Possession in Death by J. D. Robb Read Free Book Online

other.”
    “Charming. When did you last see Madam Szabo?”
    “Just yesterday. She’d visit class, and my mother, a lot. Talk to the other
dancers here, and the other studios down on two and three where Beata took
some classes. She’d have tea with my mother, sit with my uncle at the piano. She
said she felt close to Beata here.”
    “And she mentioned something about Beata being close. Being below.”
    “She was a Gypsy—and took it seriously. I don’t buy into that, but yeah, she
said some stuff about it. Didn’t make any sense, because if Beata was close, why
did she stop coming to class? Why did she bail on the part she got, and screw the
understudy position she had? Dancers dance. She took off, that’s what she did, to
dance somewhere else. Found a bigger brass ring to grab.”
    “Where were you today, Alexi? Say from noon to four?”
    “Cops.” He sniffed again. “I slept late in the apartment of Allie Madison. She
and I will dance in the gala, and she and I sleep together. For now,” he added.
“We stayed in bed until about two, then met friends for a little brunch. Then we
came here, to practice, then to take class. She’s the blonde, the tall one with the
tattoo of a lark on her left shoulder blade. I need to practice.”
    “Go ahead. Ask your uncle to come out.”
    Eve waited until he’d strode off again. “Did you run him?” she asked
Peabody.
    “Oh yeah. He’s got a few drunk and disorderlies, a couple of minor illegals
possessions, an assault—bar fight, which added destruction of private property,
public nuisance, resisting. He’s twenty-six, listed as principal dancer and
instructor here at the school, and lives with his mother upstairs on six.”
    Got a temper, Eve thought as the piano player stepped out.
    “Officer?”
    “Lieutenant Dallas, Detective Peabody. And you’re Sasha?”
    “Sasha Korchov, yes. My nephew said you came because Madam Szabo was
killed.” His dreamy eyes were soft and sad, like this voice. Like the slow glide of
a bow over violin strings. “I’m very sorry to know this.”
    “Were you here when she came in yesterday?”
    “I didn’t see her. Natalya was using the music disc—advanced students to
work on dances for the gala. I am in the storeroom, I think, with the props when
she was here. My sister tells me I missed her. We enjoyed talking music and
dance. I saw her the day before, on the street, not far from here. I was going to
the market. But she was across the street and didn’t hear when I called out to
her. We talked in Russian,” he said with a ghost of a smile. “Her mother was
Russian, like mine and my papa, so sometimes we talked in Russian. I will miss
it, and her.”
    “What about Beata?”
    “Beata.” He sighed. “My sister, she thinks Beata ran off to Las Vegas, but no,
I think something bad happened to her. I don’t say so to Gizi, but… I think she
knows I believe this. She could see inside if she looked, so I think sometimes she
was sad to talk to me. I’m sorry for it.”
    “What did you think happened to Beata?”
    “I think she loved her family, and to dance, and New York. I don’t think she
would leave all of that by choice. I think she’s dead, and now so is Gizi. Now
Gizi will find her, so they will, at least, have each other.”
    “Your nephew was interested in Beata—personally.”
    “He likes pretty girls,” Sasha said cautiously. “What young man doesn’t?”
    “But she wasn’t interested in him?”
    “She was more interested in dance than in men. Pure of heart, and with
music in her blood.”
    “Can you tell me where you were this afternoon?”
    “I went to market after morning classes—I like to go most days. I came
home to have my lunch and to play. I opened the windows so the music could go
out. I came down to talk to my sister, and play for the two o’clock class. When
that’s done, we have tea, Natalya and me.”
    “Okay, thank you. Would you send Allie Madison out?”
    “Will they send her