Salvation in Death (In Death #27)(45)

“Yeah, they were. The blond singer with the biggest rack.”

“As not all men go for large br**sts—as I can attest—I’ll also assume you’re basing your money on the replay, and the large-breasted blonde who fell to her knees to weep.”

She poked a finger at his shoulder. “You watched the replay.”

“Looking into things.”

“And your take?”

He lifted her hand to his lips. “I wouldn’t bet against you.”

Eve turned as a limo glided to the curb behind her police issue. She watched people come out. A man, a woman, another couple, another man, then the singing quartet. They clumped together like a puffy blue ball, and rolled into the hotel.

“We’ll give them a couple minutes, let them get to their rooms. Could wait to do this in the morning,” she said, half to herself, “but she might be easier to open now, and in her room. Away from the venue, from everyone else.”

“And if she admits to being his lover, what does it tell you?”

“I don’t know. It depends. One angle leads to another. It could be motive. She wanted more; he wouldn’t give it. Or there’s a jealous boyfriend, or former lover. Or . . . I’ve got some others cooking. Okay. Let’s go intimidate the night clerk. No bribing,” she added. “It takes the fun out of it.”

She went in, strode across the lobby with its boring gray floors and unfortunate floral upholstery. She had her swagger on, Roarke noted. It never failed to entertain him.

She slapped her badge on the counter where a droid in a severe black suit manned the front desk.

“Good evening,” he said, and Roarke wondered whose idea it had been to program the droid with such a pussified Brit accent. “Welcome to the Mark.”

“Ulla Pintz. I need her room number.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not at liberty to divulge the room numbers of our guests. Ordinarily, I’d be happy to ring the guest room for you, and obtain that permission, but Ms. Pintz just came in, and requested a Do Not Disturb. There’s been a terrible tragedy.”

“Yeah. Dead guy. I’m a cop.” She lifted her badge, wagged it in front of his face. “Guess why I’m here.”

He only stared blankly, which Eve admitted was the trouble with service droids. They didn’t usually get sarcasm or subtlety.

“Let’s put this in short sentences,” Eve decided. “Ms. Pintz is a witness to said terrible tragedy. I’m the primary investigator of same. Give me her room number, or I haul all your circuits down to Central, where we’ll get a warrant to shut you down due to obstruction of justice.”

“Here at the Mark, our guests’ wishes are sacrosanct.”

“Try this: How are you going to serve your guests’ wishes when you’re down at Central and the jokers in EDD are playing with you?”

He seemed to consider that, as far as droids considered anything. “I have to verify your identification.”

“Go ahead.” A thin red beam shot out of his eyes as he scanned the badge on the counter. “Everything appears to be in order, Lieutenant Dallas. Ms. Pintz’s room number is 1203.”

“Does she have a roommate?”

“No. The other members of the Eternal Lights share a suite, but Ms. Pintz prefers her own quarters.”

“I bet.”

Satisfied, she walked with Roarke to the elevator. “It’s not as much fun to intimidate droids.”

“We have to take our small disappointments. Think of how you’ll enjoy interrogating Ulla.”

“Yeah.” She stepped on the elevator. “Maybe that’ll make up for it. I also could be chasing my tail by looking at this as essentially unconnected to my first murder, instead of going with the overt and obvious.”

“Trusting your instincts instead of the hard facts?”

“If I were to run a probability right now, I’m pretty damn sure I’d get high eighties that we’ve got the same killer on both.”

“And you think not.”

“I think not. I think I know who killed Jenkins. Not sure why yet.”

Eve got off the elevator, walked down to 1203. The Do Not Disturb light beamed from the door. She ignored it and knocked.

“Ulla Pintz, this is the police. Open the door.”

After several seconds of silence, Eve knocked again, gave the same command.

“Hello?” A high, quavery voice spoke through the speaker. “I’m, ah, indisposed. They said I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone until tomorrow.”

“They were wrong. You need to open the door, Ulla, or I’ll secure authorization to use my master.”

“I don’t understand.” Sniffles accompanied the words now as locks clicked off. “Samuel said we could come back, and not talk to anyone.” The door opened. “He’s a lawyer and everything.”

“I’m a cop and everything. Lieutenant Dallas,” Eve added, and deliberately said nothing about Roarke as they stepped in. “Rough night, huh, Ulla?”

“It’s so horrible.” Ulla wiped at her eyes. She’d taken off the poofy dress and wore the hotel’s white robe. She’d had enough time to remove several layers of stage makeup so her face was naked, pale, splotchy. And very young. “He died. Right in front of us. I don’t know how.”