Apprentice in Death (In Death 43)

“But I will. She can put me on her list if she hasn’t already, but I’ll find her first. She’s a cop killer, Mackie, and every cop in this city is hunting her. Some of them may not wait for the green. You’re not there to hold her back. You’re not there to keep her level. She’s already made mistakes, and she’ll make more. She’s fifteen, and she’ll make mistakes without her father to help her. She’s alone, and every target on your list and hers is out of range. She’ll lose control, she’ll hit another location, more collateral damage, and we’ll end her. Then her blood’s on you, Mackie. Your daughter’s blood’s on your hands.”

“No.”

“She disobeyed you already,” Peabody said quietly. “You told her to get out of the city. You’d have had a route plotted out, but she didn’t take it. She didn’t leave, didn’t go somewhere safe to wait. Because she can’t.”

“She can’t,” Eve agreed, “because the missions, yours and hers, come first. As long as he’s breathing.” Once again, Eve tapped Zach’s photo. “She’ll stay. And because she’ll stay, I’ll find her. Pray I find her before another cop does. I’ll give her a chance to surrender. Pray she takes it.”

“She’ll . . .”

“Die,” Eve said flatly. “Is there enough funk in the world to blur your vision on that one?”

“Get away from me.”

“Sorry, Mackie, time to get used to not getting your way. I don’t have to get away from you. You’ve been arrested for conspiracy to murder, multiple counts, and you have confessed on record to same. Your life as you knew it is over. You’ll live the rest of it being told where to go, when to eat, when to sleep, and every second of that in an off-planet cage.”

He looked at Eve now, with hate. “You want that for my girl.”

“I want your girl to live. You can believe that. I want her to live, Mackie. Do you?”

“She’s my flesh and blood.”

“Does that matter to her? This little boy’s her flesh and blood. Her brother. And if she could get him in her sigh

ts right now, he’d be in the morgue. Don’t make me put her there, Mackie. Help me bring her in, don’t make me take her out.”

“To live in a cage for the rest of her life?”

Eve let out a long breath, straightened, paced the room. Gave the slightest nod to the two-way mirror.

“That tells me you’d rather she be dead than breathing, so I’m wasting my time with you. Peabody, take this worthless fuck back to—”

She broke off, cursed under her breath, stalked to the door at the brisk knock. “What? I’m in Interview.”

“And I’m here to offer the subject of that Interview a deal.” Reo sailed in, set her briefcase on the table.

“Screw that. Let’s take this outside, Counselor.”

“We’re all here to protect and serve this city and its people. For the record, Reo, APA, Cher, now in Interview. The PA’s office has a deal for Mr. Mackie.”

“I didn’t ask for a deal. I told that worthless PD no deals.”

“He didn’t ask for a deal,” Eve snapped. “Get out.”

“The deal involves Willow Mackie. Her future. Do you want a future for your daughter, sir?”

“I’m not helping you.”

“Then help her. I’m authorized to offer you this. If you give us information leading to your daughter’s arrest before—and I stress before—she kills or injures anyone else, if she surrenders peaceably, we will agree to try her as a minor on all charges brought.”

“Bullshit, that’s bullshit!” Raging, Eve gripped Reo’s arm. “Outside, Reo.”

Reo simply shook Eve off. “Dallas, this comes from the top, and has been agreed to by your boss, and mine.”

“What kind of chickenshit, weaselly bullshit are you trying to serve here? She killed twenty-five people in cold blood. Dozens of others suffered injuries and trauma. She’s no kid on a joyride, you gutless bitch.”

Reo turned steely. “And if you’d apprehended her by now, I wouldn’t have to make this deal. If you can’t find and stop a teenager, that’s not on me. Bitch. Go on, put your hands on me again,” she warned when Eve took a step toward her. “You’ll be off this investigation in a snap. Do your job, Lieutenant. I’ll do mine.”

“Oh, I’ll do my job. Peabody, we’re out. We’re hunting.” She wrenched the door open. “Better make that deal fast, because if I find her before the ink dries, she’s mine. Dallas and Peabody, exiting the goddamn fucking Interview.”