Eve was so pleased to have Selina Cross in Interview, she’d missed anticipating the obvious bonus of having her represented by Louis Trivane. She flashed grins at both of them as she secured the door to Interview Room A.
“Ms. Cross, I appreciate your cooperation. Mr. Trivane.”
“Eve—”
“Lieutenant Dallas,” she corrected, snapping off the grin. “We’re not socializing here.”
“You know each other.” Selina’s eyes went icy, pinned her lawyer.
“Your representative knows my husband on a social level. I’m acquainted with a number of attorneys in the city, Ms. Cross. This doesn’t affect my or their job performance. We’ll go on record.”
Eve engaged the recorder, recited the pertinent data. After reading the revised Miranda, she sat. “You’ve exercised your right to an attorney, Ms. Cross.”
“I certainly have. I’ve already been harassed by you twice, Lieutenant Dallas. I prefer that this continued harassment go on record.”
“Me, too.” Eve smiled. “You were acquainted with Robert Mathias, also known as Lobar.”
“He was Lobar,” Selina corrected. “It was his chosen name.”
“Was is the operative word, seeing as he’s in a refrigerated unit at the morgue. And so is Thomas Wineburg. Are you acquainted with him?”
“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.”
“Well, that’s interesting. He was a member of your cult.”
Selina set her chin, waved away Trivane as he leaned forward to speak to her. “I can’t be expected to recognize the name of every member of my church, Dallas. We are…” She spread her hands on the small table. “Legion.”
“Maybe this will refresh your memory.” Eve opened a file, took a still out, and slid it across the table. Death shots were always ugly.
Selina studied it with a small smile tugging at her mouth. A finger of the hand she wore webbed again today traced the spread of harsh red blood. “I can’t say for certain. We meet in the dark.” Her gaze lifted to Eve. “It’s our way.”
“I can say for certain. Both he and Lobar were yours, and both were murdered with a style of knife used in your rituals.”
“An athame, yes. We are not the only religion who uses such an instrument in ceremony. I feel, after this violence, this persecution of members of my church, the police should be concerned with protecting us rather than pointing fingers. Obviously, there is a person or per
sons determined to eliminate us.”
“I figured you had your own protection. Doesn’t your master look out for his own?”
“Your mockery only shows your ignorance.”
“Having sex with an eighteen-year-old delinquent shows yours. Did you have sex with Wineburg, too?”
“I said I can’t be sure I knew him. But if I did, I very likely had sex with him.”
“Selina.” Trivane cut her off, his voice firm. “You’re goading my client, Lieutenant. She’s stated she can’t positively identify this victim.”
“She knew him. Both of you did. He was a weasel. Do you know what a weasel is in cop-speak, Ms. Cross? An informant.” Eve rose, leaned over, bending her body close to Selina’s. “Were you worried about how much he’d told me? Is that why you arranged for him to die? Were you having him followed?” She slanted her gaze toward Trivane briefly. “Maybe you have all your…faithful followed.”
“I see whatever I need to see in the smoke.”
“Yeah, in the smoke. The psychic’s version of the Peeping Tom. It was risky for Wineburg to come by the viewing room. Why do you suppose he wanted a look at Alice? Had he been there the night she was drugged, raped? Did you let him have her?”
“Alice was an initiate. A willing one.”
“She was a child, a confused one. You like luring the young, don’t you? They’re so much more interesting than stubby fools like Wineburg. With their firm bodies, their malleable minds. People like Wineburg and the distinguished counsel here, they’re just for the money, and the cachet. But those like Alice, they’re so tender. So tasty.”
Selina looked up smugly through her thick, dark lashes. “She was. She enjoyed and was enjoyed. She didn’t have to be lured, Dallas. She came to me.”