by J. D. Robb
Data complete.
‘Well.’ He nipped her bottom lip. ‘Maybe not quite enough time. Your data, Lieutenant.’
She cleared her throat, exhaled. ‘You’re good.’ Exhaled again. ‘I mean you’re really good.’
‘I know.’ And because she was just a bit off balance yet, he sat, pulling her until she tumbled into his lap.
‘Hey, I’m working here.’
‘Me, too.’ Swiveling her to face front, he began to nibble at the back of her neck. ‘I’ll work on this, you work on that.’
‘I can’t while you’re . . .’ She hunched her shoulders, stifled a chuckle, and tried to concentrate on the data on screen. ‘Rent’s her biggest expense, followed by clothes. She’s got most of them marked costume for taxes. Stop it!’ She slapped at the clever fingers that had already unbuttoned her blouse to the navel.
‘You don’t need your shirt to read data,’ he said reasonably and began sliding it off her shoulders.
‘Look, pal, I’m still wearing my clutch piece, so--’ She sprang to her feet, making him mutter an oath. ‘Shit, shit. There it is. Son of a bitch. There’s the link.’
Resigned, he tucked away thoughts of seducing her and turned his attention to the screen. ‘Where?’
‘There. Three thousand to Personally Yours by electronic transaction, six weeks ago.’
Her eyes were hot now, not with passion but power, as she swung around to face him. ‘She and Hawley used the same dating service. That’s not a coincidence. That’s a connection. I need her matches,’ she murmured, then catching Roarke’s inquiring look, she shook her head. ‘No, we’ll do it the right way. By the book. I’ll go in tomorrow and get them.’
‘It wouldn’t take me long to access.’
‘It’s not legal.’ She struggled to keep her face stern when that grin of his beamed at her. ‘And it’s not your job. But I appreciate it.’
‘How much?’
She stepped back, stood between his legs, and looked down at him. ‘Enough to let you finish taking care of me.’ She sat, straddling him. ‘After I take care of you, that is.’
‘How about . . .’ He fisted a hand in her hair and brought her mouth within a breath of his, ‘we take care of each other?’
‘That’s a deal.’
Chapter Five
Settled in her home office with weak winter sunlight dribbling through the window wall at her back, Eve organized her data. She intended to feed a report to her commander by midmorning and had several blanks she wanted to fill in first.
‘Computer engage. Detail data on dating service enterprise known as Personally Yours located on Fifth Avenue in New York.’
Working . . . Personally Yours, established 2052 in Fifth Avenue location, owned and operated by Rudy and Piper Hoffman.
‘Stop, confirm. Business in question is owned by Rudy and Piper Hoffman?’
Affirmative. Rudy and Piper Hoffman, fraternal twins, age twenty-eight. Residence 500 Fifth Avenue. Continue scan on Personally Yours?
‘No, search and report, full data on owners.’
Searching . . .
While her computer juggled its chips, she rose to get a cup of coffee. Fraternal twins, she thought as the AutoChef filled her request. Brother and sister. She’d tagged them as lovers. And now, thinking back, remembering the way they’d touched, moved together, the looks exchanged, she wondered if both she and the computer were right.
It was a thought that didn’t sit well in her gut.
A movement in the adjoining doorway caught the corner of her eye an instant before Roarke stepped into full view.
‘Good morning. You’re up and about early.’
‘I want to get my prelim report to Whitney first thing.’ She took her coffee from the AutoChef, shook back her hair. ‘You want a cup of this?’
‘Yes, I do.’ He took hers, smiling when she frowned at him. ‘I’ll be in meetings most of the day.’
‘What else is new,’ she muttered and programmed the unit for a second cup of coffee.
‘But you can reach me, if you need.’
She grunted, then glanced over as her computer signaled data search was complete. ‘Good. Okay, I’ve got--’ She yelped in surprise as he grabbed the front of her shirt and tugged. ‘Hey, what - Hold data,’ she called out and shoved at her husband.
‘I like the way you smell in the morning.’ He leaned in and sniffed at her hair as he spoke.
‘It’s just soap.’
‘I know.’
‘Get ahold of yourself.’ But damn it, he had her blood up and pumping fast. ‘I’ve got work,’ she muttered even as her arms came around him.
