Apprentice in Death (In Death 43)

—

She took a moment in Observation herself, just to gauge the ground. The lawyer spoke, tense and intense by her measure, while Mackie stared straight ahead, face set in stone.

Pissed, she thought. Good, good. Stay pissed.

And his hands shook. However tightly he gripped them together, she saw the tremors had increased. He’d need another medically approved hit very soon.

She nodded to Peabody. “Let’s start the clock.”

When she walked back in, Pratt sat back, stayed quiet.

“Record on. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve; Peabody, Detective Delia, resuming Interview with Mackie, Reginald, and counsel.” She sat again, dropped files on the table. “So, where were we?”

“I restate my request for my client to be returned to the hospital for medical evaluation.”

“And I restate my ‘bullshit’ for reasons already on record.”

“Rothstein is dead.” Mackie looked into Eve’s eyes. “I had him check during the break. I knew she didn’t miss.”

“Correct. The man who tried to help you, pro bono, who spent his own time, without fee, to take your bullshit case is dead, by your daughter’s hand, and through your conspiracy.”

“He did nothing but toe the line, and cover up what really happened.”

“My client can’t be held responsible for your allegations against his minor child,” the lawyer began.

“Did they neglect to explain the term conspiracy in your law school, Pratt? Your client—that’s you, Mackie—has confessed, on record, to conspiring to murder, to being an accessory to the murder of twenty-five people to date.”

“My client was hospitalized and in police custody during the incident at Madison Square, therefore—”

“Please, stop wasting time. Plotted and planned and on record. I don’t give a rat’s ass if he was in Argentina last night. He’s as guilty as she is. Just like he’s just as guilty if she attempts to complete the names on your client’s list. And the names on her own list.”

“She doesn’t have her own list. You’re lying. Just another lie.”

“Like you don’t know about it,” Peabody said in disgust. “You’re her father. You know what she’s planning. You started it.”

“There we disagree.” Eve shrugged at Peabody. “I don’t think he knew. Not about her hit list. Not that she had her own mission. Just like I don’t think he knew she confronted some of the names on his list, like Rothstein for instance. Threatened them on her own, flashed a stunner. That’s not good strategy, and he’s got enough training, even with the funk, not to make a boneheaded move like that.”

“You’re lying again. Just like you lied about her missing Rothstein.”

“Don’t have to this time. I’ve got her list right here.” Eve opened the file, but paused before taking out the document. “Oh, we know she travels on foot or by bus. We’ve got some bus drivers who remember her. The girl makes an impression.”

Eve took out the list, pushed it across the table. “She didn’t bother using initials. Full names for her, since she didn’t figure anyone would bother to check the little brother’s comp and find where she’d hidden it.”

“You put this together.” After barely a glance, Mackie shoved the hard copy aside. “This isn’t hers.”

“Oh, part of you, the part under the funk, knows it’s hers. It’s what she is. Part of you knew what she was, and needed it. Your eyes, your hands, and a mind and heart as black as midnight. Maybe seeing that in someone who came from you was another reason you hit the funk. It blurs the hard parts.”

“Just more lies. You want me to believe Will would hurt her own mother, her little brother? Try again.”

“I note you don’t say anything about the stepfather, the school employees, but we’ll slide there for now.” She took out the photos of Zach Stuben that Peabody had dug up.

“Cute kid. Me, I’m not big on kids, but yeah, he’s cute enough. And the puppy—he used to have a puppy, right? Looks like love there, the way he’s hugging that stupid dog, the way the stupid dog’s all cuddled in. I guess that’s why she broke its neck and tossed it out the window at the kid’s feet.”

“She never did that.”

“She absolutely did that—I bet you taught her how to break a neck, how to apply the pressure, how to work the angle. And she used it on a stupid little dog. Because she hates this kid right here, this cute, harmless kid. She hates him because he exists. Just as she’d have hated your son, if you’d had one. She’s all that gets to exist.”

“You don’t know her!”