He’d taught her how to think, how to see, and most of all how to feel an investigation.
“Wouldn’t mind, but I don’t see why I should have to suffer through that sludge you call coffee. Figure maybe you could share the holiday token I brought you.”
She tossed a gift bag on his desk, and watched his eyes light up like Christmas morning. “That coffee in there? The real deal?”
“No point in bringing you the fake stuff if I’m going to be drinking it.”
“Hot damn! Thanks. Hey, close the door, will you? Don’t want anybody getting wind while I set this up. Jesus, I’m going to have to put a lock on my AC, or my boys will be swarming in here like locusts.”
Once the door was safely shut, he moved to the AutoChef to begin the homey tasks of loading and programming. “You know, the wife’s trying to stick me with decaf at home. Might as well drink tap water, you ask me. But this…”
He took a long, deep inhale through his nose. “This is prime.” He turned his head, sent her a quick grin. “Got a couple of doughnuts in here. Logged ‘em in as pea soup so the boys don’t get wise.”
“Smart.” She thought of her travails with the candy thief who continually unearthed her office stash. She might give Feeney’s method a shot.
“So what do you got pointing to the female wit?”
She ran it through for him while he dealt with the coffee, shared his doughnuts.
He listened, sipping his coffee, taking an occasional generous bite out of the glazed doughnut. Sugary crumbs dotted his shirt. “Probability’s going to favor the son, if it’s a family job. Blood kills quicker. Could be he brought the wife into it, pressured her. Hey, guess what, honey? I just killed Mom. So I need you to say I was in here with you, sleeping like a baby.”
“Could’ve gone that way.”
“But woman on woman, that’s another hot button.” He gestured with the last of his doughnut, then popped it in his mouth. “In-laws add to it. Sick and tired of you interfering, you old bat. Then she throws herself on the son. Oh, my God, there was a terrible accident. You have to help me.”
“Doesn’t explain the scam, the supposed abduction, or Bobby in the hospital.”
“Yeah, it could. You got one or both of your suspects either wanting nothing to do with the scam, or wanting all the cupcakes. The abduction is frills. Maybe just frills. That’d be on her. Trying to put a bow on it. Maybe it goes back, Dallas, like you think. Shit happens when you’re a kid, it sticks with you.”
She said nothing to that, and he stared into his coffee. Each let the subject of her own childhood slide away.
“You’ve got to get something on her—or him. Something you can use to put the pressure on. You’ve got yourself an onion.”
“I’ve got a what?”
“An onion. You’ve gotta start peeling away the layers.”
* * *
An onion, Eve thought. Leave it to Feeney. But it had given her a fresh idea.
She headed to Mira’s, caught Mira’s admin at her desk, dealing with busywork while Christmas carols played on low. “How’s her schedule today?”
“It’s very light. We’re closing the office at noon until start of business hours on the twenty-sixth. She’s with another officer now.” The admin checked her watch. “Nearly done. She has another appointment in fifteen minutes, then she’s fairly well clear.”
“I could use a minute with her between appointments. I can wait.”
“All right, but I hope you don’t plan to add to her schedule. She and her husband have plans.”
“I won’t keep her,” Eve began, then stepped back as another cop came out of the office.
“Just a minute.” The admin held up a finger, got up to walk to Mira’s door herself. “Doctor, Lieutenant Dallas is here. She’d like a moment.”
“Of course.” Mira got up from her desk as Eve entered. “I didn’t expect to see you again until after the holidays.”
“Need a favor. I’m looking for a profile, maybe even just an impression of a suspect.”
“On the Lombard matter.”