‘So do I. I miss you, Eve.’ He set his cup aside so he could hold her, just hold her.
‘I guess we’ve both been busy the last couple of weeks.’ It felt so good to lean against him and just be. ‘I can’t back off this case now.’
‘I don’t expect you to.’ For the pleasure of it, he rubbed his cheek against hers. ‘I wouldn’t want you to.’ But it was the last case, what it had done to her, that weighed on his mind and his heart. ‘I’m content to steal a moment here and there.’ He eased back, brushed his lips over hers. ‘I’ve always had a good hand at stealing . . . whatever.’
‘You’re not supposed to remind me.’ And, smiling, she framed his face with her hands.
From the doorway, Peabody watched them. It was too late to step back, too soon to step forward. Though they were only standing, his hands on Eve’s shoulders, hers on his cheeks, Peabody found it a wrenchingly intimate moment that had her face heating and her heart sighing with envy.
At a loss, she did the only thing she could think of and worked up the fake, faintly embarrassed cough of the intruder.
Roarke ran his hands down Eve’s arms, and smiled toward the doorway. ‘Good morning, Peabody. Coffee?’
‘Um, yeah. Thanks. Uh . . . it’s pretty cold out.’
‘Really?’ Roarke said as Eve moved back toward her desk.
‘Yeah, it’s not supposed to get up to freezing. We might get some snow flurries this afternoon.’
‘What are you, the National Weather Service?’ Eve demanded, then took a good look at her aide. Peabody’s face was flushed, her eyes soft, her hands busily plucking at her brass buttons. ‘What’s wrong with you?’
‘Nothing. Thanks,’ she said when Roarke brought her a cup of coffee.
‘You’re welcome. I’ll leave you to work.’
When he walked through the adjoining doorway and closed it off, Peabody sighed. ‘I don’t know how you can remember your name when he looks at you the way he does.’
‘If I forget it, he reminds me.’
Though she heard the wry humor in Eve’s voice, Peabody stepped closer. ‘What’s it like?’
‘What?’ Glancing up, Eve caught the intensity in her aide’s eyes and shrugged uncomfortably. ‘Peabody, we’ve got work here.’
‘Isn’t that what it’s about?’ Peabody interrupted. ‘Isn’t what you’ve got what those two women were looking for?’
Eve opened her mouth, then shut it again. She glanced toward the connecting doors, saw that Roarke had closed them, but hadn’t engaged locks on either side. ‘It’s more than you think it can be,’ she heard herself say. ‘It changes everything, and fixes everything that matters. Maybe you’re never going to be the same, and maybe part of you is always afraid of what will happen if . . . but he’s always going to be there. All you have to do is reach out, and he’s going to be there.’
Surprised at herself, she slipped her hands into her pockets. ‘Can you find that by pumping data into a computer system and letting it run personality and lifestyle matches? I don’t know. But we’ve got two dead women who thought it was worth a try. Pull up a chair, Peabody, and we’ll see what we’ve got.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘We’ll run a full search of Jeremy Vandoren. Instincts aside, we need to confirm or eliminate. Once we have full data on all five matches on the Hawley list, w
e’ll pay another visit to Personally Yours.’
‘Detective McNab, reporting for duty.’
Eve looked over and saw Ian McNab swagger into the room. He had a big, satisfied grin on his pretty face, a knee-length vest in eye-searing fuchsia over his Christmas-green jumpsuit, and a striped ribbon of both colors binding back his long sweep of glinting gold hair.
Feeling Peabody stiffen like a flagpole beside her, Eve nearly sighed.
‘How’s it going, McNab?’
‘It’s going good, Lieutenant. Hey there, Peabody.’ He winked cockily then set a hip on the desk. ‘Captain Feeney said you could use me on this Santa case. I’m here to serve. Got anything to eat?’
‘See what’s in the AutoChef.’
‘Mag. Working for you, Dallas, has rocking benefits.’ He wiggled his brows suggestively at Peabody then walked over to forage breakfast.
‘If you were going to use that pinhead,’ Peabody muttered under her breath, ‘why can’t he work out of EDD?’
‘Because I wanted to irritate you, Peabody. It’s my main goal in life. Since you’re here, McNab,’ Eve continued, ‘you can take over these searches. Peabody and I need to go out in the field.’
