New York to Dallas (In Death 33)

“The other

, that other.” She glanced back toward the ER doors. “It can wait. This is more important.”

“I said I’d take care of it. Don’t worry about that part.”

“I need to update Ricchio and the feds on this. We need to move on it.”

They started back in. She stopped when she saw Detective Price standing just outside the doors, looking lost.

“Detective.”

“Lieutenant. Lieutenant Ricchio wanted to speak with you. He’s here. He’s . . . inside.”

“Roarke, will you find him, give him what you’ve got? I’ll be right there.”

She waited a moment, standing there with Price, saying nothing.

“I know it’s my fault. She would’ve led us right to Melinda, and I fucked up. We had it down cold, and I broke protocol.”

“Do you think any of us wanted to see that kid pancaked on the street, Price? Do you think Melinda would want that?”

“I don’t know. God, we’d have her back by now. We’d have her.”

“If you hadn’t reacted, that kid would probably be dead. Now he’s home and safe and whole. You saved a life today, Detective. You did the job.”

“At what cost?”

“Nothing’s free. We’ve got the partner. We’ve got other leads, and we’ve got some time. So shake it off and keep doing the job.”

She went inside, started back toward the treatment room. This time the nurse stopped her. “We’ve got her stable. She needs some minor surgery. She’s got a concussion, two broken ribs, whiplash—”

“She’s conscious and stable,” Eve interrupted.

“That’s right.”

“I want to talk to her.”

“She needs a little repair. As soon as—”

“No. Now. If she’s not critical, she can wait for her repair. There are two lives on the line, and neither of them are hers. Is she still in there?”

“Yes. She’s being monitored, then she’ll need to be prepped.”

“Prepping can wait, too.”

Eve pushed past, shoved through the doors. She studied the woman on the table for a moment.

“Pay attention,” she snapped, and watched the woman’s eyes open, go feral. Stepping forward, she Mirandized her mother.

14

You get that?” Eve asked her.

“I want a ’link, and I want one now.”

“You’re not in a position to make demands. Give me your name. Your real name.”

“Sylvia Prentiss.”