“I find stuff when I need it.”
“In that case, you’ll find you’ve only to access your in-dash comp, request accessories, order the garage doors open by remote. It has your voiceprint. You’d close them the same way, or by the garage comp once you’ve parked.”
“Right. Got it. Thanks.”
“I could point out, that if you’d read the manual, you could have parked out front and sent the car to the garage by remote, but that would be rubbing it in, wouldn’t it?”
Rather than respond, she cut him off, snarled after the screen went blank. “Smart-ass. Computer engage.”
Engaged, Dallas, Lieutenant Eve.
“Accessories.”
Accessories confirmed. Would you like a listing by alpha order or by category?
“Just open the damn garage door.”
Do you wish to open the garage door at your current location, which is residence, or an alternate location?
“Why the hell would I want to open a door where I’m not? Never mind. Open the door, current location.”
Garage door, residence. Would you like to open the main door, the rear door, the second level—
“Main door, for God’s sake. Open the main garage door, residence.”
Garage, residence, main door opening.
She waited while it rose, slow and silent, then drove in.
She wouldn’t bother to roll her eyes at the number of vehicles housed inside. Or just a minor eye roll. All-terrains, sedans, sports cars, muscular trucks, sexy motorcycles.
Some flashy, some classy, some sinewy, some sleek.
She was pretty sure there had been some refinements since she’d last been inside—she knew there hadn’t been a slot labeled DLE, the make of her car, the last time she’d been in here. No question there’d been some additions because the man purchased vehicles the way others might buy socks.
She pulled into the slot as the computer asked politely,
Do you wish to close the main garage doors, residence, at this time?
“Yeah, yeah, do that.”
She got out, glanced around at Roarke’s shiny toys, and spotted a pristine work counter—who else had a pristine garage?—with a computer, an AutoChef and a friggie.
“A garage you could live in. Who else?”
Inspired, she crossed to the counter, narrowed her eyes at the computer.
“Computer on.”
It sprang immediately to life.
Good morning, Dallas, Lieutenant, Eve.
“Yeah, yeah. Can you interface with my home office computer?”
Affirmative. Would you like to do so at this time?
“Yeah, I’d like to do so. Open files on Ziegler, Trey, subset Interviews. Create new doc on Prinze, Felicity, crossed with Copley, John Jake.”