Devoted in Death (In Death #41)(58)

“Banner told me.”

“Shit.”

He crossed to her, set his hands on her shoulders. She noted, with relief (and a little more guilt) the temper had faded from his eyes. “It’s our home, and those you want are welcome here. But —”

“Not strangers with stunners.”

“Unless you give me prior notice.”

“Got it.”

“All right, then. We’ve left our guest cop alone in your office long enough.”

“I thought he’d take longer to settle in. He’s been going since yesterday.”

“Then I imagine he could use a beer and a meal.”

“Thanks.” She cupped his face, kissed him. Gave him another as she’d decided, positions reversed, she’d probably have slapped harder than he had. “Seriously.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed her back. “Seriously.”

They started out together.

“Perhaps you’d fill me in,” Roarke suggested, “as I’m apparently well behind.”

“It’s a lot.”

Eve gave him a quick roundup as they moved to her office. There Banner sat in the sleep chair, the cat comfortably on his lap. He looked half asleep, roused himself when they came in.

“Sorry. Zoning out some.”

“The lieutenant tells me you’ve been at this since yesterday. I expect you could use a beer.”

The wary look on his face lifted with an easy grin. “I sure wouldn’t turn one down.”

“Eve?”

“Yeah, beer’s great. I’ll get it. And food, I guess. Pizza work?”

Banner flashed that grin a second time. “When doesn’t it?”

“Cops. The same everywhere. Arkansas, is it?” Roarke asked Banner while Eve went into the kitchen.

“Silby’s Pond. Seems a long ways from here.”

“In the Ozarks, isn’t it? Lovely country there.”

“You’ve been?”

“Around and about. And how did you come to being with the police?”

“Circular route, I’d guess. I always figured to work the family farm, did some deputy work summers when there was time for it – and a need with tourists and such. But, well, the farm’s been in the family five generations, and you’ve got an obligation there. But my daddy set me down one night a few years back, and he said he could see my heart wasn’t in it, and you had to do what your heart was in. That was police work for me.”

“Your father sounds like a wise man. Thanks, darling,” he said as Eve brought out the beer.

“He is, and a good farmer. So’s my sister and her man, so the farm’s in good hands. I help out when there’s time, but I wanted to be a cop. Good beer. We brew our own – family recipe. I’m going to send you some after I get home.”

“Clomp and prance,” Eve said and got a puzzled look from Banner. “Peabody and McNab.”

“I’ll see to the pizza,” Roarke said as they came in.

“Did I hear pizza?” McNab bounced in, but was smart enough to release Peabody’s hand at Eve’s narrowed stare.

“And beer. You’d rather a glass of wine, Peabody.”

“If it’s okay.”

“One,” Eve decreed. “Then it’s coffee and it’s work. Santiago checked in.”

While Roarke set up the meal, Eve filled in the others.

“What kind of bumf*ck bozos don’t check for blood at a crime scene?” McNab glanced over at Banner. “Sorry.”

“It’s hard to take offense. They weren’t my bumf*ck bozos, but close enough.”

As the others did, he helped himself to a slice. Bit in. Sat, just sat.

“This is pizza. Is it like the coffee?” he asked Eve.

“It’s New York. Morris and DeWinter should already have the first remains. She expedited, and they were going to start tonight.”

“That’s quick work.”

“Time’s the issue. When they verify these two victims are part of our stream, we can pull in more resources. It’s Santiago and Carmichael we need. We verify the first victim, we’re closer to ID’ing the killers. The first is going to be closer to home, closer to where they knew – and were known. The first is key.”

She looked toward the board. “But Campbell may not have time for that.” As she rose, Banner started to get to his feet. “Sit. Eat. I want to update the board. It helps me think.”

She got to work. “Why don’t you brief the others on the two stops we made?” she said to Banner.

“The lieutenant’s running searches on missings who have homes or businesses in the city here, figuring maybe they got somebody we haven’t found, and are using their place for their killing room.”

“Have to be private,” Roarke speculated. “Soundproofed. Even gagged, such matters made noise. And low security or they’d show on disc when bringing in a victim.”

“We stopped at two, eliminated them. Regular civilians living there.”

“Others to eliminate,” Eve said. “We’ll spread out tomorrow, bring in some uniforms. They’ve got a place, one they’re comfortable in. One they could take Kuper to. One where they’re working on Campbell right now.”