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“Her family—”

“I talked them into staying put, at least until we know more.” She sipped from another cup of coffee. “As soon as we do, I’ll give them her status. I played it down, a little. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but—”

“Nothing they can do, for now.”

“Right. If they have to get here, Roarke’s already made arrangements for transpo. How’s McNab?”

“Hanging on by a couple of greasy threads right now, but hanging all the same. Helps to have other cops around.” His eyes went to slits. “He’s meat, Dallas. There’s not one badge in the city who won’t put in the time to track him now he came after one of ours.”

“He’s meat,” Eve agreed. “And he’s mine.”

She stayed leaning against the wall, only turning her head when she heard the clip of heels. She’d been expecting them.

Nadine streamed down the corridor, two uniformed officers at her back.

Good, was all Eve thought. She needed the distraction of going a round with someone.

But Nadine stopped in front of them, laid one hand on Feeney’s arm, the other on Eve’s. “How is she?”

Friendship first, Eve realized. When it came to the wire, friendship crossed the line first. “She’s still in surgery. Nearly two hours now.”

“Did they give you any idea when—” She stopped herself. “No, they never do. I need to talk to you, Dallas.”

“Talk.”

“Alone. Sorry, Feeney.”

“No problem.” He slipped back into the waiting area.

“Is there somewhere we can sit down?” Nadine asked.

“Sure.” Eve simply slid down the wall until her butt met the floor. And looking up, sipped her coffee.

After a tap of her foot and a shrug, Nadine sat on the floor beside her. “As far as Peabody’s concerned, I won’t air anything you don’t want aired. That’s for her.”

“Appreciated.”

“She’s my friend, too, Dallas.”

“I know she is.” Because her eyes stung, she closed them. “I know it.”

“You give me what you want out there, and I’ll get it out. Now let’s take a minute to discuss the gorillas you’ve put on my tail.”

Eve looked over at the uniforms, satisfied they were—per her orders—burly guys and seasoned. “What about them?”

“How do you expect me to work with a couple of storm troopers in my shadow?”

“That would be your problem.”

“I don’t—”

“He went after her, he could go after you. We were on screen together. Little push,” she murmured. “A little push. I didn’t expect him to go for Peabody.”

“He was supposed to go for you.”

“Makes more sense, goddamn it. I’m primary. I’m in charge. But he goes for my partner. So he could go after you. Working through the lineup, I get that now. Wants me to see he can take out my people under my nose. Wants me to know it before he comes for me.”

“I can follow the dots, Dallas, but it doesn’t address how I’m suppose to gather data and report same when I come as a trio, and two of that trio are badges. Nobody’s going to talk to me.”


Tags: J.D. Robb In Death Mystery