have been out anyway.
“Head wound, like Ariel Byrd. Maybe, maybe. I sure as hell can squeeze him there once I have him.”
With Roarke she toured the house, found every room—even the kids’ rooms, immaculate.
“Creepy,” she decided, and tried another door. “Locked. No, my turn.” She nudged him aside when he started to step in. “Give me the picks.”
He did, then watched her defeat the lock. “Now my heart swells with pride.”
“Not as slick as you, but not bad.” When she opened the door, called for lights, she grinned fiercely and rubbed her hands together.
“The asshole’s home office. Look at all these e’s. Social media guy, so yeah, lots of e’s. Feeney’s gang is going to have some fun.”
“I could start having fun myself if you like.”
She glanced at her wrist unit. “I’ve got to deal with the sweepers when they get here, and meet Peabody at Jane Po’s at eight.”
“You can authorize me to poke a bit.”
“I can have uniforms get this stuff to EDD.”
He gave her a sorrowful look. “Always spoiling my fun.”
“You’ve got solar systems to buy. There’s your fun.”
“I’ve canceled the lot for today. I took care of that when I went out with Gracie. I’m invested, Eve. More than I already was. Now I’ve seen firsthand how what we built at Dochas can work. I’ve seen it before, but not like this. Not from the call for help. And here, I see what can happen when there’s no way to help.”
“Okay.” She nodded, glanced back at the office. “All yours. And since you’re sticking for now, maybe you can do some transporting. If I can talk Gina across the street into leaving, you could take her and her kids to Dochas. I’m not going to have time unless I reschedule meeting Peabody.”
“How about this? I’ll have your vehicle brought here, use the one outside. If you convince Gina, I’ll take her first, then come back to play with this.”
“That works. I’m going to walk over there and see what I can do with her now. Before the block wakes up. I’ll keep an eye out for the sweepers.”
When Eve walked outside, she noted a few lights had come on in some of the townhomes. Including the one across the street. And she caught movement in one of the upper windows—there, then gone.
She stepped to the door, pressed the buzzer. It took three tries before the door opened.
The woman, early twenties, had dark hair still tousled from sleep. She wore long cotton sleep pants, a plain white tee. She had a kid, somewhere around Bella’s age, to Eve’s best guess, on her hip, and another, a girl of about three, clinging to her leg.
“Ms. Dawber?”
“Yes.” Though her voice stayed soft and pleasant, Eve saw raw fear in her eyes. “Is there a problem?”
“Yeah, there is.” Eve held up her badge. “NYPSD. Did you see or hear anything from the Piper home last night?”
“No.”
Lying, Eve thought. Fear lying.
“Is anyone else in the house, Ms. Dawber?”
“No. Just me and the kids. My husband is at work. I’m sorry I can’t help you, Officer. I need to start breakfast for my children.”
“Lieutenant. Lieutenant Dallas.”
Something flickered over the woman’s face at the name.
“I’m sorry. May I see your identification again?”
This time Gina studied it.
“Zoe Metcalf heard and saw something last night and contacted me.”
What came into Gina’s eyes now burned at the fear. And that was hope. “I don’t understand.”
“She took your advice on tucking a little money away whenever she could and used it to buy a clone ’link. She called nine-one-one and worked her way to me. She and her son are safe, Gina. I can take you and your kids to her, to safety.”
“Take the baby.” Gina literally thrust him into Eve’s arms. “Lollie and I can’t leave the house, but take Westley. Please take him away from here.”
Eve struggled with the baby as he flailed and cried and reached for his mother. “Why can’t you leave the house?”
“House arrest.” Gina hiked up her left pants leg to reveal an ankle tracker. “He put one on Lollie, too, just to make sure I toed the line. He’ll have one on the baby before much longer.”
“We’ll get it off.”
“No, no, it’s programmed to shock if I tamper with it, if I leave the house without permission or an authorized companion. I could take it, I could, but Lollie’s just three. Please. Come on, baby, don’t cry now.”
Eve yanked out her ’link. “Roarke, I need you across the street now.