Calculated in Death (In Death #36)(99)

“Just talk.”

“That’s all I knew. I tagged Ingersol, said how Alexander wanted to cover some new details. How it was important, and they should meet in the apartment there. But before that, the ass-kicker has me stop. Not on the schedule, but I do what I’m told. I don’t argue with the guy. He goes into this crappy little hardware store. I’ve got to circle around, and it takes some time with traffic and all. He’s waiting for me when I get back. He’s got this bag from the store. I didn’t know what was in it. As far as I know he needed some freaking hardware.”

“Reasonable assumption.”

“Sure.”

Eve waited a beat. “And then?”

“Oh, well. Anyway, Whitestone changed the codes after what happened, but I had the pattern and the system, so I bypassed easy enough. Then I parked down the block, went for some coffee, sat and did some work until the tag to come back.”

Milo stopped, moistened his lips. “This time I got spooked. The guy looked, I don’t know, more than pumped. He looked a little crazy maybe. And I thought I smelled blood. I don’t know for sure, but I do know for sure all I wanted was to take him back to the offices, dump the car in the company garage, and get home. I’m telling you I’d already decided to turn down any more jobs that involved that guy. Whatever Alexander offered to pay wasn’t worth it.”

“A little late, Milo.”

“Look, I hack. I don’t hurt anybody. I find information, and yeah, maybe funnel some money, but I don’t do violence.”

“You just sell information to people who do violence.”

“It’s not my responsibility what people do with the information.”

“Well, actually, Milo, you’re wrong about that. The law takes a different view. Which is why you’re under arrest for accessory to murder, three counts.”

“You can’t do that. I just drove the van.”

Eve expected that would be his war cry for the rest of his miserable life.

“That’s why it’s called accessory, Milo. You could look it up. You just drove the van on the night Marta Dickenson was abducted and murdered. You’re also being charged with that abduction, by the way.”

“But—what—” The words broke off, just crumbled.

“Now maybe, just maybe your lawyer can argue you didn’t know about the intent to murder, that time. But by your own admission you knew she’d been murdered, that’s accessory after the fact. Instead of coming in, you took the next job with the same people, then the next. Nobody’s going to buy you were stupid enough not to know what you were part of. You kept going back to the well, Milo, knowing the water was poison. And three people are dead.”

Eve saw tears start in the corners of his eyes.

“I cooperated. I laid it out for you.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” She got to her feet.

“You lied. You tricked me. You—you entrapped me.”

“No, yes, no. I’m allowed to lie in Interview, but in this case, I didn’t have to. If we hadn’t dug you up, brought you in, Alexander would tell his man to do you next. There’s no question there, Milo. In addition, the state of New York will not pursue charges of fraud against you. But I don’t have any control over what the feds decide, and I’m pretty sure they’ll come for you.”

“I didn’t hurt anybody.”

“God, you actually believe that.” Eve wondered if she should pity him, but couldn’t find it in her.

“I’ll also ask the PA to consider house arrest on the hacking. Of course, that house arrest will come after you’ve served your time in a cage for the murder counts, then in a fed cage for the fraud, should you live that long. But I’m going to bat for you there, Milo.”

Tears swam freely in his eyes now, and his voice came thick with them. “You’re a f**king bitch.”

“Again yeah, and thanks.” She opened the door, signaled to the uniforms. “Take him down, book him.” She reeled off a string of charges while Milo shouted for his lawyer. “And let him contact this lawyer he’s crying for. He’s to be kept separate from the general population, and he’s strictly denied access to any electronics. If and when the lawyer shows, it needs to be flagged in the file. No electronics allowed into his conference area.

“Peabody,” she said when her partner stepped up.

“You had a rhythm going so I didn’t come back in. I didn’t want to distract him. I watched in Observation, in case. It didn’t seem like you needed the information that I just got a minute ago. They got into his panic room. Working on the files and equipment in there now.”

“Fast work,” she said as the uniforms muscled Milo out.

“Yeah, apparently our team’s better than he is.” She smiled at Milo as he passed, then sobered again. “He really didn’t get it, Dallas. He just drove the van, just accessed information, so he’s not responsible.”

“He liked the power and money too much to believe otherwise. Greed, that rush, and stupidity. That’s the hat trick for this whole operation. I’d better talk to the PA’s office.”

“Reo came into Observation while you were leading Milo by the nose. She’s talking to her boss now.”

“Good. I’ll touch base with her. I want that face match, goddamn it. We need Alexander’s goon before we take down Alexander.”