Faithless in Death (In Death, #52)(83)

“They’re holding a woman, Ella Alice Foxx, age eighteen. I believe Natural Order not only transported the body of Marcia Piper and sent cleaners to deal with the crime scene—eyewit on both—but that Lawrence Piper is holing up in their HQ. Accessory after the fact should get me a damn warrant.”

“I’ll get you the first two fast. The third’s going to take some doing and some time. We need to coordinate there. I’ll come into Central and we’ll start working on it.”

“Let’s work fast.”

She clicked off, then did a search on Piper.

“Lucked out. The SUV’s in his name. If he had it through the order, this wouldn’t be so easy.”

She issued an APB on the vehicle, then a BOLO on Piper.

She kept working until Roarke pulled up at the address he’d heard her give Reo.

“Quiet,” Eve observed. “Real quiet. You want to bet Zoe wasn’t the only one to hear the screaming and pounding?” She pointed across the street. “Unit on the left, that’s Gina Dawber’s. We’re getting her into Dochas, her and her kids, if she’ll go. No vehicle out front. I bet the fuck of a husband’s at the compound.”

“Could be some carpooling involved.”

“Could be. Here comes the warrant. Let’s get inside. This dead zone’s going to start waking up soon. I want a look around before the sweepers get here.”

“I’ll get your field kit.”

Once they’d sealed up, Eve tried her master on the front door. When it didn’t budge, she shrugged at Roarke.

“Over to you.”

“I can’t decide if I’m proud or revolted they use one of my systems.”

“Pretty sure they’re using your stuff at their HQ.”

“Then I’ll choose revolted.”

It didn’t take him long. When he nodded, Eve switched on her recorder. “Dallas and Roarke entering premises, duly authorized warrant.”

Because you never assumed, she drew her weapon. She shoved the door, swept.

“This is the police. We are authorized to enter. Lights on full.”

They flashed on to the same pristine foyer she’d seen before. She’d expected that—had already smelled the chemicals and solutions used to clean.

“There was a vase of flowers there. Gone now, probably fell over and broke. Small table missing from there. Lamp missing, a couple of pictures in frames. That’s the shared wall.”

She crossed to it, frowned. “I think that’s fresh paint, and something else.”

Curious, Roarke stepped up, sniffed as she did. “I don’t smell anything but the paint.”

“No, more this way.”

He shifted, sniffed. “Ah, that’s drywall compound, fast-drying compound. Someone patched this wall, very quickly, very efficiently.”

“Yeah, she’d hit—her head would hit—right about here. Wham, wham, wham.” Eve mimed banging someone against the wall. “Head wound, lot of blood. And from the pieces that are missing, probably a lot across the floor as he punched, shoved, smacked her from one end of this room to the other. Ending here. Here’s where she dropped. Either dead, or he finished her. Maybe strangled her. She’d have been out anyway.

“Head wound, like Ariel Byrd. Maybe, maybe. I sure as hell can squeeze him there once I have him.”

With Roarke she toured the house, found every room—even the kids’ rooms, immaculate.

“Creepy,” she decided, and tried another door. “Locked. No, my turn.” She nudged him aside when he started to step in. “Give me the picks.”

He did, then watched her defeat the lock. “Now my heart swells with pride.”

“Not as slick as you, but not bad.” When she opened the door, called for lights, she grinned fiercely and rubbed her hands together.

“The asshole’s home office. Look at all these e’s. Social media guy, so yeah, lots of e’s. Feeney’s gang is going to have some fun.”

“I could start having fun myself if you like.”

She glanced at her wrist unit. “I’ve got to deal with the sweepers when they get here, and meet Peabody at Jane Po’s at eight.”

“You can authorize me to poke a bit.”

“I can have uniforms get this stuff to EDD.”

He gave her a sorrowful look. “Always spoiling my fun.”

“You’ve got solar systems to buy. There’s your fun.”

“I’ve canceled the lot for today. I took care of that when I went out with Gracie. I’m invested, Eve. More than I already was. Now I’ve seen firsthand how what we built at Dochas can work. I’ve seen it before, but not like this. Not from the call for help. And here, I see what can happen when there’s no way to help.”

“Okay.” She nodded, glanced back at the office. “All yours. And since you’re sticking for now, maybe you can do some transporting. If I can talk Gina across the street into leaving, you could take her and her kids to Dochas. I’m not going to have time unless I reschedule meeting Peabody.”

“How about this? I’ll have your vehicle brought here, use the one outside. If you convince Gina, I’ll take her first, then come back to play with this.”

“That works. I’m going to walk over there and see what I can do with her now. Before the block wakes up. I’ll keep an eye out for the sweepers.”