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“You’re not buying suicide”

“I knew hi, vain” Eve shook her head “Vain, arrogantin their own blood”

“He was a brilliant man” Leanore Bastwick sat in her custolass-walled corner office of Fitzhugh, Bastwick, and Stern Her desk was a glass pool, unsht, her icy and stunning blond beauty “He was a generous friend,” Leanore added and folded her perfectly e of the desk “We’re in shock here, Lieutenant”

It was hard to see shock on the polished surface of it all New York’s steel forest rose up glittering behind Leanore’s back, lending the lofty illusion that she was reigning over the city Pale rose and soft gray added elegant muted color to an office that was as meticulously decorated as the woman herself

“Do you know of any reason why Fitzhugh would have taken his own life?”

“Absolutely none” Leanore kept her hands very still, her eyes level “He loved life His life, his work He enjoyed every minute of every day as much as anyone I’ve ever met I have no idea why he would choose to end it”

“When was the last time you saw or spoke with him?”

She hesitated Eve could al smoothly behind those heavily lashed eyes “Actually, I saw hiht I dropped a file off for hied” Her slicked lips curved “But I will say he was his usual enthusiastic self, and he was verywith you in court”

“Dueling?”

“That’s how Fitz referred to cross-examination of expert and police witnesses” A smile flickered over her face “It was a a he enjoyed soin court”

“What tiht?”

“I’d say about ten Yes, I think it was around ten I’d worked late here and slipped by on my way home”

“Was that usual, Ms Bastwick, you slipping by to see him on your way home?”

“Not unusual We were, after all, professional associates, and our cases sometimes overlapped”

“That’s all you were? Professional partners?”