Brotherhood in Death (In Death 42)

“Dennis?” Her fingers lifted to the white frill at her bodice. “Is he all right?”

“You know Dennis Mira?”

“Yes, very well. You can’t possibly think he had anything to do . . . Of course you don’t.” Now she pushed at her hair. “You work with his wife, you know him. And from everything I know about you, the two of you, you’re not idiots, so you know Dennis would never hurt anyone. I’m sorry to keep interrupting. I can’t sit.”

She rose, began to pace. “I’ll handle it better on my feet.”

Since Eve generally felt the same, she nodded. “When Dennis Mira regained consciousness, the senator was gone. Unless he’s shown up since we came in here, he hasn’t been seen since.”

“Kidnapping? But no demand for ransom? You’ve spoken with Mandy, surely. If there was a ransom demand it would go to her, or come through here.”

“Yes, I’ve spoken with her. She wasn’t able to offer any information.”

“He has a house in the Hamptons, and an apartment in East Washington. But you’ve checked.”

“I have.”

After a brief knock, Aiden opened the door. “The senator didn’t give Liddy a name, just told her he had an outside appointment. A four-thirty with a new Realtor. He left shortly after four. Vinnie drove him to the Spring Street property. The senator told him not to wait, he had transportation from there. Liddy doesn’t have any information about a new Realtor.”

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nbsp; “Thank you, Aiden. Would you tell Wyatt to put aside whatever he’s doing and come in here?”

“Right away.”

When he left, Tressa squared her shoulders, came back to sit, picked up her latte. “You’ll need to know where I was yesterday. Four-thirty?”

“Let’s make it from four to six P.M.”

“I was in meetings here until about a quarter to five. Wyatt, Aiden, and several others can verify. I had drinks scheduled for five with Marcella Candine at Bistro on Lex. We were there until shortly after six. I took a cab from there to my mother’s. It was my sister’s birthday, and we had a dinner party. Family dinner.”

Wyatt Book didn’t knock. He simply strode in, an imposing man twenty years Tressa’s senior with a shock of hair in an improbable inky black. His crisp suit mirrored the color, as did his eyes. They flicked off Tressa, zeroed in on Eve.

“What’s this about?”

“Edward’s missing.”

“‘Missing’? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Have you seen or spoken with him since yesterday afternoon?” Eve asked.

“No, but that hardly means he’s missing, and he certainly won’t appreciate having the police hound him or blather gossip to the media.”

Eve started to rise, but Tressa beat her to it. “Wyatt, sit down, be quiet for a minute. Edward was attacked in his grandfather’s brownstone, and now he’s missing.”

“‘Attacked’? Absurd. Where was Vinnie?”

“Edward dismissed him. He went there to meet someone, supposedly a new Realtor. Dennis Mira was also attacked.”

“Ha.” The mild concern faded into mild amusement. “The two of them probably finally took swings at each other.”

“Now who’s being ridiculous and absurd.”

“For God’s sake.” Irritation flashed over his face as he pulled out his ’link. “I’m sending a nine-one-one to his private number, which he won’t appreciate, either. But it will stop this malarkey.” But he frowned. “It’s not going through, even to v-mail.”

“Which tells me whoever has him is smart enough to destroy his ’link,” Eve put in. “Who’s the new Realtor?”

“I have no idea, and that’s more malarkey. He’ll go back to Silas once they both cool down.”