Devoted in Death (In Death #41)(94)

He glanced at Roarke.

“I looked into it.” He shrugged off Eve’s narrowed look, turned to Banner. “Do you have any issues with me… circumventing the official protocol here, Deputy?”

“Not a one.”

“Well, then, we did find several pickups in that area, in that time frame. Two were single passenger fares. One was dropped off in Midtown, corner of Fifty-first and Madison.”

“I did the badge thing,” McNab said, “contacted the cabbie directly. He doesn’t remember the fare, exactly, but he says he didn’t pick up anybody downtown hefting a roll of plastic.”

“The second single fare was driven to Franklin and Hudson.”

“Tribeca. I’ve pretty much eliminated that sector.”

“The cabbie also says she – in this case – didn’t pick up any guy hauling plastic. It’s not absolute, Dallas, but we lean no on flagging a cab.”

“We’ll focus north. It’s worth the leap. Another shot at any vacant buildings, apartments or flops in the narrowed sector. We’ll do a door-to-door sweep if it comes to it, hit every street slot, parking lot, vacant lot and underground. That van’s somewhere.”

“Private garage perhaps,” Roarke suggested.

“I can’t see them paying that freight, but maybe. Maybe if they hit a vic with one, if they did take out somebody to make their nest who had one. We’ll pull in private.”

“I can do a search for you. Residents of this sector who also rent or own garage space.”

“Good. Do that. He’s got an aptitude for electronics – according to his background.” Factor that in, she thought. “There must be hotels, office buildings in that general area with parking. Some apartment units with parking. How hard would it be to bypass the permit, the payment, take a vehicle in and out?”

“If he’s got any feel for it, and a decent jammer?” McNab nodded. “Oh yeah, icy cake on that. We’ve got a couple of drones in EDD dealing with that all the time.”

“They can’t help but steal, so why pay for parking? Permit parking,” she considered, “they’d have reasonably decent cams. We’ll start on that, too. Public parking lots have cams, but a lot of them are just for show. We’re going to check those. After dark, after, say, nine,” she continued, pacing now. “Anything before that’s too early. Nine’s too early, but it’s as far as I’ll cut it. We’ll go by Banner’s take – no need to drive in the city. Except when they’re hunting. So we’ll start running feeds from permit and public parking, after twenty-one hundred.”

She turned to McNab. “Can you pull in those drones, the ones who handle this routinely?”

“I’ll ask the captain, but I think yeah.”

“I’ll contact Feeney. Do what you can tonight, and if we don’t nail it down, we’ll put the drones on it in the morning. Peabody, use the map. Start another search for any missings reported in that sector. Any DBs who worked or resided in that sector.

“Banner, use the map. Vacant buildings or units. And spread that out to recently rented. Maybe they invested some of the money they stole along the way. Focus in on basement apartments and self-contained houses. Anything you can find with a rear or side entrance. I’ve already started there, so you’ve got a jump.”

Now she turned to Roarke. “Are you up for a drive?”

“I could be.”

“I need to cruise that sector. I want to roll through it, at night. They hunt at night. Maybe it’s not the best use of my time or yours, but I can’t let it go. I need to see it, feel it.”

“You’ll need your boots,” he told her. “It’s still sleeting.”

“Immediate contact if anything – anything pops,” she said, and headed out for her boots.

“She’ll want to walk it as well,” he commented. “Are you set, Ian?” he asked McNab. “The lieutenant wouldn’t care for it overmuch, but Summerset’s a good hand, and I can have him work with you while I’m in the field.”

“I’ve got this, but thanks.”

“Fuel up when you need to. It looks to be a long night.”

He met Eve downstairs, pulled the scarf out of her coat pocket, wound it expertly around her neck. “It’s bitter and filthy out.”

“I get that, and odds are slim they’re out hunting. But —” She walked outside, into the icy sleet and wicked cold. “It’s also the perfect time to grab somebody. Most people are inside – home, a bar, whatever. It’s good cover.”

Once inside the all-terrain, she frowned at the interior. “This isn’t the one from before.”

“It’s another one. A bit smaller as we’re not hauling people around with us. Quick,” he said as he punched it to a speed she wouldn’t have attempted unless in pursuit. “And agile.”

To demonstrate he hit vertical and flew over the gates.

“It moves. And this isn’t the way you figured to spend your evening.”

“I believe we’re past evening now. I enjoy working with McNab. His mind’s quick, his energy infectious. And I got a Bella report if you’re interested.”

She watched the streets. Plenty of cabs – few with lights on – fewer private vehicles. And a stingy scatter of pedestrians. “McNab gave you a Bella report?”