Echoes in Death (In Death #44)(30)

They come in together. Take out the biggest threat. Sap the man, strike the woman. Restraints.

Haul the man to the chair you’ve chosen (bad choice on that). He’s bigger than you, so you’ve got some muscle. Tie, restrain, use the tape to secure it all.

Turn on the strobe light.

She could see it. How he’d wait for the man to come around, hold a knife to his throat and demand the woman strip. Humiliation for both. Order her to the bed, give the man a couple whacks if she hesitates. Even if she doesn’t.

Restrain her—wouldn’t want her taking a swipe at you, getting any skin. Rape her, rough her up, choke her. Go back to the man, fists and saps. Maybe a few cuts because you need those combinations.

Yes, she could see it, a couple hours of brutality, fun times, and profitable.

Had he left them hurt, even unconscious—likely unconscious to clear out the safes, disable the house droids, dismantle the security system? Or …

Before that, Strazza breaks the chair, comes at him. Killer strikes him with the vase. Possibly believes he’s dead. Then goes to clear out and disable. That would explain the time lag.

But why come back up, why not just get out?

Not finished yet? Maybe he wanted another round with Daphne, like an encore. Finds Strazza alive, struggling to his feet, ready to attack again.

Maybe he had to make sure Strazza was dead this time. That’s exciting and new. The kill. Maybe he has that last round with Daphne, leaves her dazed, naked, possibly unconscious. Removes the restraints. Packs up and strolls out.

She could see it, and if Mira and Nobel could get through to Daphne, she could confirm, fill in gaps and movements, answer the dogging questions.

Eve left the bedroom, walked through the house again trying to imagine his movements.

Unlike the killer, she locked the door when she left. Added the seal.

She wanted to go home, wanted that nap on the new, fancy bed. But drove to the hospital. She needed to try.

This time she bypassed the desk, walked straight back to Daphne’s room and the guard on the door, tapped the badge she’d hooked to her coat in case anybody along the way tried to stop her.

“The doc’s in with her, Lieutenant.”

“Anybody else go in?”

“Medical personnel only.”

With a nod, Eve went in. She saw Del sitting on the side of Daphne’s bed. Her hand gripped his as Del spoke in low tones.

She jerked when she saw Eve, then seemed to settle again as Del turned his head.

“You’re back,” he said.

“You’re still here. Do you live here?”

“Feels like it half the time. But I went home awhile, got some Zs. Did you?”

“On my way there. How are you feeling, Mrs. Strazza?”

“Better, I think. It’s Daphne. You can call me Daphne. I haven’t remembered anything more. I’m sorry.”

“No rush on it. Just wanted to check a couple of things, if you’re up to it.”

“I … Yes, all right?” Ending on a question, she looked at Del for confirmation.

“Anything you remember helps,” he told her. “Even little things, things that don’t seem to matter.”

“That’s right,” Eve said. “You and your husband went into the bedroom together, is that accurate?”

“Yes, we went upstairs together. We were going straight to bed. He had rounds in the morning, and the party went a little longer than he thought it should—would. Thought it would.”

“And you were attacked. At the same time?”

“I…” Her eyes went blank for a moment. “I think—it was so fast, so shocking.”

“Take your time,” Eve said as Daphne gripped Del’s hand. “You went upstairs, into the bedroom.”

“Yes, upstairs. I think I was, maybe, just a step behind my husband. He had my arm. I think. I think my husband had my arm, and was just a step ahead. And suddenly he fell forward. I think. I think he did, but something—someone hit me. In the face. Everything went gray. I just laid on the floor. And hit me in the stomach. Kicked me?”

Instinctively, Daphne wrapped an arm around her waist.

“‘Stay down’—I think he said that. ‘Stay where I put you, bitch.’ I think. And I did. I didn’t move. I closed my eyes.”

She did so now, and tears stood on her lashes.

“I heard grunting, and everything hurt, so I laid on the floor with my eyes closed.”

“And when you opened them?”

“It was the devil.” She pushed up, eyes going wild. “The devil. I swear it. I swear.”

“Easy now.” Del took her shoulders, gently. “Breathe. Look at me, Daphne, and breathe. Nobody’s doubting what you saw.”

“That’s right.” Eve stepped closer. “It was makeup, it was a kind of mask. It was a man, Daphne, but he looked like a devil. He made himself look that way to scare you, and to keep you from being able to describe him.”

“Makeup?”

“Theatrical makeup.”

“But … He had horns, little horns, and the light was red and yellow, and I smelled sulfur.”

“Sulfur?”

“I think … ‘This is hell. I’m taking you with me to hell.’ I think he said. I’m not sure. And his … penis. It was red. It glowed like fire. And it burned inside me. God, it burned inside me.”