Strangers in Death (In Death #26)(100)

“You saw Ava Anders.”

“I didn’t like her goddamn face—and yeah, some of it was personal. I wouldn’t have seen the how if you hadn’t nagged my ass off about Custer. So reschedule your pity party, Baxter. We don’t have time for it now.”

“Assuming we’re playing to our strengths, you’ll be taking bad cop.”

“And you’d be the cop with the soft spot for the tragic, little widow.”

“Yeah.” He hissed out a breath. “Fucking A. I feel played, so I’ll be picking up the hats and balloons for the pity party later.”

“Don’t forget the cake.” She scouted out a parking spot as she neared Suzanne’s address. “It’s going to spook her, seeing me instead of Trueheart. Having to go into Central. If she’s thought about any of this happening, she may have thought about lawyers. You need to reassure her. Routine, tying things up.”

“I know how to play good cop.” He got out, waited for Eve on the sidewalk. “I need to take the lead with her, initially, keep her steady, make her think I’m a little ticked that you’re insisting on the official routine.”

“I know how to play bad cop,” Eve countered.

It was a miserable post–Urban War building. One of the structures tossed up from the rubble and never intended to last. Its concrete gray walls were blackened with age and weather, scored with graceless graffiti and misspelled obscenities.

They walked into a narrow, frigid entryway and took the rusted metal stairs up to the third floor. Everything echoed, Eve noted. Their feet on the treads, the sounds leaking out of doors and walls as they passed by, the noises from the street outside.

But none of the early spring warmth pushed in to boost the chilly air.

Baxter positioned himself at the door, knocked. The over-bright sound of kids and Saturday morning screen whooped on the other side. One of those odd and somehow creepy morning cartoon deals that had the kids yammering and squealing, Eve imagined.

Who made those things?

A high-pitched girly voice called out for mommy so clearly, the door itself might’ve been made of paper.

The locks thunked, and the door scraped and groaned as it opened.

She’d been pretty once, Eve thought at her first in-person study of Suzanne Custer. She might be pretty again, given decent nutrition, reasonable sleep, a break from stress. As Eve didn’t see those elements in her future, she thought Suzanne’s pretty days were long over.

She looked exhausted, pale, too thin, as if the meat under her skin had been gnawed away. Her dull, listless hair had been pulled back, leaving her tired face defenseless. A small, round-eyed kid of the male variety (probably) stood at her side.

“Detective Baxter.”

“Mrs. Custer. Hey there, Todd!” Baxter flashed a grin, shot the boy with his finger.

“We’re watching ’toons.”

“So I hear. Hi, Maizie.”

The little girl had a year or two on her brother, and the soft prettiness that had once been her mother’s. She sent Baxter a big, beaming smile.

“I’m sorry.” Suzanne shoved at her hair, then reached down to wrap her arm around her son’s shoulders. “We’re a little disorganized this morning. I was…just cleaning up after breakfast, before I take the kids to practice. Is this…do you have any…Can this wait until later?”

“I’m afraid it can’t, Mrs. Custer.” Eve edged Baxter aside, and all but felt his annoyed frown. “We have a number of things to clear up, and we’ll need to handle this at Central.”

“At Central? But—”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Custer.” Baxter’s voice poured warm cream over quiet apology. “This is my lieutenant. As we’ve been unable to close your husband’s case in a timely manner, Lieutenant Dallas needs to see to some procedural matters.”

“At Central,” Eve said, clipping the words.

“But, my kids.”

“I don’t—”

“Lieutenant, please.” Baxter interrupted Eve, then eased forward toward Suzanne. “I can arrange to have them taken to practice, or you can bring them with you and we’ll see they’re supervised while we finish this up. Whichever you want.”

“I don’t know. I—”

“I can’t miss practice.” Cartoons forgotten, Maizie jumped up. “I just can’t. Mom, please!”

“Why don’t I take care of their transportation?” Baxter suggested. “And have a couple of officers stay with them. Then when we’re done, we’ll make sure you get to the field. Okay, LT?”

Eve only shrugged, as if she didn’t give a damn. “Make it fast. You’ve put enough time and department resources into this. I’ll wait outside.”

“Sorry about that,” Eve heard Baxter say as she walked away. “The lieutenant’s a stickler for procedure. I’ll try to fast-walk all this through.”

On the street, Eve checked in with Peabody. “Status?”

“Wallowing in smut. I had no idea there were so many devices designed to be inserted in orifices. Many are sold in variety and party packs. You can select one of forty-dollar value with any body piercing.”

“That’s a deal.”

“Well, it’s kind of tempting. McNab would wig in a completely excellent way. But seeing as I’m on duty…”