Vendetta in Death (In Death #49)(95)

Between interviews, Eve had Peabody relay the results, give her the names, information. She did the runs, checked alibis herself—and found the loan officer who coerced or attempted to coerce female applicants to provide him with blow jobs for loan approval a strong candidate.

Maybe he’d—finally—lost his job and done six months in a cage, but she doubted that would be enough for Lady Justice.

When a hollow-eyed Peabody came in, Eve rose. “Run this one for me on the way.”

“Where?”

“We’re going to pay Darla Pettigrew another visit. A follow-up, we’ll call it,” Eve said as she grabbed her coat. “I’m going to spring you after, but I want the sympathetic element there.”

“I’m so frigging full of sympathy it’s giving me heartburn. I’ve got brothers, Dallas.” They stopped at Peabody’s desk for her jacket. “I’ve got an amazing dad, uncles, cousins. I’ve got McNab. Roarke, Leonardo, Charles, the guys in the bullpen. I know men aren’t all pigs and users. But, Jesus, these men? I don’t have bad enough words.”

“They’re going to pay. Not with their lives, but they’re going to pay.”

“I think it’s hearing it, one after another, all in a kind of horrible lump that’s hit me, you know? We see worse, we know worse, but this is one after another.”

“They’ll pay,” Eve said again, and forced herself to stay in the elevator all the way down to the garage. “When we’re done with Darla, go home.”

“I can stick,” Peabody told her. “I can see it through.”

“There’s not much to see through, and there might be later tonight. I’ve got Baxter and Trueheart to sit on the Callahan residence. If she heads out tonight, I’ll pull you in.”

“What are you doing after Darla?”

“I’m going to have a talk with Linus Brinkman. I don’t need you on that. No sympathy factor required. I’ve dumped names on SVU, and I’ve got Nadine sniffing out what can be sniffed on Ryder Cooke. I have a feeling he’s going to get a surprise when he comes back to New York.”

“This is making me feel better,” Peabody decided when they crossed the garage to the car. “This last one? She goes to stay with her sister after her ex-boyfriend puts her in the hospital. And he’s in the wind, so they can’t find him. Then her sister’s little dog is poisoned. A little dog, Dallas. And the sister’s car gets its tires slashed, the windshield busted. Has a rock thrown through the living room window, shit like that.”

She settled into the car. “Meanwhile she says she’s seen him—in the subway or on the street—but the cops haven’t found him. She’s scared to stay with her sister, but she’s got no place else to go.”

“We’ll find him. We’ll get him. Do a run on him now.” Keep busy, Eve thought. “Reach out to the investigating officers, get the file.”

Peabody took out her PPC to get started.

“Two other assault charges—and both dropped when the complainant pulled back. Spotty employment history, no known address.” Peabody glanced over. “Can I take the lead on this? I know it has to wait unless she goes after him, but he really is in the wind, so I don’t see how she’d nail him down before the cops. But if I could work it—”

“It’s yours. Let me know what you need when you need it.”

Eve drove while Peabody reached out to the investigators on the original assault, then the investigators in Queens on the sister’s dog, house, car.

Eve might have said something about maintaining objectivity—which is what she didn’t hear in Peabody’s tone, see on her partner’s face. But she knew that kind of involvement, that kind of determination could fuel the drive to re-angle and close a case.

And she had to admit, as she pulled up to the Callahan gates, she didn’t feel particularly objective herself at the moment.

She identified herself, got clearance, drove through when the gates opened.

“The asshole has a friend he couch surfed with for a couple months before the assault who claims he hasn’t seen or heard from him since. And stated the victim of said assault got hysterical easily, was sort of paranoid and clingy. Claimed the asshole had ended the relationship days before the assault, and how she probably got mugged and decided to point the finger.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“That’s accessory after the fact.”

“That, too.” Peabody glanced up when the car stopped. “Okay, I’m putting it away for now, shifting to sympathetic mode.”

They got out. Before Eve could press the buzzer, the female droid opened the door. “Good afternoon, Lieutenant, Detective. Please come in. May I take your coats?”

“We’re good.”

“If you’d wait in the parlor? May I bring you a refreshment?”

“We’re good,” Eve repeated. “We’d like to speak to Ms. Pettigrew.”

“Let me check if she’s available. Ms. Callahan is aware of your arrival and will be down directly. Please sit.”

“Is Ms. Pettigrew on the premises?” Eve asked.

“I will check if Ms. Pettigrew is available,” she said again, and walked out.

Seconds later, the elevator slid open. Eloise walked out with a tiny black woman in a blue tunic and black baggies.