“Oh, I wish you’d try, Dallas.” Some of his bubbling resentment simmered into his eyes. “I’d love to bring you up on charges, and broadcast it, after that stunt you pulled on me.”
“If you’re still on this scene when it’s posted, you’ll be the one facing charges.”
He only smiled again, backing off. He calculated he had another fifteen seconds of video time before he ran into trouble. “Channel 75 has a fine team of lawyers.”
“Detain him and his crew.” Eve flashed a snarl at a uniform. “Off scene, until I’m through.”
“Interfering with media—”
“Kiss ass, Morse.”
“I bet yours is tasty.” He continued to grin as he was escorted away.
When Eve came around the building, he was doing a sober stand-up report on the recent homicide. Without missing a beat, he angled himself toward her. “Lieutenant Dallas, will you confirm that Yvonne Metcalf, the star of Tune In has been murdered?”
“The department has no comment to make at this time.”
“Isn’t it true that Ms. Metcalf was a resident of this building, and that her body was discovered this morning on the rear patio? Hadn’t her throat been cut?”
“No comment.”
“Our viewing audience is waiting, Lieutenant. Two prominent women have been violently murdered by the same method, and in all likelihood by the same person, barely a week apart. And you have no comment?”
“Unlike certain irresponsible reporters, the police are more careful, and more concerned with facts than speculation.”
“Or is it that the police are simply unable to solve these crimes?” Quick on his feet, he sidestepped, came up in her face again. “Aren’t you concerned about your reputation, Lieutenant, and the connection between the two victims and your close friend Roarke?”
“My reputation isn’t at issue here. The investigation is.”
Morse turned back to the camera. “At this hour, the investigation, headed by Lieutenant Eve Dallas, is at an apparent deadlock. Another murder has taken place less than a hundred yards from where I stand. A young woman, talented, beautiful, and full of promise has had her life sliced off by a violent sweep of a knife. Just as only one week ago, the respected and dedicated defender of justice, Cicely Towers had her life brought to an end. Perhaps the question is not when will the killer be caught, but what prominent woman will be next? This is C. J. Morse for Channel 75, reporting live from Central Park South.”
He nodded to the camera operator before turning to beam at Eve. “See, if you’d cooperate, Dallas, I might be able to help you out with public opinion.”
“Fuck you, Morse.”
“Oh, well, maybe if you asked nice.” His grin never wavered when she grabbed him by the shirtfront. “Now, now, don’t touch unless you mean it.”
She was a full head taller than he, and gave serious thought to pounding him into the sidewalk. “Here’s what I want to know, Morse. I want to know how a third-rate reporter ends up on a crime scene, with a crew, ten minutes after the primary.”
He smoothed down the front of his shirt. “Sources, Lieutenant, which, as you know I’m under no obligation to share with you.” His smile dimmed into a sneer. “And at this stage, I’d say we’re talking third-rate primary. You’d have been better off hooking up with me instead of Nadine. That was a nasty turn you served, helping her bump me off the Towers story.”
“Was it? Well, I’m glad to hear that, C. J., because I just plain hate your guts. It didn’t bother you at all, did it, to go back there, camera running, and broadcast pictures of that woman? You didn’t think about her right to a little dignity or the fact that someone who cared about her might not have been notified. Her family, for instance.”
“Hey, you do your job, I do mine. You didn’t look too bothered poking at her.”
“What time did you get the tip?” Eve asked briefly.
He hesitated, stringing it out. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell you that. It came in on my private line at twelve thirty.”
“From?”
“Nope. I protect my sources. I called the station, drummed up a crew. Right, Sherry?”
“Right.” The camera operator moved a shoulder. “The night desk sent us out to meet C. J. here. That’s show biz.”
“I’m going to do whatever I can to confiscate your logs, Morse, to bring you in for questioning, to make your life hell.”
“Oh, I hope you do.” His round face gleamed. “You’ll give me double my usual airtime and put my popularity quotient through the roof. And you know what’s going to be fun? The side story I’m going to work up on Roarke and his cozy relationship with Yvonne Metcalf.”