The In Death Collection, Books 21-25

by J. D. Robb

  “Why should you?”

  She looked up sharply. “Because—”

  “Because she’s dead? Death conveniently makes her worth your pity, your anger? Why? She preyed on you, an innocent and traumatized child. And how many others, Eve? Have you thought of that?”

  Her throat burned. But it was his anger heating it, she realized. Not her own. “Yes. Yes, I’ve thought of that. And I’ve also thought that because I don’t feel, or can’t, I should’ve passed on this. And I can’t pass because if you can walk away, even once if you can just turn your back and walk, you’ve lost what made you.”

  “Then use something else this time.” He reached over, just to brush his fingers over the back of her hand. “Your curiosity. Who, why, how? You want to know, don’t you?”

  “Yeah.” She looked back at the screens. “Yeah, I want to know.”

  “Then let that be enough this time. This one time.”

  “I guess it’s going to have to be.”

  So she set up her board, reviewed her notes, compiled lists, checked data. When her office ’link beeped, she checked the readout, glanced at Roarke. “It’s Bobby.”

  She answered. “Dallas.”

  “Um, sorry. I’m sorry to contact you at home, and so late. It’s Bobby Lombard.”

  “Yeah, it’s all right. What’s the problem?”

  Other than your mother being dead, she thought, and the fact that you look one thin step up from a ghost.

  “I wanted to ask, if we can move. I mean, if we can get another hotel.” His hand lifted, raked through his short, sandy hair. “It’s hard—it’s hard to be here, right down the hall from . . . It’s hard.”

  “You got a place in mind?”

  “I . . . no. I tried a couple of places. Things are booked. Christmas. But Zana said maybe we had to stay here, and I didn’t think of that, so I wanted to ask.”

  “Hold on.” She put the ’link on wait mode. “You saw the digs they were in. You got anything comparable to that, something that has a vacancy for a few days?”

  “There’s always something.”

  “Thanks.” She changed modes. “Listen, Bobby, I can have a place for you tomorrow. I need you to hang on there tonight, and I’ll have a new location for you in the morning.”

  “That’s nice of you. It’s a lot of bother. I’m not thinking so clear right now.”

  “You can hang on for tonight, right?”

  “Yeah. Yeah.” He passed his hand over his eyes. “I don’t know what exactly we should do.”

  “Just stay there. My partner and I will come by in the morning. About eight. We need to do a follow-up, and afterward you can relocate.”

  “Okay. That’s good. Okay. Can you tell me if you know anything about . . . if you know anything more?”

  “We’ll talk in the morning, Bobby.”

  “Yeah.” His breath came out in a sigh. “In the morning. Thanks. Sorry.”

  “No problem.”

  When she disconnected, Roarke moved over behind her chair, laid his hands on her shoulders. “You have pity enough,” he said quietly.

  She thought she would dream, thought the nightmares would chase her in sleep, hunt her down. But they stayed shadows, never took form. Twice she woke, her body tight and tensed for the fight that didn’t come. In the morning, tired and edgy, she tried to combat the fatigue with a blistering shower, with strong coffee.

  In the end, she picked up her shield, shouldered on her weapon. She’d do the job, she told herself. If there was an empty place inside her, she’d just fill it with work.

  Roarke walked in, already suited up for the day. Those staggering blue eyes alert, aware. Once all she’d had was the work, and those empty places.

  Now she had him.

  “I thought hell had frozen over during the night.” She took a slug out of her second mug of coffee. “Since you weren’t sitting here scanning the financials when I got up.”

  “Did that in my office, so hell’s still a fiery pit, if that’s a comfort.” He tossed her a memo cube. “Took care of this from there as well. Midlevel, Big Apple Hotel. It should suit them.”

  “Thanks.” She pushed it into her pocket as he cocked his head and studied her.

  “You don’t look rested.”

  “If I were a girl, a comment like that would piss me off. I think.”

  Now he smiled, moved in to touch his lips to hers. “Lucky for both of us, then.” And he laid his cheek to hers, rubbed. “Nearly Christmas.”

  “I know, seeing as the room smells like a forest from the big-ass tree you had hauled in here.”

