Abandoned in Death (In Death, #54)(92)

The target wasn’t on the premises, Eve concluded, so he had another hole—a bigger one, a private one. And that made the warranted entry and search a training exercise.

“Record on. We have a warrant to arrest Andrew Dawber, and to enter and search his residence—and his lab space when we get to it. Entrance has passcoded locks and cams. We’ll want that feed.”

She mastered through the locks, ignored the elevator in the small, tidy lobby, and hit the stairway.

“Heat source scan showed no occupant in Dawber’s apartment. Heat source scan indicated community area, so not conducive to hiding and holding abductees. Conclusion?”

“Me?” Jamie blinked. “Okay, I’d conclude the suspect isn’t here, and has access to another property where he’s holding Covino, and held Elder and Hobe.”

Used their names, Eve thought as they reached the second level, continued up. Good.

“If he’s not here, why are we going in?”

“To see his space, how he lives, and, more important, to look for evidence of the abductions, the murders. Most important, to find anything that leads us to where he’s holding Covino. Finding her and getting her to safety is numero uno.”

“Affirmative.”

When they came out on five, Eve turned to him. “We knock, announce ourselves. And we go through the door exactly as we would if the suspect were inside. Which means Peabody and I take the door, and you come in behind us.”

“Because interns aren’t issued weapons.”

“Affirmative. You stay behind Peabody while we clear the apartment.”

At the door, Eve kept one hand on her weapon, knocked with the other. The door across the hall opened, and a woman with a pudgy little dog with bulbous eyes and pointy ears stepped out.

The dog yipped once, wagged its stub of a tail.

“He’s just saying hello.” From the open doorway behind her came the sound of pipy voices—kid voices—arguing passionately. “Our boys, having their nightly battle. Pugs and I are leaving the field to their dad and escaping. Anyway, Gina and Jan aren’t home. They went out to meet some friends for dinner.”

“We’re here for Andrew Dawber.”

“Mr. Dawber?”

Jamie caved, crouched down to pet the dog, who’d pranced over to sniff his kicks.

“He moved out months ago. Sweet man, quiet, but never complained about the noise the twins can make. And he always had a treat for Pugs.”

“He no longer lives at this address?”

“Not since…” She pushed at a mop of disordered brown hair. “Well, before Thanksgiving anyway.”

“Do you know where he went? Did he leave you any contact information?”

“No.” Belatedly, she closed the door at her back, and her eyebrows drew together. “Why?”

Eve took out her badge. “NYPSD. We need to speak with Mr. Dawber.”

“Well, he works with the police, right? Science stuff.”

“Yes, he does. This is the address he has on record.”

“Oh. I guess he didn’t change it. Strange, as he seems so organized. Sorry, I just know he moved out—you know, I think it was before Halloween now that I look back. Yeah, sure it was. Because Gina and Jan got all costumed up, and had candy for the twins before they went to a party.”

“You haven’t seen or spoken to him since he moved from the building?”

“No—I … Not spoken to him, but I saw him out walking, maybe from work. He liked to walk around the neighborhood. He was across the street though, so I didn’t talk to him.”

“Does he have a vehicle?”

“You’re not going to tell me he’s in trouble. He’s such a nice man.”

The dog, now blissfully on his back, got an enthusiastic belly rub from Jamie.

“Ma’am?”

“Sherry, Sherry Wozinski.”

“Ms. Wozinski, it’s important we locate Mr. Dawber as soon as possible. Does he have a vehicle?”

“No. At least I never saw him driving. I don’t know why he’d have one, since he can walk to work in a couple of minutes, and otherwise, he didn’t go out much except to take his walks, go to the market, the usual.”

“Did he have visitors?”

“I—no, not really. I don’t remember seeing anyone go in or come out but Mr. Dawber. What do you think he’s done? I can’t imagine him doing anything against the law.”

“Was he friendly with anyone in the building, the neighborhood that you know of? Someone who might know his new address?”

“No, not really. He was the quiet type, kept to himself, and…” Her whole being went from baffled to panicked. “Oh God, that’s what the neighbors end up saying about ax murderers.”

“Could we speak to the twins’ father a moment, in case he has any information?”

“Yes, sure. I don’t think he does, but…” She pulled a key out of her pocket and, unlocking the door, poked her head in.

The fight had turned to hysterical laughter. Wozinski lifted her voice over it. “Brad, come here a minute, will you?”

Eve ran through the same routine, received basically the same responses.

“Mother died in September,” Eve said as they started down the stairway. “Rich mother, guilty mother, suicidal mother. I bet she left the three children she had as Violet really well-set. And I’m betting she did the same for her firstborn.”