Vendetta in Death (In Death #49)(102)

He maneuvered, hit vertical to cross the avenue, and dropped down behind the police issue.

Eve leaped out, hustled down to the passenger window Trueheart had already lowered.

“No movement, Lieutenant.”

“Peabody’s heading back. McNab’s bringing the EDD van. Reo’s working on a warrant. We’re going to … Gates are opening. That’s the nurse, on foot. Hold on.”

Striding along, chatting on her ’link, Donnalou didn’t spot Eve until they were nearly face-to-face. “Oh, Lieutenant Dallas. I didn’t expect to see you. No, Harry, I’m heading home now. I’ll pick something up. See you soon. Sorry,” she said to Eve as she slid the ’link away. “Just letting my husband know I’m on my way home. Are you going back in?”

“What’s the status in the house?”

“Status? I’m not sure—”

“Where is Darla?”

“Oh, the soother and a little lie-down helped. She’s feeling better so she and Miss Eloise are going to have their little tea party after all.”

She looked from Eve to Roarke to the second car. “Is something wrong?”

“Where are they having their tea party?”

“I really don’t understand, but up in Miss Eloise’s parlor.”

“Does the house have a basement?”

“I—not as such. There’s a lower level. That’s Ms. Darla’s workshop—off-limits,” she added with a puzzled smile. “She only spends time down there when I’m looking after Miss Eloise.”

“You haven’t been down there?”

“Well, no. I wouldn’t have any reason to. Could you please tell me what this is about? You’re scaring me a little.”

“I’m going to call for a police car to take you home. You are not to contact anyone in the Callahan residence, or have anyone else contact anyone in the Callahan residence. If you do, I’ll have to charge you with obstruction of justice.”

“Well, my God!”

“Look at me. Who and what are your priorities in that house?”

“Miss Eloise and her health and well-being, of course. She’s my patient.”

“And what I’m telling you is for her health and well-being. Keep looking at me,” Eve insisted. “Give me, as a medical professional, your evaluation of Darla Pettigrew.”

“I don’t think that’s my place. I—”

“I’m making it your place.”

“I— She’s devoted to Miss Eloise. I’d say she can be a little secretive, and has periods of excitement, periods of depression. She’s had a difficult couple of years, with the divorce, the loss of her business, and now all this. She—she’s working on a new project downstairs, she says. It keeps her busy and happy from what I can see.”

“I’m going to call an escort for you.”

“I—I won’t call Miss Eloise or Miss Darla. I don’t want to get in trouble with the police, and if you’re telling me the truth, I don’t want to do anything that hurts Miss Eloise. But if she needs me, I need to know she can reach me.”

“If she needs you, I’ll contact you myself. My word on it.”





20


Peabody jogged up just as Donnalou got in the cruiser.

“We’re waiting on McNab and the EDD van,” Eve told her.

“Got it. Was that the nurse?”

“Yeah, she’ll hold. Reo’s working on a warrant, and according to the nurse, Darla’s feeling better and having a tea party with Eloise.”

“That’s when she’ll slip her a sedative.”

Eve nodded. “Yeah. She’ll get her grandmother in bed, make sure she’s out, then she’ll head down to what the nurse calls her workshop in the basement. Off-limits, working on a new project.”

“You handled the nurse quite well,” Roarke commented.

“She’s a pro, somebody who has a calling—that’s my take of her. Eloise is hers, Darla’s not. Can you take a look at the gate security without getting in cam range?”

Roarke merely cocked an eyebrow and strolled toward the gate.

Baxter got out, leaned against the car, and watched.

“I need McNab and the van, and I need that damn warrant. Trueheart.” She signaled to him to get out. “McNab will use the EDD magic, get us the locations of people and droids inside the house. We get that, get the warrant, we go in fast and quiet. Roarke’s going to bypass gate security.”

“I bet he is,” Baxter commented. “It’s top-of-the-line from what I can see, but I bet he is.”

“When we’re in, you, Trueheart, McNab go around to the back—there’ll be side exits on a place that size, so spread out, keep connected, and enter on my go. Any droids, shut them down. They’re also top-of-the-line, so you may need McNab for that.”

“We take the front?” Peabody asked.

“You, me, Roarke. We’ll need him to get us in quiet, and potentially to deal with any droids.”

She paused when Roarke strolled back.

“I can get us in.”

“How much time will you need?”

“It’s a very fine system. Ten to fifteen.”