Obsession in Death (In Death #40)(60)

And that explained the broken bottle and pool of wine just inside the door of the studio, Eve thought.

“I think he tried to stun me. I saw him raise the stunner when I threw the bottle.”

At this Dirk took her hand, and the perpetual anger on his face died away into sick fear. “You didn’t tell me that. Jesus, Matilda.”

“I told the other police. You were busy cussing out the MTs, and yelling at me to get some clothes on. I was only wearing… a little,” Matilda said with a quick grin.

“You both saw this individual?”

“Since we both got eyes that’s a damn fool question,” Hastings snapped. “And I’m tired of questions. The dickwad figured to rob me, and instead had to hightail. That’s that. Now go away.”

“Dirk.”

He sighed at Matilda’s scolding tone. “Thanks for coming, now go away.” And smiled a little when Matilda laughed.

“Matilda, I want you to step into another room with Roarke, and describe the person you saw.”

“Why does she have to go with him?” Hastings demanded.

“Because you’re going to stay here and describe the person you saw, and this way neither of you will influence each other’s memory or impressions. Argue, we do it at Central. Remember Central?”

“I get zapped, and you’re threatening me?” Temper flashed, the strike of a lightning bolt. He lunged to his feet.

Matilda said, “Dirk!” in the tone that reminded Eve of her endurance coach from the Academy.

He rumbled like a volcano about to erupt, then hissed. Then sat.

“I’m the one who got zapped,” he muttered.

“And she’s the one trying to find out who and why,” Matilda reminded him.

“Some lowlife scumbag looking to rob me. What good’s she going to do?”

“If I thought this was armed robbery, would I be here? Murder cop,” Eve said.

“You see any dead people?” Hastings was on his feet again, then his eyes widened. He sat again, but this time put a protective arm around the blonde. “You think somebody wants to kill me? For what?”

“How many people have you thrown something at, or threatened to skin alive, boil in acid, toss out the window – just for instance – since the last time I saw you?”

“I don’t keep a ledger on it.”

“Right. Ms. Zebler, if you don’t mind?”

“Sure.” She took a long breath. “I didn’t think it was robbery. It didn’t feel like it. Dirk, behave, please.”

She took his face in both her hands, kissed him lightly. “For me.” When she got to her feet, Roarke offered a hand.

“I’ve admired your work,” he said.

“Thanks. We’ve almost met a couple times,” she began, causing Eve to lift her brows again as Roarke led her off.

Now Eve sat. “How long have you and Matilda been involved?”

“None of your business.”

“I wouldn’t give a rat’s ass if it wasn’t my business. How long? Two people are dead,” she said flatly. “You were going to be the third. If things had gone different, maybe Matilda would’ve been the bonus round.”

“What the f*ck for? Anybody comes near her, I’ll rip out their throat and stuff their head in the hole.”

“Nice. I’m working on what the f*ck for. How long?”

“Eighteen days. You don’t have to say what’s somebody who looks like her doing with somebody who looks like me.”

“You may have a face a mother would have a hard time loving, Dirk, but you make up for it with your cheerful, outgoing personality and sparkling charm.”

“Shit.” He huffed. He puffed. “We’re keeping it quiet, okay? It’s personal. It’s… new, and it’s personal. The media gets hold of it, they’ll hound her on it.”

“Who is she?”

Dirk rolled his eyes. “Christ, you live in a cave? Matilda. Über-model. And more than a face, a body. She started her own line of hair and face enhancements – she’s not just the public face of it, she runs it. She’s got brains. And balls,” he said quietly, looking over at the carving knife. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her, whatever I got to do. That includes beating whoever’s trying to kill me to a bloody pulp then setting fire to what’s left of them.”

“Why don’t you start doing what you have to do by describing this person?”

He closed his eyes.

She saw then the pallor, and the dark circles under the eyes. Taking a solid stun could wear out the system, leave you exhausted and raw. Shaky and sick.

She ought to know.

“You’d be better off with a protein drink than the alcohol.”

“Kiss my flabby white ass,” he said, but without heat. “About your height, maybe an inch or two taller. Brown coat, scarf – brown, too – wrapped around the neck, up around the lower part of the face. Voice was muffled with it. I thought about ripping it off, strangling her with it.”

Eve’s spine went rigid. “Her?”

“Yeah, I think. Brown eyes – something in the eyes looked female to me. Looked… like yours, now that I think of it. Maybe I got my brain sideways from the stun, and since I’m looking at yours, I’m putting them there.”