  He smiled at it over her shoulder. “You had a fine time hanging the baubles on the boughs, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah, that was good. I had a better time banging your brains out under them.”

  “That did put a nice finish on things.” He eased back, smoothed his thumbs under her eyes. “I don’t like seeing shadows there.”

  “You bought the territory, Ace. They go with it.”

  “I want a date with you, Lieutenant, seeing as our Sunday plans were aborted.”

  “I thought dates went out with the I do’s. Isn’t that in the marriage rule book?”

  “You didn’t read the fine print. Christmas Eve, barring emergencies. You and me, in the parlor. We’ll open our gifts, drink a great deal of Christmas cheer, and take turns banging each other’s brains out.”

  “Will there be cookies?”

  “Without a doubt.”

  “I’m there. Gotta go.” She pushed the coffee into his hand. “Peabody’s meeting me at the crime scene.” Then she grabbed his hair, gave it a yank, and gave him a hard, noisy kiss. “See you.”

  He was better than hot showers and real coffee for getting the system up and running, she decided. And she had one more thing left to top it off.

  She jogged down the stairs, grabbed her coat from the newel post, and sent Summerset a wide, toothy smile as she swirled it on. “Figured out just what to get you for Christmas. A brand-new shiny stick for you to shove up your ass. The one you’ve had up there the past couple decades must be showing some wear.”

  She strode out to her car with the smile still on her face. She had to admit, despite a shitty night’s sleep, she wasn’t feeling half bad.

  Peabody was stomping up and down in front of the hotel when Eve pulled up. The way she was eating up sidewalk told Eve she was either trying to walk off a few calories, cold—which didn’t seem possible as she had some sort of long muffler deal wrapped about six times around her neck—or seriously pissed.

  It only took one look at her partner’s face to opt for door number three.

  “What is that?” Eve demanded.

  “What is what?”

  “That thing that’s strangling you. Should I call pest control?”

  “It’s a scarf. My grandmother wove it, sent it to me, and told me to open it now. So I did.”

  Eve pursed her lips, studied the length of zigzagging reds and greens. “Festive.”

  “It’s warm, and it’s pretty, and it’s the fricking season, isn’t it?”

  “Last I checked. You want me to call that exterminator after all, for the bug crawling around in your ass, or are you getting a thrill out of it?”

  “He’s such a jerk. He’s a total and complete asshole. What am I doing cohabbing with that moron?”

  “Don’t ask me. Really,” Eve said holding up a hand. “Don’t ask me.”

  “Is it my fault we’re in a budget crunch? It is not,” Peabody announced and jabbed a finger in Eve’s face. “Is it my fault his stupid family lives in stupid Scotland? I don’t think so. And so what if we spent a couple of measly days with my family at Thanksgiving?” The snaking scarf flew and billowed when Peabody threw up her hands. “They have the sense to live in the United States of America, don’t they? Don’t they?”

  “I don’t know,” Eve said cautiously as Peabody’s eyes seemed to pinwheel with passion. “There’re a lot of them.”


  “Well, they do! And I just mention, just casually mention, that maybe we should stick around home for Christmas. You know, seeing as it’s our first one as a couple—and maybe, considering his attitude, our last. Stupid fuckhead. What are you looking at?” she demanded of a man who glanced her way as he walked by. “Yeah, keep walking. Dumbass man.”

  “The dumbass man is an innocent bystander. One of those dumbasses we’re sworn to protect and serve.”

  “All men are dumbasses. Every mother’s son. He said I was selfish! He said I wasn’t willing to share. Well, bullshit. Doesn’t he wear my earrings? Doesn’t he—”

  “If he wears anything else of yours, I really, really don’t want to know about it. We’re on the clock, Peabody.”

  “Well, I’m not selfish, and I’m not being stupid. And if it’s so important to him to go roast his damn chestnuts in Scotland, then he can just go. Screw him. I don’t know those people.”

  Tears swam now, and had Eve’s stomach going on alert. “No, no, no. No. There’s no crying on the job. No crying on the damn sidewalk in front of a crime scene.”

