Abandoned in Death (In Death, #54)(107)

“Pissed and shitty, which is why instead of escorting you the hell out of here, Peabody’s going to set you up in Observation. I can’t let you talk to him now. That’s our job. At some point down the road, I can arrange it, but not until we close this. Peabody.”

Peabody rose, crossed to the doorway.

“You’ve got the wrong guy,” Berenski claimed as he followed Peabody out. “That’s on you. You got the wrong guy.”

“It’s difficult.” Mira rose, walked over to Eve. “Brutal, I’d think, to know someone, work with them for so many years, then learn they’re not who and what you believed.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m cutting him some slack. That, and the fact he came in here to stand up for one of his people. That counts.”

“Some of the brass will want to know how the lab chief didn’t see the psychopath in his house.”

“Hell.” She hadn’t thought of that, and now she had to. “They’re going to make me stand up for Dickhead.”

“As will I.”

Peabody came back. “It’s starting to hit him this isn’t a mistake. And he looks a little sick.”

“It’s about to hit harder. Let’s go have a chat with Andy.”

He sat quietly, hands folded on the table in front of him. Eve wondered how he felt feeling the cuffs at his wrists and ankles.

“Record on. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve; Peabody, Detective Delia; Mira, Dr. Charlotte entering Interview with Dawber, Andrew.”

She read off the case numbers as she and the others took their seats.

“Mr. Dawber, you were read your rights at the time of your arrest. I will again inform you on this record.”

She recited the Revised Miranda.

“Do you understand these rights and obligations?”

“Yes, yes, of course. But I’m very confused. I think there’s been some mistake.”

“Yeah, you made several of them. Underestimating Mary Kate Covino’s the biggest.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know who that is.” With a worried look in his eyes, he tried that vague smile.

“One of the three woman you hunted, stalked, abducted, and kept chained in your basement. The one who’s still alive.”

Those worried eyes widened. “Oh my goodness! I would never—could never. What basement? There’s been some terrible mix-up.”

Liar, Eve thought, calculating liar.

“The basement in your brownstone.”

“Brownstone.” He laughed a little. “Lieutenant Dallas, how could I afford a brownstone on my salary? I live frugally, but—”

“Deeded to you last September.” Eve took the copies of the documents out of the file, pushed them over the table, where Dawber hunched over them, brow furrowed.

“This isn’t my name. It’s—”

“An anagram of your birth mother’s name. Lisa McKinney, who bought it for you, sent you the paperwork, deposited six million in a brokerage account for you, and informed you of same in this letter sent just before she took her own life.”

“No, this can’t be. I’ve never seen any of this. I haven’t seen my birth mother for decades. I barely remember her. I…”

He looked up, and his face crumbled. “I want my mommy!” The twangy screech echoed in the room. “You’re mean and ugly and I don’t want you. I want my mommy now.”

“Knock it off,” Eve snapped.

“She’s gonna beat you up!”

“Dead. Tough for her to manage that.”

“Is not, is not, is not!” He beat his cuffed hands on the table, kicked his shackled feet while tears streamed down his reddened face.

“How old are you, Andy?”

At Mira’s question, her quiet and pleasant voice, he snarled at her. “I’m not Andy. Andy’s a stupid head. I’m baby darling, and I want my mommy.”

“Where is your mommy?”

“She’s waiting for me.”

“Where?”

He turned sly. “I’m not gonna tell. I want a soda pop!”

“What kind do you want?” Peabody spoke now, kindly. “If you ask nicely, I’ll get you one.”

“I’m thirsty. Get me one right now!”

“I bet your mommy taught you how to say please and thank you.”

His bottom lip poked out, a strange look on a man of sixty. “Maybe. Please can I have an orange soda pop?”

“Sure.”

“Peabody exiting Interview,” Eve said for the record. “Where do you live?”

“In the car. We have adventures and don’t need anybody else. We sing songs and play games and I can have candy when I want it. I want candy now.”

“No. And try screaming again you won’t get the soda, either.” Eve leaned closer. “You’re not five years old, and you’re nobody’s baby darling.”

He tried to lunge at her; she didn’t flinch.

“I hate you, hate you, hate you!”

“Yeah, that hurts my feelings.”

“What did your mother call you when she got upset with you?” Mira asked him.

“Johnny, you stop that right now!” And he giggled. “But I’m baby darling and she loves only me. Just me. And I want her now!”