Divided in Death (In Death #18)(78)

"Blair rarely mentioned him, but if he did he talked about him as a screwup. I don't know if that helps at all," Reva said to Eve. "But he gave me the impression that Carter was an embarrassment to him more than anything else."

"As far as you know, when was the last time they communicated with each other?"

"I think about a year ago Carter might've contacted Blair and asked for money. I walked in while he was setting up an e-transfer and he said something about pissing away money on the monkey on his back named Carter. He was upset, and didn't want to talk about it, so I let it go. Looking back, I can see I let a lot of things go."

"Is that the term he used? Monkey on his back?"

"Yeah. He was upset, and pissed off. I remember being surprised he'd lend Carter money, and said so. He shut down the machine and yelled at me that it was his money, his business, and slammed out. Since it was, and I didn't see the point in having a fight about some jerk I'd never met, I let it pass."

"Interesting. Roarke, squeeze out some time and find me whatever private and secret accounts Blair Bissel may have had. I'd like to see how often he fed the monkey." She paused, scanned the room. "It will have been explained to the civilian members of this team that any and all information learned or imparted during this investigation is not to be discussed with anyone on the outside. Friends, neighbors, lovers, media, or the family pets. I'm going to reiterate that and add that if any information is passed, it will be considered an obstruction of justice. If there's a leak, the leak will be plugged, prosecuted, and will spend some quality time in a cage. I don't have time to play nice," she added, reading Roarke's mind. "These may be your people, but they're not mine."

"I don't believe anyone in this room could mistake your stand on that," he said. "Lieutenant."

"If anyone's offended by that," she said evenly, "that's the breaks. I don't think Chloe McCoy's too concerned about sensibilities and tender feelings just now. On another level, Bissel, working on his own or in conjunction with the HSO, inserted spy devices into his artwork. We know these devices were in place in various locations in the home he shared with Reva Ewing, and must assume the purpose was to gather intel on projects she was involved in for Securecomp."

She watched Reva as she spoke, saw her jaw tremble, then firm.

"We'll need the records of sales so we can track the locations of his other sculptures. They'll have to be scanned. When that happens, this is going to blow out of the water. You're going to get wet, Reva, by association."

"I can handle it."

"Surely as someone who was victimized, and so intimately, by this very plot, Ewing can't be blamed for the actions of a man who used and deceived her."

Reva offered the irate Tokimoto a weak smile. "Sure I can. It's the way of the world."

"Some of that backlash may come sooner than later," Eve continued. "Bissel's body is missing."

She watched, watched carefully. Reva's face went blank as if she'd just heard a phrase in an unknown language. Beside her, Tokimoto jerked in his chair, then reached out without looking and closed his hand directly over Reva's.

So, Eve surmised, Roarke was right again. She should never bet against the house.

"I don't understand what you mean." Reva spoke carefully. "I don't think I understand."

"I've spoken with the ME, who informed me that Bissel's body is no longer in the morgue. We'll proceed on the assumption that it was removed."

"But... why would anyone take..." Reva's hand came up, rubbed at her throat as if pushing the words out of a clog. "I just can't follow this."

"It's my job to follow it. Can you verify your whereabouts last night?"

"You're cruel," Tokimoto said softly.

"I'm thorough. Reva?"

"Yes. Yes. Um. We had dinner in. My mother and I. We watched screen. Her idea, all comedies. We ate popcorn, drank wine. I had a lot of wine." She sighed. "We sat up until about one. I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up about four. She'd covered me up. I just rolled over and went back to sleep. Best sleep I've had in days."

"All right. I need the civilians to go back to the lab." She looked directly at Roarke. "I'd like a complete progress report by fourteen hundred."

"Yes, I'm sure you would." He walked to Reva, offered her a hand to bring her to her feet. "Would you like some air first, or a moment to yourself?"

"No. No, I'm fine. Let's get to work. Let's just get to work."

Eve waited until Roarke shut the door, after one last cool look at her.

"Wow." McNab gave a mock shudder. "Chilled down in here."

"Button it, moron," Peabody said under her breath. "Sorry, Lieutenant, the five hundred tiny little braids have cut off the circulation to his brain."

"Hey."

"Let's move on. I've run numerous probabilities, none of which has been satisfactory or particularly enlightening. It all depends on how I input the data. But what it comes down to is we don't yet know what we're dealing with. Covert operations, a rogue agent, family violence. What we do know is we have three murders, one missing body, a connection in Jamaica.