Shadows in Death (In Death #51) - J.D. Robb Page 0,35
doesn’t believe she deserves any regret, remorse, guilt. She’s done, as she deserves to be. He’s entitled to what belonged to her. He’s angry he’s caught, as he never considered he would be. After all, he didn’t actually kill her. There’s no fear in him yet, but there will be. He’s still processing how you could have learned so much, and so quickly.”
“Because he’s an arrogant fuck.”
“That doesn’t hurt,” Reo said cheerfully. “Gotte’s going to want to deal. She’s mad she got blindsided. The PI, the broker, the pro? She might have had room for him playing some part in the thing, but not all that. She’s going at him now. If he doesn’t fire her, we’ll make a deal. And I may not have to go down to the thirty-five. I’ve got twenty that says I can get her to bite at fifty.”
“If we get whatever he knows about Cobbe and you deal at fifty, I’ll give you the twenty and a case of Roarke’s fancy-ass wine.”
“That could be construed as attempted bribery of a public official.” Reo fluffed her hair. “I’ll take it. In that spirit, does anybody want a fizzy? I’m suddenly craving a cherry fizzy. I’m buying.”
“I’m in,” Peabody said.
“I can’t think of the last time I had one.” Mira considered. “Lemon.”
“No—thanks.” Eve took out her signaling ’link, paced away.
After several minutes she paced back, grabbed Peabody’s fizzy, took a slurp. “Ugh. It tastes like—”
“Bubbly cherry goodness?”
“No. And remind me not to do that again. Roarke got the data on the numbered account. Lorcan Cobbe.”
“How did he get the data?”
Eve studied Reo as she rocked on her heels. “My official statement on that is Roarke used his influence with an official of the financial institution whose name he can’t reveal.”
Reo slurped at her own fizzy. “I’ll accept that. I need to update my boss there.”
“I already passed it to Whitney, who said he’d inform the PA, among others.”
She went silent as the interview door opened. Barkley stepped out. “Lieutenant. I—It’s APA Reo, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
He nodded, looked from one woman to the next, the next. Nodded again. “It seems appropriate that I find women who are working to find justice for Galla Modesto. I liked her very much. I’m no longer Jorge Tween’s legal counsel, on this or any matter.”
He lifted his hands, let them fall. “I’m unable to say more on that. I would like to ask, as you said, Detective, my former client has not contacted the ME or apparently made arrangements for Galla, if I could assist in those arrangements in any way.”
“Her family is in New York now,” Peabody told him. “They’ll take care of her.”
“Good. That’s good. I … I liked her,” he said again, and walked away.
Mira looked after him. “Death, especially murder, casts long shadows. I need to get back to my office. If you need me, I’ll come back.”
“We’ve got this, but thanks for your help.”
Moments later, the door opened again. “In order for my client to make a statement, we require a representative of the prosecutor’s office.”
“That’s handy. I’ve got one right here.”
Reo stepped forward, held out a hand. “APA Cher Reo. I’ll be sitting in on the interview.”
“We need to have a discussion.”
“No problem. Let’s have it in Interview, on the record, just so all parties, including your client, are fully apprised and aware of the details of that discussion.”
“Record on,” Eve said as she walked by Gotte and into the room. “Dallas and Peabody reentering Interview. Reo, APA Cher, now in attendance. Looks like you’re down a lawyer, Tween.”
It also looked like some of that fear had begun to cut through the arrogance.
“Mr. Barkley has removed himself as counsel,” Gotte said briskly. “Before my client agrees to answer any questions or give any statement, we need to be assured of considerations.”
“You want a deal?” On a dismissive snort, Eve rocked back in her chair. “We’ve got you nailed, Tween, up, down, sideways. You’re going down, and hard. Two consecutive life sentences, no parole, in a concrete cage off-planet. There’s your goddamn deal.”
Gotte merely folded her hands on the table. “You don’t make the deals, Lieutenant, the prosecutor does. I’m sure APA Reo understands the expense, the risks, the difficulties in a long, complex, public trial.”
“I understand this.” Reo slid Eve’s file over, opened it. And took out the copy of Galla’s body with the message from the killer. “I understand how a jury’s going to react when I put this on the screen in the courtroom.”