Callaway.”
She clicked off, started to use her ’link again to order protection details. Roarke laid a hand on her arm.
“It’s done.” He moved off the elevator with her into the garage. “Private security, Mira’s family, Peabody and McNab’s apartment, Reo’s, and so on.”
“It should be cops.” Then she took a breath. “Thanks.”
“One less thing for you and the department to worry about.”
“Okay.” And she set it aside. “Get me the layout of the condo—floor plan, exits, security. I’ll drive, we’re going hot until we’re close, then we’ll turn off the sirens.”
“Hot’s my favorite thing.”
Peabody had a chance for one quick gulp before Eve tore out of the garage.
“Gina Bellona,” she began. “In addition to her condo here, she has a home in London, a flat in Paris, and a villa in Sardinia. Her husband, deceased, was knighted for his contribution to science and humanitarian works.”
“Science,” Eve repeated while she punched vertical and zipped over a knot of traffic.
“Carlo Corelli—Brit mother, Italian father, dual citizenship, a scientist, primary work molecular chemistry. His father was one of the founders of Biotech Industries.”
“One of the leaders in the field,” Roarke told her while he worked. “Innovations and development of synthetic organs, cancer vaccines, fertility, auto-immune research. They’ve built health centers in areas where medicine and health care was a luxury or simply nonexistent.”
“Pharmacology—lots of drug research.”
“No question.”
“Perfect for her. How’d he buy it, Peabody—Corelli?”
“Slipped in the shower seven months ago.”
“About the time Teasdale says Menzini died. I bet Corelli had help in the shower.”
“Death ruled accidental, but it looks like his first wife and his children made some noise about the widow. I can probably find some dish on it in the scandal sheets.”
“Marries him, gets rich, gets access to all the drugs she wants—and some expertise. Menzini dies, and she’s done with Corelli. Wants this tribute, or revenge, or whatever the hell. She takes Corelli out, inherits, moves to New York.”
“Where she lives in a spacious, two-level condo,” Roarke put in. “Private elevator into a foyer. Secondary entrance/exit on south corner. Additional on second level, central. Video security, all entrances. There’s also an interior elevator. Terraces off first and second levels, roof terrace on second level. She’s on Fifty-two and Three, southeast corner.”
“What else is up there?”
“Three other units—one at each corner.” He continued to work quickly, coolly, while Eve drove like a lunatic. “A central elevator, a maintenance/housekeeping area with service elevators. Three stairways—north and south and in the maintenance area.”
“Got it. Peabody, send Reo the info on MacMillon’s properties.”
“She’s also got a limo and town car here in New York, as well as a private shuttle.” A small “
“Get her all of it. Get warrants. Have her reach out to the European locals. She can add HSO’s and Tibble’s weight to get it moving. I want all her vehicles located and impounded.”
“Oh shit. Okay,” Peabody muttered prayers as they leapfrogged over a trio of Rapid Cabs. “McNab’s already located the shuttle, he’s keeping me up. We’re on that.”
“Box her in,” Eve stated, cutting the sirens, gliding the rest of the way.
“I think I just lost five pounds in fear sweat.” Peabody mopped at her face. “Now I want a cannoli. I don’t know why.”
With a laugh, Roarke shifted to grin at her. “I’ll buy you a dozen, precious.”
“Cannolis, for God’s sake.” Eve pulled into the loading zone in front of the building. The doorman, spiffy in red and gold, mistook the DLE for a piece of crap and hotfooted over.
“You can’t—”
“I can.” Eve pulled out her badge as she pushed open the car door.
“What’s this—”
“I ask; you answer. Gina Bellona. Is she in her condo?”
“Ms. Bellona? She hasn’t come out or ordered her car. What’s—”
“How long have you been on the door today?”
“Going onto five hours. I’d’ve seen her if she’d come out. I opened the door for her myself about three hours ago when she came back from shopping.”
“Okay. The other tenants on her levels. Are they in?”
“The Cartwrights are in Africa, doing a safari thing. Mr. Bennett hasn’t come in yet, and Mrs. Bennett and the boy went out about an hour ago. Mr. Jasper just went up. His wife and kids are up there.”
“Which unit?”
“Fifty-two-oh-four.” His eyes widened as three black-and-whites and two SWAT vehicles roared up. “What’s the deal? Jesus.”
“Peabody, if you’ve finished dreaming of cannolis, have Curtis here take you to the building manager, get this started.” She moved toward the SWAT commander. “Lowenbaum.”
“Dallas. Cold night.”
“It’s about to heat up.” She’d worked with him before, knew him to be steady and smart. Like his men, he wore black body armor, a helmet, and carried a long-range blaster. His eyes, a deceptively mild gray, scanned the building. “Have you analyzed the floor plans?”
“Done and done.” He pulled out some gum—she remembered, for some reason, he preferred blueberry— offered it. When she shook her head he folded a piece into his mouth, then took out his tablet.
They huddled over the floor plans.
“My e-guy here’s going to take out her security,” Eve told him. “Once your team’s secured the entrance, I need you to hold.”
She pulled out her ’link, printed out the warrant. “We’re a go there. There’s a biohazard team en route, but I’m not waiting on them. Have your coordinator send them in, the minute they arrive.”
“We’ve got mouth-breathers. You want?”
“They leave a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Tell me.” He nodded, tapped his earpiece. “My man says we’re having trouble with eyes and ears. She’s got it shielded.”
“Here’s the deal, Lowenbaum. My team’s going in, the team you select comes in behind us, helps us clear. She went in prior to the media report, and hasn’t come out this way. If she’s in there, we apprehend, incapacitate if necessary.”
She hesitated a moment. “You know me, right?”
He grinned at her. “Used to think maybe I’d know you better, but that didn’t happen.” He turned his grin to Roarke. “She wouldn’t give me the green.”
Roarke grinned back at him.
“You could say I took my shot.”
“Jesus.” Eve shook her head. “I’d like you on the clear team, and if I tell you to stun me and my people, do it.”
“That’s … unusual.”
“Maybe, but do it. Every room we go in, we open doors and windows. Blast them out if they’re sealed. I’ll get back to you.” She turned, moved fast to meet up with Baxter and Trueheart. “They’ve got mouth-breathers. You may want.”
“You carry around that crappy aftertaste for hours,” Baxter complained.
“Your choice. We take the central elevator. Roarke, take down her private. Trueheart, you head to Five-two- oh-four, get the family inside out and down. Baxter, you and Peabody go in from Fifty-three, clear it, open all
