Immortal in Death (In Death #3)(64)

“No one serious or long term. Those kind of clubs discourage dating the customers on the outside, and apparently Hetta was a real pro. She did move around from club to club, but so far, I haven’t hit on anything. If she worked anywhere the night she died, there’s no record of it.”

“Did she use?”

“Socially, casually. Nothing heavy, according to the people I spoke with. I checked her sheet, and other than a couple of old possession charges, she was clean.”

“How old?”

“Five years.”

“Okay, keep on it. Hetta’s yours.” She glanced over as Feeney strolled in. “Glad you could join us.”

“Hey, traffic’s murder out there. Muffins!” He pounced. “How’s it going, Peabody?”

“Good morning, Captain.”

“Some digs, huh? New shirt, Dallas?”

“No.”

“Look different.” He poured coffee while she rolled her eyes. “Found our snake tattoo. Mavis hit Ground Zero at about two, bought herself a Screamer and a table dancer. Talked to the guy myself last night after I bounced to it. He remembers her. Said she was way out of orbit, and chugging them back. He offered her a list of accepted services, but she passed and staggered out.”

Feeney sighed, sat. “If she crawled into any other clubs, she didn’t use credit. I’ve got nothing after her totaling out from Ground Zero at two forty-five.”

“Where’s Ground Zero?”

“About six blocks from the murder scene. She’d been moving steadily down and across town from the time she left Pandora and walked into ZigZag. She went into five other clubs between, Screamers all the way, mostly triples. I don’t know how she stayed on her feet.”

“Six blocks,” Dallas murmured. “Thirty minutes before the murder.”

“I’m sorry, kid. It doesn’t make it look any better for her. Now, the security discs. Leonardo’s scanner was busted up at ten on the night in question. Lots of complaints about kids whacking outside cameras in that area, so it’s likely that’s how it went down. Pandora’s security was turned off using the code. No fiddling, no sabotage. Whoever went in knew how to get in.”

“Knew her, knew the setup.”

“Had to,” Feeney agreed. “I can’t find any blips on the discs from Justin Young’s building security. I’ve got them going in about one thirty, and her going out again at ten or twelve the next day. Nothing in between. But…” He paused for effect. “He’s got a back door.”

“What?”

“Domestic entrance, through the kitchen to a freight elevator. No security on the freight. It goes to six other floors and the garage. Now, the garage has security, and so do the other floors. But…” Another pause. “You can also take it to the rear utility, ground floor. The maintenance area, and security’s very spotty there.”

“Could they have gotten out unobserved?”

“Could have.” Feeney slurped coffee. “If they knew the building, the system, and if they were careful to time the exit to avoid the sweep in maintenance.”

“Could put a different light on their alibis. Bless you, Feeney.”

“Yeah, well. Send money. Or just give me these muffins.”

“They’re yours. I think we’ll have to talk to our young lovers again. We’ve got some interesting players here. Justin Young used to sleep with Pandora and is now intimately involved with Jerry Fitzgerald who is one of Pandora’s associates and her top rival for queen of the runway. Both Fitzgerald and Pandora are after a screen career. Enter Redford, producer. He’s interested in working with Fitzgerald, has worked with Young, and is sleeping with Pandora. All four of these people are partying at Pandora’s, at her invitation on the night she’s killed. Now, why would she want them there, her rival, her ex-lover, and the producer?”

“She liked drama,” Peabody put in. “She enjoyed friction.”

“Yeah, true. She also liked causing discomfort. I wonder if she had something she wanted to rub their faces in. They were all very calm in interview,” she recalled. “Very composed, very easy. Let’s see if we can shake them up.”

Eve glanced over as the panel between her offices and Roarke’s slid open.

“It wasn’t secured,” he said as he stopped on the threshold. “I’m interrupting.”

“It’s all right. We just need to finish up.”

“Hey, Roarke.” Feeney toasted him with a muffin. “Ready to strap on the old ball and chain? Just a joke,” he muttered when Eve scalded him with a look.

“I think I’ll continue to hobble along well enough.” He glanced at Peabody, lifted a brow.

“Sorry. Officer Peabody, Roarke.”

At Eve’s introduction, he smiled, crossed the room. “The efficient Officer Peabody. It’s a pleasure.”

Struggling not to goggle, she accepted the hand he offered. “Nice to meet you.”

“If I could steal the lieutenant for just a moment, I’ll get out of your way.” He laid a hand on Eve’s shoulder, squeezed. When she rose to go with him, Feeney snorted.

“You’re going to swallow your tongue, Peabody. Why is it just because a man’s got the face of a devil and the body of a god, women get all glassy-eyed?”