WHORE

She whirled around quickly and caught the expression onPamela ’s face. “You knew. Part of you knew, and you covered for him. Don’t want any scandal, don’t want any smudges on your perfect little world.”

“That’s ridiculous. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” There was a green tinge to her skin now, as she stepped back from the closet and its awful contents. But her chin stayed high and firm, and her tone dismissive.

“Yes, you do. You know what goes on in your house. You make it your business to know. Why don’t you take a closer look.”Eve took her arm, gave it a little tug, though she had no intention of letting her into the closet. “Get a good up-close at whatNiles has been up to. And think about when it might have been your turn. Or your daughter’s.”

“You’re out of your mind. Take your hand off me. I’m a British citizen. I’m not under your aegis.”

“You’re hip-deep in my aegis,Pam.” She stepped just a little closer. “I’m going to put him away. That’s priority. And after I’ve got him in a cage, I’m going to make it my mission in life to get you on accessory.”

“You have no right to speak to me that way. In my own home. When I’m finished with you-”

“We’ll see who finishes. Feeney, get her out of here. House arrest, female guard. She gets one call.”

“Don’t you touch me. Don’t you dare put your hands on me. I’m not leaving this room until I’m satisfied every one of you has forfeited your badge.”

Evetucked her thumbs in her pockets, stood with hip thrust out, and hoped. “You go voluntarily withCaptainFeeney, or I add resisting and have you forcibly restrained.”

Pamela’s hand swung out. It was a girl move, and oneEve could easily have dodged or deflected. But she let it land, and got her wish. “I was so hoping for that. There’s resisting and assaulting an officer. You just made my night.” In a quick move,Eve had her restraints out. AsPamela blustered, she spun the woman around, jerked her arms back, and cuffed her.

“Have her transported to Central,”Eve told Feeney. “Booked on resisting and assaulting an officer. She can stay in a box until we’re through here.”

Pamelakicked, swore with a vehemence and creativity that hadEve ’s eyebrows lifting. “I like her better that way.” Rolling her shoulders as Feeney muscledPamela out,Eve turned to Roarke. “I need to verify that this is unregistered equipment, which gives me another nice ball to add to the weight against Renquist. And I need all data contained within. What are you grinning at, pal?”

“You baited her so she’d take that swipe at you.”

“So?”

“So I’m surprised you didn’t take her out yourself.”

“She’s small change. I’m going to pocket that change before I’m done, but I want him first. I’m going to update the commander.” She pulled out her communicator. “Get me that data.”

– -«»--«»--«»--

Within fifteen minutes she had an all-points out on Renquist and was reading over Roarke’s shoulder.

“It’s all here,” she noted. “Carefully logged. His travel, his trolling, his selection. Every victim, with chosen method. Tools, wardrobe.”

“You’ll notice he has quite a file on you, Lieutenant.”

“Yeah, I can read.”

“And,” Roarke continued in that same cool tone, “that he intended you to be his crescendo. UsingPeterBrent ’s cop-killing method. Long-range laser blaster.”

“Which means he’s got one in here. Better find it.”

“And him. I want him now, as much as you.”

She shifted her gaze, met his. “It’s not personal.” She waited a beat, shrugged. “Okay, what is it you say to crap like that? Bollocks. It’s personal, but it can wait. I’m not next on his list.”

She looked back to the screen. “KatieMitchell,WestVillage. CPA. Twenty-eight, divorced, no kids. Lives alone, works primarily out of her loft. He’s got everything on her. Height, weight, habits, routines, even her fucking shopping preferences. Stores, purchases. He’s a thorough bastard. He’s looking to do a Marsonini on her.”

“Gain initial entrance by posing as a client,” Roarke said. “Clone security. Enter again, when the victim is sleeping. Restrain, torture, rape, and mutilate, leaving a single red rose on the pillow beside them.”

“Marsonini got six women with that method between the late winter of2023 and the spring of2024. All brunettes, likeMitchell, all home workers, all between the ages of twenty-six and twenty-nine. All bearing a slight resemblance to his older sister who had, reputedly, sexually and physically abused him in childhood.”

She straightened. “We’ll get thisKatieMitchell under wraps. If we don’t find Renquist within the next forty-eight hours, he’s going to find us.”

Chapter22

There was no choice but to risk going directly toKatieMitchell ’s apartment. If Renquist had it staked, it would spook him, butEve couldn’t risk a life.

If he bolted, she’d hunt him down.

With help from EDD, she had a list of residents and a layout of the building whereMitchell had her third-floor loft. She left Feeney in charge of the ongoing search of Renquist’s home, and took Roarke along.

For ballast, she told him.

“You’re too good to me, darling. Really, I’ll get spoiled.”

“Fat chance. Anyway, you’ve got a good touch with women.”

“Now I’m blushing.”

“I’m going to laugh my ass off any minute, then where will I sit? This woman may become hysterical. You’re better with hysterical females than I am.”

“Excuse me, did you say something? I was busy thinking about your ass.”

She whipped her vehicle up a ramp and squeezed it into a second-level spot a half block fromMitchell ’s loft. “I’m sure that’s entertaining-”

“You have no idea.”

“But let’s try to keep to the program. It’s possible if we go in as a couple, straight in, he won’t make me if he’s staking out the building. I don’t think he’s around tonight. I think he’s in some bolt-hole, putting it all together. Odds are we’ve got time, but I can’t be sure. Marsonini always hit his victims between two and three A. M… We’re plenty early if he’s marked her for tonight. But I want us to walk straight to the building, and in. How fast can you get through the security?”

“Time me.”

“Let’s move.”

“I think you should hold my hand,” he said as they started down the ramp. “You’ll look less like a cop.”

“Take the left.” She switched sides with him. “I want my weapon hand free.”

“Naturally.” Even as he gave her arm a playful little swing, he saw her eyes, those cop’s eyes, tracking, scanning, dissecting every shadow. “I’ll need my hands free at the door. You could ease behind me. It wouldn’t hurt to give my butt an affectionate little pat.”

“What for?”

“Because I like it.”

She ignored that, but did move behind him slightly as they climbed the short flight of steps to the building’s entrance.

“It’s cooled off considerably. I think we’re done with the worst of the heat for the year.”

“Hmm. Maybe.”

“Why don’t you lean in a bit, nuzzle my neck?”

“For cover, or because you like it?”

“As a kind of reward,” he said and opened the door.

She hadn’t even seen him finesse the lock. “You’re pretty fucking slick,” she commented and stepped in ahead of him.

She walked straight back to the steps rather than hassle with the elevator’s security system. That would open, once cleared, directly intoMitchell ’s loft. Less traumatizing,Eve hoped, to knock on the hall door on the third level, and gain admittance that way.

“His log shows an appointment with her here, this afternoon,”Eve continued. “That tells me he’s already bunged up her loft security, and plans to move in tonight, tomorrow latest. I need to get her out, but I don’t want cops around yet. We’ll set up a unit in the morning, early.” She knocked on the door, held up her badge, then turned to smile at Roarke.