Memory in Death (In Death #22)(89)

"It's very light. We're closing the office at noon until start of business hours on the twenty-sixth. She's with another officer now." The admin checked her watch. "Nearly done. She has another appointment in fifteen minutes, then she's fairly well clear."

"I could use a minute with her between appointments. I can wait."

"All right, but I hope you don't plan to add to her schedule. She and her husband have plans."

"I won't keep her," Eve began, then stepped back as another cop came out of the office.

"Just a minute." The admin held up a finger, got up to walk to Mira's door herself. "Doctor, Lieutenant Dallas is here. She'd like a moment."

"Of course." Mira got up from her desk as Eve entered. "I didn't expect to see you again until after the holidays."

"Need a favor. I'm looking for a profile, maybe even just an impression of a suspect."

"On the Lombard matter."

"Yeah. I'm looking at the daughter-in-law."

"Oh?" Mira sat, leaned back while Eve ran quickly through her angle.

"What I'd like is for you to go with me to her hotel, or the hospital. I don't know yet where she'll be in an hour. I'm going to try to corner her at the hotel first. I know you've got plans. I can run you home myself after."

"I suppose I could—"

"Good. Great." Eve backed toward the door before Mira changed her mind. "I'll come back and get you in an hour. I'm going to set it up."

She hurried out, using her 'link to connect with Zana's room at the hotel.

"I'm swinging by in about an hour," Eve told her.

"Oh. I was hoping to go to the hospital. I just called, and they said Bobby was still sleeping, but—"

"I'll make sure you get there." Eve waited a beat. "How's his condition?"

"Stable. They said he was stable. But they want to keep him another twenty-four hours at least. Observation. And we need to make some arrangements here before they'll release him. I need to get a wheelchair, and these medications, and—"

"Why don't you start arrangements for what you need from there? That way you'll be set for him tomorrow. I'll have a uniform take you to the hospital, get you home."

"Well, all right, I guess. Since he's asleep anyway."

"Good. I'll be there in an hour."

She headed back to her office to write up an update for her commander. Halfway through, Slader stuck his head in the door.

"Got him wrapped, Lieutenant."

"The brother? You got a confession?"

"Junkie brother comes home, see, and the other guy's waiting for him. He's found out some stuff's missing from the apartment. His pricey wrist unit, some electronics, that kind of deal. Gonna confront his brother, kick him out. Brother comes in late, stoned to the eyeballs."

"You got the tox to substantiate?"

"Yeah. Vic had enough shit in him to fly all the way to Pluto and back. Looks like he pawned the shit he took from his brother to buy the stuff. Guy tells him to take a hike, and they get into it. Now our guy says the dead brother threw the first punch. Maybe yes, maybe no."

Slader shrugged. "But there're swings on both sides. Asshole brother takes a header down the stairs, snaps his neck. Other guy panics, tries to set it up like he'd been in bed and the dead brother just took a tumble. We can squeeze him maybe on Man Two, but the PA doesn't like it. Guy's willing to cop to Man Three. So that's how we're doing it."

"Good enough. Make sure the dead guy's the one who pawned the merchandise. Check that before you sign off on the deal."

"Partner's doing that now. Checks out, we're clearing it. Stupid bastard—the live brother—could've saved himself a lot of time and trouble he'd just copped to the fight. People just like lying to cops."

Truer words, Eve mused as another thought occurred. Layers. Yeah, she might try peeling one.

* * *

In the garage, Mira studied the all-terrain. "This can't be your city issue."

"No. Roarke. Icy roads." Eve shrugged as she climbed in. "This thing would probably transverse the Arctic Circle, so he's satisfied I can navigate New York in it."

"Well, I feel better in it." Mira settled in. "I imagine there's so little he can control regarding your safety, he pushes on the things he can."

"Yeah, I get that."

"Dennis made noises about me staying home today." Mira adjusted the softly patterned scarf around her neck. "I ended up having to arrange for a driver to satisfy him. It's nice to have someone who'll worry."

"You think?" Eve glanced over as she reversed. "Maybe," she decided. "Maybe it is. But it's hard to know you're always worrying them."

"It used to annoy me."

"Really?"

"Charlie, he'd say, why do you take such chances, dealing with people who revel in that kind of darkness? If you're inside them, don't you see they can get inside you?" She smiled a little, stretching out her legs luxuriously in the warmth. "We went around that one, and variations on the theme, quite a bit when I took the position with the department."