Connections in Death (In Death, #48)- J. D. Robb Page 0,96
known in my life you’re the only one who wouldn’t have even troubled to look to see for herself.”
She shrugged—felt the movement in various sore spots all the hell over her body. “Looking wouldn’t change it, right?”
Again gently, he brushed a hand over her hair. “Eat your pizza.”
“Count on it.”
Alone, she took that first slice, bit in, just sighed and chewed. She downed the coffee, every drop, because she needed it, then remembered Roarke stocked Pepsi in her AC, ordered a tube.
If you couldn’t have beer or wine, a Pepsi suited a pepperoni pizza just fine.
Eating with one hand, she contacted Reo.
The APA answered fast. “Good God, Dallas. You look terrible! How bad are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing.” Reo didn’t look terrible, Eve noted. She’d taken off her face gunk and looked sort of fresh. “We got twenty-five. Strong got nine. I’m dead sure I got the two still alive who killed Pickering, Duff, and Aimes. And the one who set it up. I’m briefing at seven-thirty tomorrow. You’re going to be filing a shit-ton of charges.”
“Including assaulting an officer from the looks of your face.
“Yeah. With a deadly. Tank gets that.”
“Do we have an actual name?”
“Somewhere.”
“I’ll find it.”
“We can try for attempted murder of a police officer on Jones as he fired on me—police stunner on full. That’s some icing on a fat cake. We found illegals, weapons, what will turn out to be stolen property, fake ID equipment, the works. And EDD is working on electronics we confiscated.”
“I’ll alert my boss.”
Eve polished off the slice, snagged another. “Cohen?”
“Sang like a bright yellow canary. You’ll want to talk to Teasdale, but I got the heads-up the feds raided the building serving as warehouse—a property also held by Cohen, Jones, and Vinn—and scooped up plenty. Including a handful of unlicensed sex workers who were, at the time, employed.
“Should I tag up with Detective Strong?”
“Tomorrow’s soon enough. We’re going to be processing for a while yet.”
“Then I’ll fill in my boss, get my beauty sleep, and see you in the morning. Good bust, Dallas. Get some ice on that face.”
“Right.”
After she broke transmission, she pressed a couple of fingers to her jaw. Felt it go straight through her skull like a spike. Maybe the ice wasn’t such a bad idea.
After she finished her second slice.
She exchanged reports with Teasdale, felt some solid satisfaction. Thought about a third slice as she set up to write her report. Looked around at the knock on her doorjamb.
“Officer Shelby. I didn’t know you were still here.”
“I was helping in processing, Lieutenant. Officer Quirk had the individual you told him to keep separate. He’s Denby Washington, goes by Snapper.”
“Of course he does.”
“Lieutenant, he had earrings matching the description of those taken from the Pickering apartment on his person.”
“You are fucking kidding me, Shelby.”
“No, sir, I am not fucking kidding you. More, sir, he had a set of black Bodell, Exec level, earbuds also on his person.”
“Snap goes Snapper’s cage door.”
Shelby smiled a little. “I helped process an individual who goes by Ticker. Burke Chesterfield. And he had a brooch matching the description of the one taken from the Pickering apartment on his person. He was wearing—”
“Lightning high-tops,” Eve said. “Black with a white lighting bolt down the back. Size ten.”
“That’s affirmative. Sir, we had their jackets sent to the lab as they may match the fibers recovered from Duff’s body. I also got DNA from Washington as he’s not in the database. I got him a tube of Coke, which he accepted. The empty tube’s on its way to the lab.”
Eve sat back, let it play through her mind. Since she’d caught the quick glance Shelby made toward the pizza, she gestured to it. “Want a slice?”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. I don’t want to take your dinner.”
“I’m good. Have a slice.”
“Thanks.” She took one, bit in, and Eve saw the same rush of gratitude and pleasure move over Shelby’s face that had moved inside her own system. “This isn’t eatery pizza.”
“You bucking to make detective, Officer?”
“No, sir. I like the uniform. I’m learning a lot from Officer Carmichael. I want to say I’m grateful you put me with him. He’s a solid cop.”
“Yeah, he is. Do me a favor, Shelby, and make sure Washington and Chesterfield are kept away from each other. And both of them away from Jones and Kenneth Jorgenson.”
“Can do, sir. Appreciate the slice.”
“No problem. Take the rest.”
“Oh, but—”
“I’m done.” Eve held up the plate with the remaining slice. “Take it. Good work, Officer Shelby.”