Calculated in Death (In Death #36)(48)

Alexander and Pope. Big-shot reveling in his big-shotiness. Treated his half brother like an underling, which Pope appeared to accept. Eve suspected Alexander treated everyone like an underling. Some Mommy resentment there, too, she thought, as the mommy had had the bad taste to give birth to Pope.

Was it funny or telling that Roarke’s name had come up in each interview?

She’d have to think about that, too.

She rose, rearranged her board. She had fifteen before her Mira consult. Enough time for another hit of coffee and a little more processing.

She didn’t manage to get her ass in the chair before somebody knocked on her door.

“Damn it.”

Peabody poked her head in. “Sorry, Lieutenant, but—”

“I need a moment.” Gennifer Yung pushed in. “I’ve been told all morning you were unavailable.”

Eve signaled Peabody to go out, shut the door. “I’ve been in the field.” She stepped over, started to turn her board around.

“There’s no need for that. I’ve seen a murder board before.”

“Have you seen one centered on a family member?”

“I’m not a novice at this, Lieutenant. Leave it. Please.”

Yung stood, shoulders rigid, back stiff, and stared at the board. “You’ve been busy.”

“Yes, I have. Your sister-in-law’s murder is my top priority.”

With a nod, Yung rubbed at the back of her neck. “I apologize for pushing my way in here. Waiting is misery, Lieutenant, and can be destructive. I made myself be patient regarding the warrant for the files in her office. I know these matters can be delicate, can take time. I’d already pushed, so I told myself to wait it out, to give the process time. And now someone took advantage of that time to steal valuable evidence. Evidence that might have led you to Marta’s killer.”

“Your Honor, you know I can’t discuss the particulars of the case with you, but I will tell you we’re analyzing and processing considerable data, following all possible leads, interviewing those we feel may connect to her death in some way.”

“You sent a unit to my brother’s home.”

“As a precaution after the break-in at your sister-in-law’s office.”

“Yes. All right. It’s easy to become accustomed to being in charge, to having the authority. It’s difficult to find yourself in a situation where you’re not in charge, you don’t have the authority. You have to leave that in the hands of someone else. It doesn’t matter if you know those hands are capable. They’re not your hands.”

She held hers out, looked at them, closed them.

“I went with my brother to see his wife this morning. To see Marta. Of all the things I’ve seen, of all the things that have come through my courtroom, nothing has been as horrible.” She cleared her throat.

“My brother and his family will stay with me and mine for the time being. He thought it would be easier for the children to be at home, with their own things around them. But it’s too painful for them, for all of us. He’ll be with me if you need to reach him.”

“Again, I’m sorry, sincerely sorry, Your Honor, for your loss. When I have something I can share, I’ll let you all know at the first possible opportunity.”

She nodded, then looked back at the board. “Do you think her killer is up there?”

“I don’t know. But I think the reason for her murder is up there. The reason leads to the person or persons.”

“I’ll take that away with me, and let you get back to work.”

As the door shut behind Yung, Eve dragged a hand through her hair. Grief, she thought, always left a weight on the air.

She grabbed the jacket she’d tossed off when she’d come in, and left that weight behind to keep her appointment with Mira.

She put some speed on, unwilling to face a spanking by Mira’s admin if she was so much as a minute late. She zipped up to the dragon’s desk with—according to her calculations—thirty-three seconds to spare.

And still earned a scolding scowl.

“The doctor has a very busy schedule today.”

“That’s going around.”

The admin folded her lips, tapped inter-office comm. “Lieutenant Dallas is here to see you.”

She sniffed. “Go right in.”

Mira stood, drawing pretty teacups from her office AutoChef. She wore a suit in a smoky sort of lavender with plum-colored heels and a trio of silver chains. Her soft brown hair swept back from her face, and her soft blue eyes warmed when they met Eve’s.

“Yes, I’ve made you tea, which you’re not very fond of, but can use. You’ve had a long, difficult couple of days.”

“That’s the job.”

“It is. And still, it’s good to see you look reasonably rested, and very smart today.”

“Roarke put the outfit together. I had to face off with a lot of business moguls.”

“An excellent choice. Powerful but not hard, fashionable but not flashy, authoritative but not threatening.”

“Clothes talk to you, too.”

“They do, and too often say: Buy me. Have a seat.” She chose one of her cozy scoop chairs, passed one of the pretty cups to Eve. “How is Judge Yung?”

“Hanging tough.”