building, it’s owners, for eight and a half decades? What makes mat more logical than a restless, angry spirit?“
    “Because dead people don’t get angry. They’re dead.“ She picked up her wine. “It’s my job to get pissed for