Devoted in Death (In Death 41)

They started out together.

“Perhaps you’d fill me in,” Roarke suggested, “as I’m apparently well behind.”

“It’s a lot.”

Eve gave him a quick roundup as they moved to her office. There Banner sat in the sleep chair, the cat comfortably on his lap. He looked half asleep, roused himself when they came in.

“Sorry. Zoning out some.”

“The lieutenant tells me you’ve been at this since yesterday. I expect you could use a beer.”

The wary look on his face lifted with an easy grin. “I sure wouldn’t turn one down.”

“Eve?”

“Yeah, beer’s great. I’ll get it. And food, I guess. Pizza work?”

Banner flashed that grin a second time. “When doesn’t it?”

“Cops. The same everywhere. Arkansas, is it?” Roarke asked Banner while Eve went into the kitchen.

“Silby’s Pond. Seems a long ways from here.”

/> “In the Ozarks, isn’t it? Lovely country there.”

“You’ve been?”

“Around and about. And how did you come to being with the police?”

“Circular route, I’d guess. I always figured to work the family farm, did some deputy work summers when there was time for it – and a need with tourists and such. But, well, the farm’s been in the family five generations, and you’ve got an obligation there. But my daddy set me down one night a few years back, and he said he could see my heart wasn’t in it, and you had to do what your heart was in. That was police work for me.”

“Your father sounds like a wise man. Thanks, darling,” he said as Eve brought out the beer.

“He is, and a good farmer. So’s my sister and her man, so the farm’s in good hands. I help out when there’s time, but I wanted to be a cop. Good beer. We brew our own – family recipe. I’m going to send you some after I get home.”

“Clomp and prance,” Eve said and got a puzzled look from Banner. “Peabody and McNab.”

“I’ll see to the pizza,” Roarke said as they came in.

“Did I hear pizza?” McNab bounced in, but was smart enough to release Peabody’s hand at Eve’s narrowed stare.

“And beer. You’d rather a glass of wine, Peabody.”

“If it’s okay.”

“One,” Eve decreed. “Then it’s coffee and it’s work. Santiago checked in.”

While Roarke set up the meal, Eve filled in the others.

“What kind of bumfuck bozos don’t check for blood at a crime scene?” McNab glanced over at Banner. “Sorry.”

“It’s hard to take offense. They weren’t my bumfuck bozos, but close enough.”

As the others did, he helped himself to a slice. Bit in. Sat, just sat.

“This is pizza. Is it like the coffee?” he asked Eve.

“It’s New York. Morris and DeWinter should already have the first remains. She expedited, and they were going to start tonight.”