Immortal in Death by J. D. Robb

reasons I’m staying here with Justin until it’s all resolved.”
    “Take me through your movements on the night she was killed.”
    Jerry’s eyes widened. “Am I a suspect? That’s almost flattering.” She came back to the chair, drink in hand. After she sat, she folded up her exquisite legs in a way that made Feeney vibrate beside Eve. “I never had the guts to do more than give her a few verbal shots. Half the time she didn’t even know I was zinging her. Pandora wasn’t exactly a mental giant and never understood subtlety. All right then.”
    She sat back, closed her eyes, and told basically the same story as Justin had, though she had, apparently, tuned in more closely on the altercation between Pandora and Mavis.
    “I have to admit, I was cheering her on. The little one, not Pandora. She had a style to her,” Jerry mused. “Odd, memorable — somewhere between a waif and an Amazon. She was trying to hold her own, but Pandora would have mopped the floor with her if Justin and Paul hadn’t stopped it. Pandora was really strong. She was always in the health club working on muscle tone. I once saw her literally throw a fashion consultant across the room because the poor sap had mislabeled her accessories before a showing. Anyway…”
    She waved that off, opened a drawer on the brass table beside her, and located an enameled box. She took out a glossy red cigarette, lighted it, blew out perfumed smoke. “Anyway, the woman started off trying to reason with Pandora, make some sort of a deal with her over Leonardo. He’s a designer. My take was Leonardo and the waif were an item and Pandora wasn’t ready to cut him loose. He’s got a show coming up.”
    She smiled that cat’s smile again. “With Pandora gone, I’ll have to throw him my support.”
    “You weren’t involved in the show before?”
    “Pandora was headlining. I said Pandora and I had done a few projects together. A couple of videos. Her problem was, she had looks, even presence, but when she had to read someone else’s lines or try for charming on screen, she was an oak. Wooden. Just awful. But I’m good.” She paused to let more smoke stream through her lips. “Really good, and I’m concentrating on my acting work. But… stepping in on this show, with this designer, will be a nice boost for me media-wise. That sounds callous. Sorry.” She shrugged. “It’s life.”
    “Her death comes at an opportune moment for you.”
    “When I see an opportunity, I take it. I don’t kill for it.” She moved her shoulders again. “That was more Pandora’s style.”
    Now she leaned forward, and her bodice gaped carelessly. “Look, let’s not play games. I’m clear. I was with Justin all night, didn’t see her after about midnight. I can be honest, tell you I couldn’t stand her, that she was certainly a professional rival, and that I knew that she’d have liked to lure Justin away from me just for spite. And maybe she could have done it. I don’t kill over men, either.” She warmed Feeney with a glance. “There are so many charming ones out there. And the simple fact is, you couldn’t fit all the people who detested her into this apartment. I’m just one of the crowd.”
    “What was her mood on the night she died?”
    “Razzed and jazzed.” In a quick change of mood, Jerry threw back her head and laughed lustily. “I don’t know what she’d been knocking back, but it sure as hell put a glint in her eye. She was on fast forward.”
    “Ms. Fitzgerald,” Feeney began in slow, apologetic tones, “you believed Pandora had ingested an illegal?”
    She hesitated a moment, then moved her alabaster shoulders. “Nothing legal makes you feel that good, honey. Or that mean. And she was feeling good and mean. Whatever it was, she was chasing it with champagne by the bucketload.”
    “Were you and the other guests offered illegal substances while you were there?” Eve asked.
    “She didn’t invite me to share. But then, she knew I