“No? He sure looks guilty for an innocent man, doesn’t he?” She took a firmer grip on his arm to keep him from rabbiting away. “Maybe you should show me some ID.”
“I don’t have to show you anything.”
“It’s not necessary,” Roarke said smoothly. He’d gotten a better look now. “Thomas Wineburg, isn’t it? Of Wineburg Financial. You’ve nabbed yourself a deadly type here, Lieutenant. A banker. Third generation. Or is it fourth?”
“It’s fifth,” Wineburg said, struggling to look down his narrow nose at what his family would consider new and not quite decent money. “And I’ve done nothing to warrant being accosted by a police officer and a financial rogue.”
“I’m the cop,” Eve decided glancing at Roarke. “You must be the financial rogue.”
“He’s just mad because I don’t use his bank.” Roarke flashed a wolfish grin. “Aren’t you, Tommy?”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“Well, then, you can talk to me. What’s the rush?”
“I—I have an appointment I’d forgotten. I’m quite late.”
“Then a couple more minutes won’t matter. Are you a friend of the deceased’s family?”
“No.”
“Oh, I get it, you just like to while away a rainy evening at a viewing parlor. I’ve heard that’s the coming thing for singles.”
“I—I’d mistook the address.”
“I don’t think so. What did you come to see? Or who?”
“I—” His eyes widened when Isis and Chas stepped out. “Stay away from me.”
“I’m sorry, Dallas. We were concerned when you didn’t come back.” Isis turned her exotic eyes on Wineburg. “Your aura is dark and muddy. You dabble without belief. Toy with power beyond your scope. If you don’t change your path, you damn yourself.”
“Keep her away from me.” Straining against Eve’s grip, Wineburg cringed back.
“She’s not hurting you. What do you know about Alice’s death, Wineburg?”
“I don’t know anything.” His voice went shrill. “I don’t know anything about anything. I mistook the address. I have an appointment. You can’t hold me.”
No, she couldn’t, but she could scare the hell out of him. “I could take you dow
n to Central, play with you awhile before your representative managed to get there. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“I haven’t done anything.” To Eve’s surprise and mild disgust, he began to sob like a baby. “You have to let me go. I’m not part of this.”
“Part of what?”
“It was just for sex. That’s all. Just for sex. I didn’t know anybody would die. Blood everywhere. Everywhere. Dear God. I didn’t know.”
“Where? What have you seen?”
He continued to sob, and when she started to shift her grip, he rammed his bony elbow hard into her gut, sending her flying violently back into Roarke so that they both hit the pavement.
Later, she could curse herself for letting him catch her off guard with his sniveling. But for now, she scrambled up, struggling to suck in air and gave chase.
Son of a bitch. She could only think it. He’d knocked the wind out of her and prevented her from swearing aloud or shouting out an order for him to freeze.
She reached for her weapon just as he dove into an underground garage and darted into the forest of vehicles.
“Shit.” She had enough air for that, then snarled at Roarke as he rushed in behind her. “Get out. Damn it, he’s probably not armed, but you’re sure as hell not. Call it in if you want to do something.”