Devoted in Death (In Death #41)(95)

“He’s fairly mad for her. He and Peabody babysat last week so Mavis and Leonardo could have a date night. The three of them, I’m told, had a dance party. With costumes.”

“Huh.”

“She’s coming up on her first birthday. Have you given that any thought?”

“No.” Panic wanted to rise. “I don’t know how to buy a birthday thing for a one-year-old. You do it.”

“We’ll figure it out.”

She shifted her attention from the street to him for a heartbeat. He knew much about most, but she wasn’t sure even Roarke knew what you were supposed to get for a first birthday.

“I’ll ask Peabody.”

“Excellent idea.”

“There’s going to be a party, isn’t there? Some big, insane Mavis party. Possibly with costumes.”

“I imagine so.”

“I’m not wearing a costume, not even for Mavis. Or one of those hats. Those pointy hats.”

“There’s bound to be cake.”

“I like cake. They were getting bored.”

Not Bella, Roarke thought, or her parents. The killers.

“So they wanted to mix it up.”

“I think so.” She knew them now, knew them, and it… “It feels so. All the way here, they were on the move, had this goal – her dream of New York, and his romantic ideal to fulfill her dream. Then they got here. We assumed Kuper was their first in New York, but I’m not even close to assuming that now.”

“The tenant or owner of wherever they’re – nesting is how you put it.”

“Yeah. They could have gone the straight rental route, but it’s not pattern. Skipping out on the rent, stealing from wherever they work. I’ll bet you a night in costumes when we track them back, they’ll have skipped out on motels and flops, or used vacants, killed owners and tenants along their route.”

“I’m sorry, I’m still considering the bet for costumes as I don’t see how I can lose.”

“Eye on the prize, pal.”

He looked at her, straight at her. “It always is.”

“Sap.” But she laid her hand over his a moment. “I’m going to put the map up, dash screen. Highlighting the parking areas I already earmarked. Peabody can feed us anything she gets.”

It took her some time, but since they had it, Roarke let her fight with the in-dash comp.

“Fuck me. Why can’t you just say put up the damn map, and it puts up the damn map?”

As, essentially, you could, Roarke kept his thoughts to himself.

He headed down Seventh Avenue, and once south of the West Village, began to hunt with her.

“I’m not going to let them take another. It may be too late for Campbell. Her chances are razor-thin, and that goes for Mulligan because I think they might go for the double-kill.”

“A bigger thrill.”

“And that’s all it’s about now. All it was ever about. Let’s try that lot.”

They wound through a parking garage, level by level, drove out again, cut east.

She studied every vehicle, every pedestrian.

“It’s the perfect cover for them,” she said as they tried another lot. “Everyone’s bundled up, less people on the street. Even the chemi-heads and dealers take it inside or underground in weather like this.”

They gave it an hour, covering every section of every block, driving through parking structures, into and out of lots.

“Try this one.” She gestured to a private multilevel for a run of buildings. “We’ll park, and I’ll do a quick canvass on foot. You can wait for me.”

“Really?”

His really was another man’s fat chance, she thought.

“You could. You won’t, but you could. We’ll take this last one tonight, do the foot patrol, and count on Feeney’s drones in the morning.”

He doubted she knew it was going onto midnight. She had the scent, couldn’t quite give it up and settle down to hunt fresh the next day.

So they’d scan another three levels of vehicles, he thought as he circumvented the permit requirement, drove smoothly in. Then they’d take a very unlovely winter’s walk.

On the second level, she grabbed his arm. “Stop! There. That van. New York plates, but the rest fits. Navy-blue, tinted windows, the right make and model. Change the plates, just an extra cover.”

She yanked out her PPC, more comfortable with that than the in-dash, ran the registered plates.

“Registered to Anthony Charles Lappans, age seven-three, East Broadway address, and that’s not only not here, it’s near Kuper’s dump site. Keep an eye out.”

She jumped out of the all-terrain, shoved her coat back for easy access to her weapon, and approached the van.

She gestured to the sticker on the back window, circled the van, then walked back. “I’m going to get a warrant, but you’re right here, right now.”

Understanding, he got out, took out his pocket tools. After a quick glance at the lock, he selected what he wanted. He had the rear doors open in seconds.

Inside Eve studied a bulky armchair, a tool bag, a balled-up blanket, and spots and stains she’d bet her badge were dried blood.

“Close it back up, will you, and open the passenger door.”