‘Just line them up,’ he said, taking a huge bite of a blueberry Danish. ‘I’ll knock them back.’
‘When you’ve finished stuffing your face,’ Eve said mildly, ‘run the names in the Hawley file - all data.’
‘Took care of the ex last night,’ he said with his mouth full. ‘Can’t find any break in his alibi so far.’
‘Okay.’ She appreciated the fast return, but decided not to mention it and have Peabody pouting all day. ‘I’ll be sending you another list from the field - run those names, then do a cross-check between the lists. Take a good look at the Hoffman twins, Rudy and Piper. I want anything that pops. And run this.’
She turned back to her computer, called up the evidence file, and shot out a hologram of the second brooch. ‘I want to know who made this piece, how many were manufactured, where they were sold, how many were sold, and to whom. Cross-check that with the first pin found on Hawley’s body. You getting this, McNab?’
‘Sir.’ He swallowed hastily, then tapped a finger to his temple. ‘Every bit.’
‘You get me a name that matches both lists and the bauble, and I’ll see to it you’ve got fresh Danishes every morning for the rest of your life.’
‘That’s a hell of an incentive.’ He wiggled his fingers. ‘Let me at it.’
‘Let’s ride, Peabody.’ Eve rose, grabbed her bag. ‘Don’t bother Roarke, McNab,’ she warned and headed out.
‘Looking good, She-body,’ McNab called just as Peabody hit the doorway. She snarled, hissed, stomped out, and left him feeling gratified.
‘EDD’s full of detectives with class, you know,’ Peabody complained as they trooped downstairs. ‘How come we’re stuck with the one asshole in the division?’
‘Just lucky, I guess.’ Eve snagged her jacket off the newel post, and swung it on as they walked outside. ‘Christ, it’s fucking freezing out here.’
‘You really ought to have a warmer coat, Lieutenant.’
‘I’m used to this one.’ But she slid into the car quickly. ‘Heat, for God’s sake,’ she ordered. ‘Seventy-five degrees.’
‘I love this unit.’ Peabody snuggled into the seat. ‘Everything works.’
‘Yeah. But it lacks character.’ Still Eve glanced down with pleasure as her ’link signaled an incoming. ‘Catch this,’ she told Peabody. ‘Screen incoming,’ she ordered as she drove through the gates.
‘Dallas? Dallas? Damn it.’ The attractive and irritated face of ace screen reporter Nadine Furst came on screen. ‘I just missed you at home. Summerset said you’re on route somewhere. Answer the damn ’link, will you?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Hell, those city-issue units you cops drive never work.’
Peabody and Eve exchanged cheerful grins while Nadine continued to mutter. ‘I guess she got wind of the case.’
‘Sure she did,’ Eve confirmed. ‘Now she wants to hit me up for information for her midmorning report, and she’ll hound me for a one-on-one for the noon edition.’
‘Dallas, I need more data on these women who were killed. Are the cases linked? Come on, Dallas, be a pal. I need to bump up my midmorning.’
‘Told you,’ Eve said complacently as she twisted through traffic.
‘Get in touch, will you? We can set up a one-on-one. I’m on deadline here.’
‘My heart bleeds.’ Eve yawned as Nadine signed off.
‘I like her,’ Peabody commented.
‘So do I. She’s fair, she’s accurate, and she’s good at what she does. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to take time out to give her ratings a goose. If I avoid her for a couple of days, she’ll be digging on her own. Let’s see what she can feed us for a change.’
‘You’re sneaky, Lieutenant. I like that about you. But about McNab--’
‘Live with it, Peabody,’ Eve suggested and whipped up and into a second-level parking slot on the curb on Fifth.
Inside she went directly to a tube, stepped in, hooked her thumbs in her pockets, and tolerated the ride up to the office level of Personally Yours.
Manning the greeting desk was a young god with shoulders the size of mountains, skin the color of rich Swiss chocolate, and eyes like antique gold coins.
‘Stop vibrating,’ Eve muttered, and Peabody only grunted in response.
‘Tell Rudy and Piper Lieutenant Dallas and aide are here.’
‘Lieutenant.’ His smile was dreamy and slow. ‘I’m sorry, but Rudy and Piper are in client consultations.’
