Leverage in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel (In Death #47)(98)

She strode out, gestured Rhoda over. “I’m putting a surveillance team outside.”

No hitch in Rhoda’s stride, she merely nodded. “I’ll let the doormen and security know.”

“Who takes over for you when you go off shift?”

“Aaron Vogal’s our night manager.”

“Is he as good as you?”

Rhoda smiled. “I trained him myself. He’s excellent.”

“I need steady, and discreet.”

“You’ll have both.”

“If Lucius Iler leaves the building or has a visitor, I need to know. Immediately.”

“Mr. Iler,” Rhoda murmured. “I see.”

“I hope you do. You’re not to confront or alter your behavior in any way. I need to know who comes to see him.”

“Mr. Iler has a number of friends, and business associates. He works most often out of his apartment, so he has a number of visitors.”

“Male. Can’t give you an age range at this time. He might give you the impression of a soldier, military training.”

“That narrows it somewhat, but Mr. Iler has a number of clients, friends, connections who are or were in the military.”

“Okay.” She’d go through the visitors’ logs again, Eve decided. “If anyone meeting that description visits him tonight, have security notify the surveillance team, and tag me immediately. I—Hold on,” she said when her ’link signaled.

The readout had her cursing under her breath. “Not now, Nadine.”

“Don’t hate me.”

“Don’t make me hate you.”

“I pulled a prime spot on Knight at Night.”

“Congratulations. Go away.”

“Don’t cut me off! I am going away, that’s the point. I can’t wiggle out of this, even if I wanted to. I have a boss just like everybody, and she wants me out there.”

A very bad feeling began to creep in. “Out where? Knight’s out of New York. I know this.”

“Usually, yes. But she’s out of Hollywood all this week because Oscars, Dallas. And I have to get out there. I had to bump up the shuttle, add a night to the hotel.”

“You’re fucking kidding me.”

“I’m not, and I’m sorry. Sincerely because you’re doing a solid friend thing here, and now it’s more.”

“When?”

Nadine, face a little frantic, held her breath a moment. “We have to take off in two and a half hours. I’m sorry!”

Eve closed her eyes and, while Rhoda looked on, lowered her head to pound it lightly on the counter.

“Dallas! Dallas!”

“Shut up a minute.” Eve gave herself a couple more pounds, sucked in a breath. “Fuck.”

“I know, I know. Leonardo’s going to do their fittings and adjustments out there anyway. They just need to pack and be at the shuttle in . . . an hour forty five. I’m sorry, really. I don’t want to let her down, and it’s on me if you can’t cut her loose, but—”

“They’ll be there.”

“Oh, thank God. We owe you. We all owe you.”

“You’re damn fucking skippy you do,” Eve snapped and clicked off. “Sorry,” she said to Rhoda.

“Think nothing of it. Could I get you a blocker?”

“There isn’t one big enough.” Eve strode back toward Rhoda’s office as Peabody started out.

“It took some doing with her admin, but Mira’s clear in thirty, in person or via ’link.”

“Good. You have to go.”

“Talk to Mira?”

“No. Nadine has to leave in two and a half hours. You have to get to the shuttle in an hour forty-five.”

“But it’s tomorrow.”

“Now it’s today. Tag McNab on the way. Go.”

“But, but, Iler. I can’t just—”

“Look at my face.” Eve jabbed spread fingers at her own eyes. “You’re now on leave. Get the hell out so I can work. One more word, just one, and I haul you out bodily.”

Peabody pressed her lips together, then thumped a fist to her heart.

“Yeah, yeah, get out. I’m busy.”

Peabody rushed to the door and, figuring she could probably outrun Eve with the distance and the adrenaline, called out, “Thanks, boss!” Kept going.

“You’re fucking welcome,” she muttered, kicking Rhoda’s desk before she could stop herself.

She tagged Baxter first.

“Just finishing up interview three on-site.”

“When you wrap it come down to the manager’s office. Rhoda will show you.”

“Ten tops,” he said, clicked off.

She blew out a breath, tagged Roarke, got Caro.

“Hello, Lieutenant.”

“Caro, I’m sorry.”

The stylish, ever-efficient Caro only smiled. “It’s no problem at all. He’s in a meeting. He should be out in a few minutes, but he said to put you through at any time if you needed to speak with him immediately.”

“Not immediately. If you could tell him, when he’s free, Peabody’s schedule moved up. She had to leave. I’m at the apartment building. Banks. Things are moving. He can reach me when he has a chance.”