Abandoned in Death (In Death, #54)(66)

He squeezed the tube so hard, Eve prepared for it to pop.

“I was going to just run, you know? I was, I even started to, but…”

“You did the right thing.”

“I guess.”

“You did the right thing, Kylo. Did you touch the body?”

“Oh man, no. Uh-uh. Negativo plus.”

Eve checked her wrist unit. “Your mom’s going to be up by now. If I were you, I’d tell her exactly what happened.”

“She’s gonna ground me for a month.”

“Maybe.” Eve dug out a card. “You give this to her, and tell her I’ll be contacting her, to congratulate her for raising a son who does the right thing.”

His eyes bugged again, but in shocked joy. “You will? Serious?”

“I will.”

He smiled a little. “She’ll really and totally lap that one up. Thanks.”

“Go home. We’ll be in touch. And thank you for your cooperation. Officer, why don’t you walk Kylo the rest of the way home?”

“Yes, sir. Let’s go, Kylo.”

Eve looked away from them and toward the body. She took the field kit Roarke handed her, and ducked under the tape.





14





She looked down at Anna Hobe.

You called me in the dark, I think. And I think some part of me knew I wouldn’t find you in time.

She turned to the female uniform with her cap squared away over a bowl cut that reminded Eve of how Peabody had worn her hair back in her uniform days.

“Officer.”

“Pinsky, Lieutenant. We got the call from Dispatch at zero-four-nineteen and responded. Sir, we were part of the patrol in your investigation, but this was about a block out of the sector.”

“I’m aware.”

“Yes, sir. When we arrived, approximately two minutes later, the witness was sitting on the curb there, head between his knees. He was shook up, Lieutenant, and my partner stayed with him while I verified we had a DB. We secured the scene, and called it in.”

“Anyone else around?”

“No, sir.”

“Okay. When your partner returns, start knocking on doors.”

“Yes, sir.”

Eve glanced up at the sign over the steel-gated entrance.

EXPLORATION STATION



“Pinsky, do you know this place?”

“Yes, sure, it’s a hands-on educational complex for kids. Toddlers to teens. Fun place. My kids like it.”

“Thanks.” Opening her field kit, she looked back at Roarke. “It’s Hobe.”

“Yes. And, in a way, another playground.”

She sealed up, and stepped to the body.

He’d laid his second victim out as he had his first. This time in the wide doorway. He’d styled the hair, made up the face much as he had the first, but Eve saw some subtle differences.

Different shades on the eyes, the lips.

He’d dressed her in a skirt—very short, denim, with flowers running down one side. Low on the waist again, Eve noted, to show off the bright red ball in her navel. The shirt—also red—left her shoulders bare and ended just under her breasts.

He’d gone for heels again, red ones this time, with pointed, open toes. He’d chosen a dark blue—nearly black—for the polish.

He’d printed his message in red crayon on white construction paper.

Bad Mommy!



She heard Peabody’s fast walking and McNab’s quick bounce down the sidewalk, and Roarke’s greeting to them.

Eve crouched down, took out her Identi-pad to take the print and officially make the ID.

“Victim is Hobe, Anna. Female, Caucasian, age twenty-four. Reported missing on June one.” Peabody crouched behind her. “Seal up, Peabody.”

“I did.”

Eve bagged the sign.

“Check under the neck ribbon.” Eve got out her gauges.

“Throat slit, and sewed. Precise stitches. It looks like the same thread, same type of ribbon used on Elder. Lab to confirm.”

With flat voices, efficient moves, they did the work.

“TOD, twenty-forty-six. Contusions and lacerations, right wrist and left ankle, indicate the victim was restrained.” She leaned down close. “Perfume. Same scent he used on Elder.”

Though sure of it, she took a sample.

“Navel piercing, the multiple ear piercings, the same as Elder. The body’s clean. No signs of other offensive or defensive wounds.

“Let’s roll her, Peabody.”

When they had, Eve studied the butterfly, wings spread over the small of the back. “Same tat, same precise work, but…”

She ran a sealed finger over the image. “It’s still a little, what, scabby. Not as much healing time as Elder’s.”

She shifted to take a look at the neck wound herself.

“Angle’s different. You see that? The angle’s … From behind.” Eve took a fistful of Peabody’s hair, pulled her head back, mimed slitting her throat with the other hand.

“Not an impulse this time, if the first one was. But this wasn’t. Planned. From behind. See how it goes up at this end?”

“I do now.”

“Not arguing, not face-to-face. Come up from behind, yank her head up to give you a clear target. Swipe. He was done with her. Knew he was done with her. He’s either grabbed another we don’t know about yet, or Covino’s working out so far. Maybe both.”