Shadows in Death (In Death #51) - J.D. Robb Page 0,77
faces of the others, particularly those he killed after I began the hunt. I nearly had him two years ago in Berlin. I believe we missed him by less than an hour. Eluding us there, he drove out of the city with the body of a thirty-six-year-old mother of two in the trunk of her own car.”
Eve said nothing as Abernathy wandered over to glance out her single skinny window.
“We had a leak, and the media reported the authorities were closing in on a suspect in the murder of a prominent industrialist. Instead of taking the private shuttle he’d booked, he killed Ingrid Frederick, who’d stopped to pick up a cake for her youngest daughter’s fourth birthday.
“She haunts me.”
“My department doesn’t leak unless I authorize it.”
“I would have thought the same. I’m not contradicting you,” he added, “merely explaining this is not just a job for me, not simply an assignment. Perhaps it should be, but it’s long past that point. I don’t care about being in charge, I don’t care about credit. I want him stopped. I want him to pay.”
“Then we’re on the same page.”
“I did some research on you on the flight over, so I believe we are. I wanted you to know my position. In addition, I wanted to ask if you’d approach Roarke with my request to speak to him. Over the last few hours, I’ve learned fresh information about Cobbe’s childhood due to this connection, this interaction. We knew, of course, about Cobbe’s—I don’t think obsession is overstated—with Patrick Roarke. We knew pieces, confirmed some, speculated on more. But we never knew about these personal encounters between Cobbe and Patrick Roarke’s son.”
“Those encounters are well documented in the file. I don’t know what Roarke can add to them. But I’ll pass along your request.”
“Thank you. If you have any questions for me, I’ll be close by. And if we learn more from the salon, you’ll be, well, the second to know after myself. I hope I’ll be high on your list if and when you locate credible safe houses.”
“You will be.”
“I’ll let you get back to work.”
“Inspector,” she said as he started out. “I believe you want justice for Ingrid Frederick, and all the others. If you attempt to interrogate Roarke, it would be a mistake.”
He nodded. “So noted.”
Considering the guest in her bullpen, Eve closed her door before she took out her ’link.
When Roarke answered, she heard a lot of voices, a few squeals, what sounded like running feet before he found his own door to close.
“Where are you?” she demanded.
“An Didean. It’s going very well.”
“It sounded like a riot.”
“Children. They’re very loud as a group, it seems. And enthusiastic at the moment, even the ones pretending to be bored by the whole thing.”
“You look happy.”
“It’s hard not to be. I hope you’ll make it by. It’s a different matter to see it, feel it, when the first dozen or so students begin to fill it. Entirely different.”
“Louder.”
He smiled. “Absolutely. So. You met Abernathy?”
“Yes. He’s solid. Right now he’s taking a desk in the bullpen.”
Roarke’s eyebrows winged up. “Your bullpen?”
“That’s how he wanted it. We’ll see how that goes, but for now, like I said, he’s solid. He wants to talk to you.”
“An inspector of Interpol wants to talk to me. Why, I’m stunned and surprised.”
“Yeah, right. The thing is, it’s the Cobbe connection. I can see him trying to fit the new pieces in, see what kind of different picture he can make. If you’re not interested, I’ll nix it. I’m just saying trying to jam you up isn’t his priority. I can’t guarantee it, but that’s my take.”
“I tend to trust your take on such matters. Give me another. Do you think my talking to him will add anything, will help lead you to Cobbe?”
“I don’t know.” But the more data the better, she thought. “Maybe’s the best I can do.”
“All right then. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good enough. Meanwhile, why don’t you go ahead and send me—and Feeney—the list you have of the safe houses. Feeney and EDD can hit them with imaging, maybe eliminate more that way.”
“I’d hoped to have more eliminated by now.”
She knew all about being pulled in too many directions at once. And God, she wanted to give him a break.
“You’re needed where you are, too. We can get started.”
“All right.”
“And I’ll get by the school.” Life had to matter, she thought, or what was the damn point? “Even if it’s not until I’m on