“I’m all they’ve got to hold onto.” She initialed the messages to document her receipt. “They have to know someone’s looking after her.”
“I’d like to say something.”
Eve rolled her eyes, prepared for him to lecture her about rest, objectivity, or professional distance. “Spit it out then so I can get to work.”
“I’ve dealt with a lot of cops in my time. Evaded them, bribed them, outmaneuvered them, or simply outran them.”
Amused, she nudged a hip onto the corner of her desk. “I’m not sure you should be telling me that. Your record’s suspiciously clean.”
“Of course it is.” On impulse he kissed the tip of her nose. “I paid for it.”
She winced. “Really, Roarke, what I don’t know can’t hurt you.”
“The point is,” he continued blandly, “I’ve dealt with a lot of cops over the years. You’re the best.”
Caught completely off guard, she blinked. “Well.”
“You’ll stand, Eve, for the dead and the grieving. I’m staggered by you.”
“Cut it out.” Miserably embarrassed, she shifted. “I mean it.”
“You can use that when you call Morse back and run up against his irritating whine.”
“I’m not calling him back.”
“You initialed the transmissions.”
“I zapped his first.” She smiled. “Oops.”
With a laugh he picked her up off the desk. “I like your style.”
She indulged herself by combing her fingers through his hair before she tried to wriggle free. “Right now you’re cramping it. So back off while I see what Mirina Angelini wants.” Brushing him off, she engaged the number, waited.
It was Mirina herself who answered, her pale, tense face on-screen. “Yes, oh, Lieutenant Dallas. Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I was afraid I wouldn’t hear from you until tomorrow.”
“What can I do for you, Ms. Angelini?”
“I need to speak with you as soon as possible. I don’t want to go through the commander, Lieutenant. He’s done enough for me and my family.”
“Is this regarding the investigation?”
“Yes, at least, I suppose it is.”
Eve signaled to Roarke to leave the office. He merely leaned against the wall. She snarled at him, then looked back at the screen. “I’ll be happy to meet with you at your convenience.”
“That’s just it, Lieutenant, it’s going to have to be at my convenience. My doctors don’t want me to travel again just now. I need you to come to me.”
“You want me to come to Rome? Ms. Angelini, even if the department would clear the trip, I need something conc
rete to justify the time and expense.”
“I’ll take you,” Roarke said easily.
“Keep quiet.”
“Who else is there? Is someone else there?” Mirina’s voice trembled.
“Roarke is with me,” Eve said between her teeth. “Ms. Angelini—”