Thankless in Death (In Death #37)(110)

He strolled down.

Joe looked worse for wear, that’s for sure. His face—and he’d always been a conceited f**k—all bloody and bruised. A lot busted in there. The shallow cuts had stopped bleeding, something he’d fix after breakfast. And the burns looked like circles and streaks of charcoal.

Reinhold picked up the sap, gave Joe an absent smack. “Shut the f**k up, or I’ll slit your throat and be done with it.”

“Please, God, please.” The words came garbled through broken teeth. “I think I’m dying. I’m hurt bad. Don’t hurt me anymore, please, man, please. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll give you anything you want.”

“Oh yeah? That’s something maybe. You’ve got some money, Joe. The Vegas money, and more. Maybe if you give me your passcodes so I can take it, I’ll let you go.”

“Anything. You can have it. I—I’ve got my uncle Stan’s passcodes, too.”

“Is that so?” With a smile, Reinhold gestured to a nearby chair. “Set me up there,” he ordered the droid.

“I found them when I was helping him out with some stuff. He’s got some real scratch, Jerry. I’ll get it for you. Just let me go. Promise to let me go, and I’ll get you all of it.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Please. I need water. Can I have some water, please?”

Easing into his seat, Reinhold took his knife and fork from the tray the droid gave him.

“Can’t you see I’m having breakfast? Shut up before you piss me off. You,” he said to the droid. “Turn on the screen. It’s got to be about time for the parade.” He smiled, cut into his eggs. “I’d hate for us to miss the parade, Joe. Just lie back and enjoy.”

22

EVE COORDINATED WITH HER TEAM EN ROUTE. She couldn’t afford the time or the exposure for a final briefing on site. Too many people with too many ways to get the word out that cops were gathering at New York West. A leak to the media, on the Internet, might alert Reinhold.

She believed, strongly, Asshole Joe was still alive. She believed they had time. But the very fact Joe was an ass**le might tip Reinhold over the edge.

She’d be damned if they’d be minutes too late this time.

When she said as much to Roarke, he touched a hand to hers. “We’ll have him locked down minutes after we arrive. And we’ll have your eyes and ears up minutes after that.”

Minutes, she thought. They had to be on her side this round.

“Luck’s turned,” she stated. “Luck’s turned our way. You’ve got to see it that way. We hit on him, both of us, almost at the same time. It all fell together.”

“It fell together because you haven’t let up on it for three days and nights.”

“That, and Ms. Farnsworth. She pulled off a hell of a thing.”

“I admit, I wish I could have met her.”

“You wish you could’ve hired her,” Eve added, and he laughed. “You know me very well.”

“Sanchez’s on site, Dallas,” Peabody told her from the back. “Detective Carmichael’s less than a minute out. Uniforms are checking in.”

“Talking to your security head now, Roarke,” McNab announced. “They’ve cleared the parking space you directed. Have eyes trained on the hallways on Reinhold’s two floors.”

“Good enough, and here we are.”

“It’s really pretty.” Peabody craned her head to take in the tower. “Shiny, and all that glass just sparkles.”

“Head in the game, Peabody,” Eve ordered, and jumped out the minute Roarke pulled to the curb. “Record on. All records on. All teams move into position. I want all elevators but his blocked from his floor the minute Team B reaches his second level.”

“Sir.” A tall curvy brunette clipped over to Roarke. “We’re in place, awaiting any further instructions.”

“Lieutenant, this is head of building security, Veronica Benston.”

“Lieutenant.” Benston nodded at Eve. “There’s been no activity outside of the target area. Two units on the subject’s main level, and one on his secondary level are not occupied today as the tenants are out of town. In-residence tenants, as you instructed, have not been notified, as yet, of any police activity.”

“Give me the rundown as we go. We’re moving.”

“We’ve kept this elevator clear for you.” Benston led the way, explained any and all occupants and activities on the target level.

“You’re backup, Benston, and thanks for the assist and the speed of it.” Eve stepped out on Reinhold’s level. She sent Team B a thumbs-up, moved on as they rode to the next level.

“Shut down his private elevator, block all access and egress to this level. Roarke, I want him blind. I want his alarms and backups shut down.”

“Benston, would you mind?”

“It’s done, sir.” She tapped her earbud. “Blind him,” she ordered. “Kill alarms, both levels of target unit.”

“At hallway door,” Eve said into her own comm, accessing.

Since Benston offered it, she used Security’s master, then drawing her weapon, went through the door.

“Get me eyes and ears, McNab.”