Innocent in Death (In Death #24)(33)

“Talk about involved parenting. I’ve been checking on any parent conferences the vic had on his schedule for the week before the murder.”

“Let’s look for repeat conferences. And when we get the warrant, we’ll see if any student name recurs with other instructors.”

None of the others on the list were currently at home. They got a sullen teenage girl at one residence who reported that her parents and the little creep—who Eve assumed was her younger brother—were at a basketball game. At another the droid housekeeper informed them that the mother had taken young miss to karate practice, and that the father was tied up at a late meeting.

Back at Central, Eve campaigned for her warrant, and did a mental victory dance when she copped it without breaking a sweat. Her only disappointment was that it was too late in the day to catch anyone at school to access the records she wanted.

She started to run her cross-references, stopped. She was already at the end of shift. She could work at home and lure Roarke into it. It would be a kind of peace offering for that morning, she supposed.

They’d have some dinner, and she’d bring him up to date. Since they were his employee and client lists she’d be running, it seemed only fair he had a part of it.

And she missed him, she admitted as she shut down for the day. She missed them .

Just as she pushed back from her desk, Peabody poked her head in. “There’s a Magdelana Percell out here, wants to see you.”

The center of Eve’s belly sank, then tightened like a fist. “Did she give you the nature of her business?”

“She said it was personal. I don’t remember her from any of the lists we’re working on, but—”

“No, she’s not on any. Send her back, then go home.”

“Home? But it’s only twenty minutes past end of shift. Whatever will I do with this unexpected largess?”

“Report to my home office, oh-eight hundred. We’ll catch some of those names before they go wherever the hell they go all day. Then we’re at the school. Warrant came through.”

“Score for our team. Dallas? I can hang if you’d rather.”

“No, I don’t rather. Send her back.”

It was no big, it was no deal, Eve reminded herself. She’d just see what Percell wanted, then go home. Forget about her.

It wouldn’t be the first time she had some ridiculous conversation with one of Roarke’s formers. It was unlikely to be the last.

She heard the telltale click of girl shoes on the aging floor, and made herself feel ridiculous by pretending to flip through a hard copy of a report.

When she glanced up, Magdelana was all sultry smiles in a sleek black suit with a silky fur collar.

“Thanks for seeing me,” she began. “I’m not sure you remember, but we met briefly last night. I’m—”

Eve wasn’t going for the smile, and she sure as hell wasn’t going for sultry. Her tone was flat. “I know who you are.”

“Oh, well then,” Magdelana said after a beat. “What a maze this place is! The hub, I suppose, of New York’s law enforcement. And this is your office?” She glanced around, scanning the dented file cabinet, the skinny window, the battered desk. Her perfect eyebrows winged up. “Not what I expected, really. It is Lieutenant, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmmm. I hope I’m not interrupting some vital sort of police work.”

“As a matter of fact…”

Magdelana blinked those emerald eyes once. “This is awkward. I was hoping it wouldn’t be. I wanted to come here, to see you, to ask if I could buy you a drink when you’re finished your work.”

“Why?”

“I suppose I wanted to make it clear I didn’t want to cause any trouble.”

Eve leaned back in her chair, swiveled idly. “Have you killed anyone since entering my jurisdiction?”

“No.” There was a quick, sharp smile. “Not since then.”

“In that case, we’re clear.”

“Eve.” Her voice was smooth, as was her move as she eased a hip onto Eve’s desk. “I only wanted to reassure you that what was between me and Roarke was over long ago. We were practically children when we were involved. You don’t have a thing to worry about.”

Eve cocked her head. “Do I look worried?”

“I don’t know you, so how can I say? Roarke did mention I wouldn’t like you, and I suppose I’m just contrary enough that I wanted to prove him wrong. So I hoped we could have a drink, and diffuse any potential problems. Especially since he’s going to be helping me with some of my affairs.”

“Funny.” And the fist in her belly went slippery and sick. “You look like the type who can handle her own affairs just fine.”

“Business affairs. We’d both know Roarke has no equal when it comes to financial affairs. Or, let’s be honest, any sort of affair.” She gave a light laugh. “But this is strictly business, I promise. After we had lunch today and he agreed to work with me, it suddenly occurred that you might think it was something other than business. After all, he’s a gorgeous and alluring man, and he and I were…”

“Werewould be the operative verb.”

“Yes. Absolutely. You see, I caused him pain a long time ago, I don’t want to be responsible for that again. If things work out as I hope, I’ll have business in New York for some time. I’m hoping we can all be friends.”