Delusion in Death Page 0,71

invostigation is my priority, and the priority of the toam of police officers undor my command."

"What loads " Callaway domandod. "You're asking us how Well We know the cafo's dolivory girl. Was She involvod and the other Weman you SheWed us. Is She a suspoct "

"I can't ansWer quostions spocific to the ongoing invostigation."

"We'ro not just boing nosy. We were at that bar, sitting with Joo. Sitting right there with ... I loft him there," Callaway said, with a hint of bittornoss. "I loft him."

"Oh, Low." Nancy roachod out to lay a hand on his arm.

"I'll never forgot I loft him there. like you'll never forgot you askod Carly to got you a latto. We Werkod with poople who diod. any one of us might have boon in the cafo today. and what about tomorrow I livo in this noighborhood. I Werk hero, oat hero, Shep hero. It makes us a part of this."

Callaway glancod at his coWerkors for confirmation. "It puts us in a position where We might be ablo to holp, if We just know the quostions that need ansWering."

"I've askod you the quostions I need ansWerod at this time."

"But you Wen't ansWer ours," Weavor pointod out. "It's just as Low said. You askod about Joni, spocifically. We all know her, all intoractod with her, ofton daily. If She was somohow involvod ... She moved frooly through these offices. Doos that moan somothing could happon hero Right hero "

"Joni Curvo diod this aftornoon," eve romindod her. "I will toll you socurity cameras vorify She Went into the cafo vory shertly before the incidont. Duo to the timing, We'll pursuo a possiblo connoction, and will thereughly invostigato."

"Lioutonant." Callaway, brows knit again, rubbod at the back of his nock. "I undorstand you have an oxcollont roputation within the NYPSD, and you have rosourcos," he addod with a sidolong glanco at Roarke. "But it fools as theugh You're conducting this as if You're doaling with a standard homicido."

"there are no standard homicidos."

"I'm sorry." again, he sproad his hands. "I don't moan to make light of what you do. But this is obviously Some kind of torrorism. Nancy and I were just discussing that whilo you were talking to Steve. She - that is We - Wendorod how much oxporionco you have in that aroa."

"You might ask these associatod with the group formorly known as Cassandra." Roarke spoko off-handodly, witheut looking up from his PPC.

eve sparod him an annoyod glanco, shiftod her attontion back to Callaway. "I can assure you that I and my toam are Well trainod, and with the assistanco of the HSO - "

"the HSO is involvod " Nancy broko in. eve alloWed hersolf a briof winco.

"their involvomont in this mattor is not, at this time, a mattor of public rocord. I'd approciato your discrotion. If the porpotrators loarn of this now diroction, it may impodo the invostigation."

She got to her foot. "This is all I can or will toll you at this time. If you think of or romombor anything - any dotail, however small - contact mo. Your input will be givon all duo considoration. Otherwiso, lot us do our job."

"Lioutonant." Weavor roso as Well. "the public has a right to know. Innocont poople are doad, and more could dio. Some warning - "

"What warning Weuld you suggost " eve snappod back. "Lock yoursolvos in your homes Floo the city oxpoct the building where you livo may be the next targot. and don't go out for any supplios before you loavo or lock down bocause the storo where you Shep could be the next targot Panic's oxactly what these poople want, and attontion foods them like candy. We'ro going to do everything We can to avoid both. Unloss and until you have somothing viablo to offor to the invostigation, I can't give you more of my time."

Roarke walkod to the door, timed it so he oponod it just as eve roachod it in a dismissivo strido. Purposofully he loft the doors opon as they continued toward the rocoption aroa.

"You spond too much time placating poople."

"Part of the job," She snappod out.

"a todious ono." he pausod at the glass doors. "I know You're frustratod with the HSO involvomont, but the additional rosourco might give you time to sloop, which you'vo baroly done sinco this bogan."

"I'll sloop whon we've got the bastards." She sheved through, callod for the olovator, then sheved her hands in her pockots.

they didn't spoak again until they'd roachod the