“Should I tag up with Detective Strong?”
“Tomorrow’s soon enough. We’re going to be processing for a while yet.”
“Then I’ll fill in my boss, get my beauty sleep, and see you in the morning. Good bust, Dallas. Get some ice on that face.”
“Right.”
After she broke transmission, she pressed a couple of fingers to her jaw. Felt it go straight through her skull like a spike. Maybe the ice wasn’t such a bad idea.
After she finished her second slice.
She exchanged reports with Teasdale, felt some solid satisfaction. Thought about a third slice as she set up to write her report. Looked around at the knock on her doorjamb.
“Officer Shelby. I didn’t know you were still here.”
“I was helping in processing, Lieutenant. Officer Quirk had the individual you told him to keep separate. He’s Denby Washington, goes by Snapper.”
“Of course he does.”
“Lieutenant, he had earrings matching the description of those taken from the Pickering apartment on his person.”
“You are fucking kidding me, Shelby.”
“No, sir, I am not fucking kidding you. More, sir, he had a set of black Bodell Exec-level earbuds also on his person.”
“Snap goes Snapper’s cage door.”
Shelby smiled a little. “I helped process an individual who goes by Ticker. Burke Chesterfield. And he had a brooch matching the description of the one taken from the Pickering apartment on his person. He was wearing—”
“Lightning high-tops,” Eve said. “Black with a white lighting bolt down the back. Size ten.”
“That’s affirmative. Sir, we had their jackets sent to the lab, as they may match the fibers recovered from Duff’s body. I also got DNA from Washington, as he’s not in the database. I got him a tube of Coke, which he accepted. The empty tube’s on its way to the lab.”
Eve sat back, let it play through her mind. Since she’d caught the quick glance Shelby made toward the pizza, she gestured to it. “Want a slice?”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. I don’t want to take your dinner.”
“I’m good. Have a slice.”
“Thanks.” She took one, bit in, and Eve saw the same rush of gratitude and pleasure move over Shelby’s face that had moved inside her own system. “This isn’t eatery pizza.”
“You bucking to make detective, Officer?”
“No, sir. I like the uniform. I’m learning a lot from Officer Carmichael. I want to say I’m grateful you put me with him. He’s a solid cop.”
“Yeah, he is. Do me a favor, Shelby, and make sure Washington and Chesterfield are kept away from each other. And both of them away from Jones and Kenneth Jorgenson.”
“Can do, sir. Appreciate the slice.”
“No problem. Take the rest.”
“Oh, but—”
“I’m done.” Eve held up the plate with the remaining slice. “Take it. Good work, Officer Shelby.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.”
After a long breath, Eve turned to her computer. She had to set the anger aside but, as she’d told Roarke, she used the pain to push herself through the report.