‘Tell them I’m here,’ Eve repeated. ‘And that they’re minus another client.’
‘Of course.’ He gestured to the waiting area to the left. ‘Please make yourselves comfortable. Feel free to order up some refreshment while you wait.’
‘Don’t keep me waiting long.’
He didn’t. Within five minutes, and before Peabody could weaken enough to order up something called a Raspberry Cream Froth, both Rudy and Piper stepped into the lobby area.
They were in white again, ankle dusters this time, with Piper jazzing hers up with a blue silk sash. Each wore a single gold hoop in the right ear - one the mate of the other.
It made Eve’s skin crawl.
‘Lieutenant.’ Rudy spoke, keeping a hand on Piper’s shoulder. ‘We’re a bit rushed this morning. Our schedule’s very full.’
‘It just got fuller. You want to do this here, or in private?’
The faintest hint of irritation flickered in Rudy’s exotic eyes, but he gestured gracefully toward the hallway leading to their offices.
‘Sarabeth Greenbalm,’ Eve began the minute the door shut at her back. ‘She was found murdered yesterday. She was one of yours.’
‘Oh God, oh my God.’ Instantly Piper collapsed in a wide white chair and covered her face with her hands.
‘Hush now.’ Rudy ran a hand over Piper’s hair, caressed the back of her neck. ‘You’re certain she was a client?’
‘Yes. I want her matches. Which one of you worked with her?’
‘I would have.’ Piper dropped her hands in her lap. The deep green eyes glinted with threatening tears, her pale gold mouth trembled. ‘I work with the female applicants, Rudy with the male unless otherwise requested. In general we find that people are more comfortable discussing romantic and sexual needs with a member of the same sex.’
‘Okay.’ Eve kept her eyes on Piper’s face and tried not to notice the way her hand crept up until it was swallowed by her brother’s.
‘I remember her. Sarabeth. I remember her because she was dissatisfied with the first two matches. She wanted a full refund.’
‘Did she get one?’
‘We have a firm policy against refunds once the client has begun to explore the matches.’ Rudy gave his sister’s hand a reassuring squeeze, then walked to his console.
‘I see. Neither of you mentioned that you owned the company.’
‘You didn’t ask,’ Rudy said simply as he called up the data Eve had requested.
‘Who besides the two of you would have access to client data?’
‘We have thirty-six consultants,’ Rudy began. ‘After the initial screening, which Piper and I deal with personally, applicants are assigned to the consultant who most suits their needs. Our consultants are screened, trained, and licensed, Lieutenant.’
‘I want their names, full data.’
His eyes shuttered, seemed to frost. ‘I can’t agree to that. That kind of invasion into the privacy of our staff is insulting.’
Eve angled her head. ‘Peabody, request a warrant, search and seizure of all records, personnel and client lists, for Personally Yours. Log in reports on the Hawley and Greenbalm cases, and request warrant be issued directly to me through my communicator. And put a rush on it.’
‘Right away, Lieutenant.’
‘Rudy.’ Rubbing her hands together, Piper rose. ‘Is this necessary?’
‘I think it is.’ He held out a hand, taking hers when she crossed to him. ‘If our records are to be part of a police investigation, I want it all to be documented. I apologize for what might seem like a lack of cooperation and compassion, Lieutenant Dallas, but I have a great many people to protect.’
‘So do I.’ When the communicator beeped, Piper jolted. ‘Excuse me.’ Eve turned her back to them and slipped it out of her pocket. ‘Dallas.’
‘We tagged the makeup used on Hawley.’ Dickie scowled out of the screen. ‘Brand name’s Natural Perfection. High-dollar shit, like I figured.’
‘Nice work, Dickie.’
‘Yeah, it cost me overtime, and I got Christmas shopping to do. Prelim indicates the stuff on Greenbalm was the same brand. You gotta buy this crap through salons or an enhancement center. Can’t get it in regular stores, even high-end ones, or off screen.’
‘Good, that’ll make it easier to trace. Who manufactures?’
His scowl transformed into a wide, wicked grin. ‘Renaissance Beauty and Health, a division of Kenbar, which is an arm of Roarke Industries. Don’t you know what your old man’s up to, Dallas?’