  “His parents, and his family. And his cousin Sheila. You know how he’s always talking about her. I can’t just go over there. I still have five pounds to lose, and I haven’t finished doing this skin-care regimen that’s supposed to shrink my pores—which are currently the circumference of moon craters. And by the time we pay for the flight, we’ll be tapped for a month. We should stay home. Why can’t we just stay home?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know. Maybe because you did the holiday thing with your half, and—”

  “But he knew my parents. Didn’t he?”

  There were still tears threatening, Eve noted, but with the heat in those brown eyes, it was a wonder they didn’t turn to steam.

  “Didn’t he meet my parents before that? He wasn’t going in cold. Besides, my family’s different.”

  She knew it was a mistake to ask, but the words just popped out of Eve’s mouth. “How do you know?”

  “Because they’re my family. And it’s not like I don’t want to meet his. Eventually. But I have to go to a foreign country, and eat—I don’t know—haggis or something. It’s disgusting.”

  “Yeah, I bet the tofu surprise was a big winner over Thanksgiving.”

  Peabody’s pinwheeling eyes went to lethal slits. “Whose side are you on?”

  “Nobody’s. I’m neutral. I’m—what is it—I’m Switzerland. Can we go to work now?”

  “He slept on the couch,” Peabody said in a trembling voice. “And he was gone when I got up this morning.”

  Eve heaved a huge sigh. “What time is his tour?”

  “On at eight, same as me.”

  Eve pulled out her communicator, contacted EDD.

  “Don’t!” Now Peabody did the panic dance on the sidewalk. “I don’t want him to know I’m worried about him.”

  “Shut up. Lieutenant Dallas, Sergeant. Has Detective McNab clocked in?” When she got an affirmative, she nodded. “Thanks, that’s it.” She clicked off. “There, he’s on the job. Like we should be.”

  “Bastard.” Tears dried up in eyes gone hard. Her mouth tightened to the width of a scalpel blade. “Just strolls right in to work.”

  “Jesus. Jesus Christ. My head. My head.” Eve cradled it in her hands a moment. “Okay. I was going to do this later.” She dug into her pocket, pulled out a small wrapped box. “Take it now.”

  “My Christmas present? That’s nice. But I’m not really in the mood to—”

  “Open the goddamn thing or I’ll kill you where you stand.”

  “Sir! Opening it.” She ripped the paper, stuffed it hurriedly in her pocket, and pulled off the lid. “It’s a key code.”

  “That’s right. It’s to the ground transpo that’ll be at the airport over in that foreign country. Air transpo’s been arranged, for two, on one of Roarke’s private shuttles. Round trip. Merry fricking Christmas. Do what you want with it.”

  “I—you—one of the shuttles? Free?” Peabody’s cheeks went pink as a summer rose. “And—and—and—a vehicle when we get there? It’s so . . . It’s so seriously mag.”

  “Great. Can we go now?”

  “Dallas!”

  “No. No. No hugs. No hugs. No. Oh, shit,” she muttered as Peabody threw her arms around her and squeezed. “We’re on duty, we’re in public. Let me go or I swear I’ll kick your ass so hard that extra five pounds you’re whining about will end up in Trenton.”

  Peabody’s response was incoherent and muffled against Eve’s shoulder. “Get snot on my coat, and I’ll strangle you with that scarf after I kick your ass.”

  “I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.” Sniffling, Peabody drew back. “It’s the ult. Thanks. Man. Oh boy, thanks.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

  “I guess I’ve got to go now.” Peabody stared down at the box. “I mean, the main part of the excuse—reason. I meant reason. The main part’s flipped, so . . . Gosh.”

  “Whatever.” She’d been feeling pretty good, Eve remembered. And now a frustration headache was circling just over the crown of her skull. “Do you think, maybe, we could go spend just a couple minutes on murder now? Will that fit into your schedule?”

  “Yeah. I can shuffle it in. I’m good now. Thanks, Dallas. Really. Thanks. God, I have to go now. I actually have to go.”

  “Peabody,” Eve said, darkly, as they entered the building. “Ice is thinning.”

  “I’m nearly finished obsessing. Just another minute.”

