Memory in Death (In Death #22)(105)

"Baxter, Trueheart. With me." She headed into her office. It was too small for the four of them, but she didn't want to take time to book a conference room.

"I'm working on warrants. Zana Lombard."

"The Texas housewife?" Baxter interrupted.

"The Texas housewife, who I believe I can prove was once fostered by Trudy Lombard. Who changed her identity for the purpose—at least in part—of ingratiating herself with the victim's son in order to exact revenge on the mother. I want this bumping, so when those warrants come through, I'm having the subject escorted here. Ostensibly to go over her statements, update her, blah, blah. Once her hotel room's clear, I want you in there. Here's what I'm looking for."

She took out a disc. "Descriptions here of a handbag, perfume, a sweater, and some enhancements purchased by the victim. I think Zana, who is in actuality one Marnie Ralston, helped herself to them after she killed Trudy Lombard. Find them, and let me know when you do.

"Peabody."

"We're rolling."

"Contact the investigators of the Miami bombing. Club Zed, spring of 2055. Data's in the file. I want to know exactly how body was ID'd. Exactly. Send Reo through when she gets here."

"She pushed him into the street," Baxter said. "That's why we didn't see anybody tailing them, didn't see anyone approach. She did it herself."

"That's what I get." She saw, too, both relief and anger wash over his face. "And what happened there's on me because I didn't see that step. Find those goods, and anything else that puts her with Trudy the night of the murder."

She shoved them out, shut her door. Sitting at her desk, she took a moment to smooth herself out, then contacted Zana at the hotel.

"Hey, sorry. I woke you up."

"It's okay. I'm not sleeping very well. Gosh, it's after nine." She rubbed her eyes like a child. "I think Bobby's going to get out of the hospital this afternoon. It may not be until tomorrow, but I'm hoping for today. They're going to call me, so I can have everything ready for him."

"That's good news."

"The best. We had a really nice Christmas." She said it, Eve noted, with the tone of a brave little wife, making the best of the bad. "I hope you did, too."

"Yeah, really nice. Listen, Zana, I hate to put you out, but I need to go over some things with you for reports. Paperwork, routine red tape that got bogged down with the holidays. It would really help me out if you could come down here. I'm buried under it. I can have you driven down."

"Oh... well, it's just that if Bobby needs me..."

"You've got some time before they release him, even if it's today. And you'll be downtown, nearer the hospital. Tell you what, if there's anything you need to pick up, I'll have the uniforms take you around. Then give you a hand getting Bobby home."

"Really? I could really use the help."

"I'll try to get clear here, give you a hand myself."

"I don't know what I'd have done without you the last few days." Those big blue eyes went predictably damp. "It'll take me a little while to get dressed and everything."

"No rush. I've got things I've got to get out of the way first. I'll just have the uniforms bring you down when you're ready. How's that?"

"Okay."

At the knock on her door, Eve sighed. "Gotta go. It's crazed around here this morning."

"I can't even imagine it. I'll be down as soon as I can."

"Yeah, you will," Eve muttered when she cut transmission. "Come on in. Reo." She nodded at the curvy blond APA. "My Christmas was great, yours was, too. Blah, blah, blah, let's get down to it."

"Nice sweater, blah, blah, blah. Everything you've got is circumstantial and speculative. We can't charge, much less prosecute."

"I'll get more. I need the warrants first."

"I can wrangle the search. Items missing from victim's room, victim's daughter-in-law's prints, as well as the blood and the prints in the room next door. Getting the match on the mouth is good, it'll give it a nice push, but it's still in that speculative area. A pair of lips aren't solid ID."

"I'll get more," Eve repeated. "I'm getting more. Get me the search and seizure. I've got her coming in for Interview. I know how to work her."

"You're going to need a confession to lock this up."

Eve smiled. "I'm going to get one."

"Sounds like something I'll want to watch. I'll get the search warrant. Bring her in."

When it was done, she rounded up Baxter and Trueheart. "She's on her way in. Go in, find me what I need. When you're back here with it, give me a beep on my communicator. When I'm ready, I'll send Peabody out for it."

"She seemed so normal," Trueheart commented. "Nice, too."

"Bet she thinks she is. But that's for Mira," who was someone else Eve wanted to bring in.

She called Mira's office, plowed her way through the admin. "I need you in Observation, Interview Room A."

"Now?"

"In twenty. I'm bringing Zana Lombard in. I believe she's actually Marnie Ralston, who assumed a new identity in order to get inside the Lombard household. I'm sending you my report now. I've got the PA's office moving with me. I need you on this."