Connections in Death (In Death 48)

“Oh yeah. He was the little bit more trouble upstairs.”

“Very good.” She swiped at the blood dripping from her nose. “Let’s get a count. Where’s Peabody?”

“Here I am.”

Eve turned to see her partner hobbling up the stairs. She had blood seeping from several cuts and scrapes on her sheet-pale face.

“Ouch,” Baxter said, then hurried to get a supporting arm around her.

“What the hell happened?”

“I sort of fell down the stairs—with the naked having-sex guy. He kind of went crazy, and I had to tackle him, then he pulled me down the stairs. But I got him. I got the naked guy.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“I got a little banged up. You, too.”

“Did you break anything?”

“I don’t think.”

“I think she’s a little shocky, Dallas.”

Nodding at Baxter, Eve ran her hands over Peabody’s arms, down her legs. Nothing felt broken. “Hold on.”

She moved back into the living space. “Jenkinson, Reineke, get a team and clear the house, every room. Santiago, Carmichael, get the rest into the wagon.”

“Some are going to need medical attention, Lieutenant.”

“That’s next.” She tapped her comm. “Lowenbaum, we’re controlled and clearing.”

“Copy that. We got five who slipped out. A couple of them thought the van looked like a nice getaway. Didn’t work out for them.”

Five outside, she thought, eight from Baxter’s count. She counted seven restrained or being restrained from the living area.

“Clean sweep. McNab, we need the MTs. Got some bad guys down. Listen, Peabody got a little banged up. We’re bringing her out.”

Like Baxter, she got an arm around Peabody, started taking her down the stairs. They hadn’t gotten halfway when McNab charged up.

“Hey, hey!” He saw blood, bruises, dazed eyes. “Did you take a hit?”

“I hit lots of places when I fell down the stairs. My face.”

“It’s my best girl’s face.”

“Aw.”

“I’ve got her.” He put his arms around her. “Marley’s pulling in medical. I’ve got her,”

“Go on back and help sweep it up,” Eve told Baxter. “I need to check in with Strong, and the van. I’ll be back.”

She walked down behind McNab and the hobbling Peabody, then blinked when skinny-ass McNab picked Peabody up to carry her the rest of the way.

“Strong,” she said into her comm. “Can you report?”

“Can and will. Ho and eight others are in custody. We got a few bumps, no serious injuries. Your team?”

“Bagged them all. Some bumps,” she added as she watched McNab carry Peabody to a mobile medical. “Sweep the place, Strong. Good work. I’ll see you back at Central.”