  The same droid manned the desk. Eve didn’t bother to flash her badge, but started up the steps as Peabody muttered to herself. Something about packing, a red sweater, and five pounds.

  Ignoring her, Eve checked the seal on the crime scene, found it undisturbed, then continued down the hall. “Once they’re out of the room and gone, I want sweepers. Full sweep,” she added. “Cover the bases.”

  She knocked, and seconds later Bobby opened the door. His face looked gaunt, as if grief had carved away some of the flesh. He smelled of soap, and indeed she could see the open bathroom doorway behind him, and the faint sheen of steam still on the mirror over the sink.

  There was a murmur from the entertainment screen, as the on-air reporter recounted the morning’s headlines.

  “Come in. Ah, come in. I thought you were Zana. That maybe she’d forgotten her key.”

  “She’s not here?”

  “She went out to get some coffee, some bagels and stuff. I thought she’d be back by now. We packed last night,” he said when Eve glanced at the two suitcases standing by the door. “We wanted to be ready to go. We just don’t want to stay here.”

  “Why don’t we sit down, Bobby. We can get some of this out of the way before Zana gets back.”

  “She should’ve been back by now. The message said she’d only be twenty minutes.”

  “Message?”

  “Um . . .” He looked around the room, one hand raking distractedly through his hair. “She set a message alarm for me. She does things like that. Said she woke up early and wanted to go down to this deli she’d seen a few blocks from here, get some stuff so you’d have coffee when you got here. I don’t like her being out there, alone. After what happened to Mama.”

  “Probably a line at the deli, that’s all. She say which one?”

  “I don’t remember.” But he went to the bed, picked up the little travel clock on the table, hit playback.

  Morning, honey. Time to get up now. Your clothes for today are in the top drawer of the dresser, remember? I’m already up, don’t want to wake you. I know you didn’t sleep very well. I’m just running out to get some coffee and some bagels or danishes, something. Doesn’t feel right to have your friend coming by and not have anything to offer. I should’ve stocked the AutoChef before. Sorry, honey. I’ll be twenty minutes—just running to that deli a couple blocks down. Or up. I can’t figure this city out. Deli Delish. I’ll have coffee for you when you get
out of the shower. I love you, honey.

  Noting the time on the stamp, Eve flicked Peabody a glance.

  “Why don’t I walk out and meet her?” Peabody said. “Give her a hand.”

  “Have a seat, Bobby,” Eve told him. “I have a few questions.”

  “Okay.” He stared at the door Peabody closed behind her. “I shouldn’t worry. It’s just that she’s never been to New York. She probably turned the wrong way coming out, something like that. Got turned around, that’s all.”

  “Peabody’ll find her. Bobby, how long have you known your partner?”

  “D.K.? Since college.”

  “So you’re tight—on a personal level?”

  “Yeah, sure. I was best man at his wedding, and he was at mine. Why?”

  “He knew your mother then?”

  “I had to tell him, had to call and tell him yesterday.” When his mouth trembled, Bobby firmed it. “He’s covering for me back home. Said he’d come out here if I needed him to. Don’t want him to do that. Christmas coming, and he’s got a family.” Bobby put his head in his hands. “Nothing he can do anyway. Nothing to do.”

  “What kind of relationship did he have with your mother?”

  “Careful.” When he lifted his head, he nearly mustered a smile. “Oil and water, you know?”

  “Why don’t you explain it to me?”

  “Well, D.K., he’s what you’d call a risk-taker. I never would’ve gone out on my own if he hadn’t nudged me. My mama, she could be a little critical of people. She didn’t think we’d make it in the business, but we’re doing okay.”

  “They didn’t get along?”

  “Mostly, D.K. and Marita stayed out of her way. Marita’s his wife.”

  “Anyone else she didn’t get along with?”

  “Well, I guess Mama wasn’t what you’d call a people person.”

  “How about people she did get along with, people she was close to?”

  “Me and Zana. Always used to tell me she didn’t need anybody but me, but she made room for Zana. She raised me on her own, you know. That was hard. She had to give up a lot to make sure I had a good home. I came first. She always told me I came first.”