Delusion in Death (In Death 35)

“You’ve a little time left.”

“I think time’s going to be a problem. I don’t think this maniac’s going to wait until my psyche’s all nice and cozy again.”

“Cozy your psyche’s never been. Whoever’s responsible for all those deaths will find your psyche very formidable. You know you can contact me here or at home, any time, when you need to talk again. You won’t resolve all this in an hour, or a day. But I promise you, you will resolve it.”

“And you’re a professional, so I can trust you.”

“Exactly.”

“Thanks,” Eve said as she got to her feet again.

“I have one suggestion. A kind of experiment.”

“It doesn’t involve pressure syringes or ‘you’re getting sleepy’?”

“No. You have a strong mind, a flexible subconscious. I wonder if the next time you dream of Stella, you’ll think of me.”

“Why?”

“As I said, an experiment.” Mira lifted a hand, briefly brushed Eve’s cheek. “I’d be interested in the results.”

“Okay, I can try. But I’m hoping I vented her out some. I’ve got a mass murderer to catch.”

“I’ll send you my thoughts once I’ve reviewed everything.”

“I appreciate it.” Eve paused at the door, glanced back. “I really do.”

She went to her office first. No point touching base with Morris, she decided after checking her incomings. He’d sent her another batch of reports, and after a quick read she found nothing new, not from him or the reports from the lab.

She did deeper runs to familiarize herself with the Lester brothers before the interviews, then headed up to Whitney’s office.

She hated the media circus, so was relieved, even a little pleased to find Kyung with Whitney. The media liaison, and Chief of Police Tibble’s top spinner, wasn’t—as she’d told him after their first meeting—an asshole.

He wore a dove gray suit with a deeper gray shirt and a flash of red in the tie. Perfectly tailored, she noted, to his tall, fit body. His smile added charm to his smoothly handsome face.

“Lieutenant, a pleasure to see you again. It seems we have another difficult situation.”

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“Yeah, upwards of eighty people dead is a situation.”

“One that must be carefully handled with the media. There’s already been speculation regarding a terrorist attack. That we want to deflect and defuse.”

“It might have been one.”

“Might isn’t a word we like to use in conjunction with terrorist and attack.”

“No. Agreed.”

“Commander Whitney will read a statement, and he’ll take questions for a brief period. Chief Tibble has opted not to attend, as by so choosing he was able to convince the mayor to leave this to the NYPSD—for the moment.”

Keep the politics out. “Good.”

“You won’t take questions.”

“Even better.”

“The commander will simply acknowledge that you head an experienced investigative team, all of whom prioritized this incident. You’re already working several leads, conducting interviews, examining evidence—and so forth.”