“Was he alone?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see him leave—actually drive away?”
“No, I left first, but he was getting in his car.” She wrapped her wide-eyed kids to her sides. “I want to know what’s going on.”
“I want you to take your kids, go outside, turn left, and keep walking until you get to the uniformed officers down this block.”
“But—”
“Go now.” She heard the elevator start its rise. “Right now!”
She swung back, lifted her weapon as the woman grabbed both kids by the hands and fled. She lowered the weapon again as Roarke stepped out.
“His car’s not there.”
“He’s gone. Neighbor saw him leave—alone, and with a suitcase. Fuck! He told her he’d be gone a couple days.”
She pulled off the cap, raked a hand through her hair. “We’ve got to go up.” She reached for her ’link as it signaled.
“Dallas, what’s your status?”
She filled Ricchio in.
“EDD finds no heat sources in the target location. We’ve got the building hemmed in, and SWAT’s moving into position now.”
“We’re going up to try to verify whether the suspect is still in this location.”
“Backup’s coming in.”
“Can you hold them, Lieutenant? Two minutes. On the off chance he’s still here, his captives will be safer if he doesn’t see us coming.”
“Two minutes, counting now.”
She shoved the ’link in her pocket. “He’s gone, but we can’t take the chance. Can you jam his security long enough for a quick, quiet entry?”
“You know I can.”
“Stairs.”
They went up fast. She swept the second-floor hallway.
“Hold here,” Roarke murmured, keying codes into his jammer. “He’s got several layers. And there.”
He moved ahead of her now, pulling a small case out of his pocket. “A number of layers here as well.” He mumbled it as he crouched and got to work. “They only look like standard locks. Very nicely done.”
“You can compliment him when he’s in a cage. Just get us in.”
“So I have.” He met her eyes. “Ready?”
She nodded, held up one finger, then two. They burst in on three, her low, him high.
She smelled the blood, smelled the death instantly. Swinging left, she saw the body, saw her mother and the pool of blood.
“God. God. God.”
“Eve.”
“We have to clear.” Her voice came out thin through the narrow opening the burn of shock left in her throat. “We have to clear the area, take your side.”
When she swung the other way she saw the keys on the high table by the door, and the memo cube with them.
Gone, she thought. Gone, and walked over to pick up the keys.
She could hear the backup pushing through the door downstairs. If Bree was with them, and if he’d left more death, she’d need to be prepared.
Eve unlocked the door. She breathed deep, braced herself.
Opened it.
They were on the floor, the girl wrapped in a blanket, the woman’s body shielding her.
Melinda stared at her. Blinked.
“Officer Dallas.” The words broke on a strangled sob. “Darlie, it’s Officer Dallas. I told you they’d come for us.”
“It’s ‘Lieutenant.’ ” Her voice sounded distant and tinny to her ears. Eve looked at the girl, at Darlie. And another pair of shattered eyes etched themselves into her head. “You’re safe now.”
Alive. She reminded herself what she’d told Tray Schuster on a morning that seemed years ago. Alive was better.
“You’re safe now. They’re safe,” Eve said as Bree burst through the door.
“Melly.”
“I’m all right.” But she dropped her head on her sister’s shoulder and wept when Bree wrapped her arms around her. “We’re all right. I knew you’d find us.”
Eve stepped back, shifted away as Detective Price pushed his way through to Melinda.
“Let’s go outside.” Roarke took her arm. “There’s nothing for you to do here.”
“Yes, there is.” Sweat, icy and thin, ran in a line down her back. “There is,” she repeated, and turned to Ricchio. “Your scene, Lieutenant.”
“Ambulance is on the way. We need to get them out, Melinda and the girl. Get them medical attention before we take statements. I want this scene secured and every inch of it gone over. We’ve issued a BOLO for the vehicle he’s driving.”
He won’t be driving it long, Eve thought, but nodded.
“We’ve got agents at every transpo station in the city,” Nikos added. “If he ditches the vehicle and tries to get out of Dallas by other means, we’ll find him.”
“He had to leave in a hurry.” Laurence glanced at the body. “He could’ve left something behind besides his dead partner. If he’s going to make a mistake, this would be the time. I’ll start on the scene with a couple of your men. Lieutenant Ricchio, continue when your CSU arrives.”
“Good. I’m going to notify Darlie’s parents, get some people knocking on doors.”
They watched as Detective Price lifted Darlie into his arms. He murmured to her, and she closed her eyes; he pressed her face to his shoulder as he carried her out.
Didn’t want her to see the body, Eve thought, the blood. Spare her from that anyway. She’d have enough horror in her head already.
Melinda came out, leaning on her sister. She looked at death, then at Eve. “Thank you. Again. He said to tell you to stick around. He said, ‘Tell Dallas to stick around. More fun to come.’ He’s . . .”
“Later, Melinda.” Bree gripped her tighter.
“I need to stay with Darlie. She needs me to stay with her.”
“I’ll be around,” Eve told her. “We’ll talk later.”
“Come on, Melly, come with me. We need to tell Mom and Dad you’re okay,” Bree said as she led her sister out.
“Bad as it is,” Ricchio said, “it’s a good day.”
But it wasn’t over, Eve thought. Not nearly over. “I’m Homicide. I’ll take the body if you have no objections.”
“I’d appreciate it. We’ll inform the ME. Do you want an aide or assistant?”
“Roarke’s done it before.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.” His glance at the body, the blood, held no pity. “It looks pretty straightforward.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I guess it does.” She stepped over to the body again. “I’ll need a field kit,” she said to Roarke, then looked at him, held his eyes when he said nothing. She reached up, switched off her recorder. “Please. I need to do this. It’ll be easier if you help me do it.”
“Then I will. But Eve, there’s a great deal to say when this is done.”
“I know it.”
“I’ll get the kit.”
