Memory in Death (In Death #22)(71)

"How much did Trudy take her for?"

"Over the years, about a hundred and fifty thousand." There was an account Roarke had opened in her name when they'd married. She'd never touched it, had never intended to do so. But, she thought now, if the system didn't do right by Carly Tween this time, she'd do it herself.

* * *

In EDD, Eve studied the homers Feeney offered. They were bigger than she'd wanted, almost thumb-sized.

"How am I supposed to get these on the subjects without them being aware?"

He gave her one of his morose scowls. "Hey, that's your part of the show. You wanted audio. You settled for a simple beacon, I get you something not much bigger than a piece of lint."

"I want audio. I'll figure it out."

"You're welcome," he muttered.

"Sorry, sorry. Jesus. You're the god of electronics. Appreciate you doing this. I know you're shorthanded."

"Might as well be doing something." He nodded toward his office door where the sounds of loud music, loud voices pressed.

"They're having a party. A quick one. I gave them an hour to blow off the steam, do the Secret Santa crap. Anybody who's not on an active's not coming in next two days."

"Cops know better than to figure crime takes holidays."

"Yeah, yeah. I got some boys on call. I'm coming in a half-day, just to round things up. Wife's making Christmas dinner, and you'd think she was cooking for the royal freaking family. Says we gotta dress for it."

"What, you generally eat naked?"

"Dress, Dallas. Like formal or some shit." His already droopy face sagged. "She got the damn idea from you."

"Me? Me?" Insult, and a little fear, jumped into her voice. "Don't hang your marital weirdness on me."

"It was the party at your place did it. Everybody all duded up and sparkly. Now she wants us all to get fancy. I gotta wear a suit in my own house. At my own table."

Because she felt guilty, Eve pulled her hands through her hair, and struggled to tug out an idea. "You could spill gravy on it right off."

His eyes brightened. "I knew I kept you around for something. The wife's gravy's lethal, too. I spill that on the suit, it'll practically eat through the lining. Hey, Merry freaking Christmas, kid."

"Back atcha."

She toted the homers out, and had to slap a hand to her cheek as a muscle twitched. Straight in her line of vision, Peabody and McNab were locked in a big, sloppy kiss, hips grinding together as they used the music as an excuse for vertical humping.

"Stop! Cease and desist, or I'm locking you both in separate cells for public lewdness."

She kept walking. When Peabody caught up, she was huffing. Eve didn't think it was the quick trot that had her breathing heavy.

"We were just—"

"Say nothing," Eve warned. "Do not speak. We're heading to the hotel. I'm going to get these wires planted, give the subjects the talk. You're going to check out the banks on the list I'm going to give you. Show them Trudy's picture. See if anyone remembers her coming in for a big bag of credits on Thursday or Friday."

"Where do you want me after?"

"I'll tag you, let you know."

She dropped Peabody off, continued to the hotel. Spotting the security, she walked over.

"I'm pulling my uniform. At least I want it to look that way. Can I plug him into one of your security areas, give him access to the cam on the fifth floor?"

"We can do that."

"I'm keeping the Lombards unapprised."

"No problem. Just send him to me when you're ready."

"Thanks." She moved to the elevator, going over the steps in her head as she rode up.

Once the uniform was given his orders, she knocked.

Bobby answered. "You've got news."

"We've had some progress. Nothing much I can tell you at this point. All right if I come in?"

"Sure, sure. Sorry. Zana's in the shower. We slept in. Not much else to do."

"I want to talk to you about that," Eve began. "Why don't you go in and tell Zana I'm here."

"Oh. Okay. Be right back."

"No rush."

The minute he went into the bedroom, Eve hurried to the closet by the door. The tidy state of the suite told her these were people who put things in their place. She found their coats where she expected.

She took out the two homers, slid one under the collar of each coat, secured them, then engaged. There were two jackets as well, and she considered.

It was cold, she thought. They were from Texas. They'd wear the coats.

She glanced toward the bedroom doorway. "Feeney, if you read, beep my communicator."

When the beep sounded, she closed the closet door, stepped away. Moments later, Bobby came out.

"She'll be done in a minute."

"I guess the two of you are getting antsy, stuck in here."

"Maybe." He smiled a little. "I can do some work from here. And I've been making arrangements. For my mother. Zana's been a big help. I don't know what I'd do without her, don't know how I managed before she came along. Lousy Christmas for her. I thought maybe I could order a little tree. Or something."