Seduction in Death (In Death 13)

And had cried, Eve thought wearily, cried silent tears while she’d given her statement.

“At this point she appears to be the only resident of the apartment building the victim had regular contact with. Lutz is described as a quiet, polite young woman who rarely varied her routine. She went to work, she came home. Twice a week she stopped in the neighborhood market for supplies. Other than Nicko, she had no close friends, no lovers. She was doing a part-time, in-home course to get her degree in library science.”

“The security cams?”

“One, at entrance. As trace evidence at the first scene confirmed, the suspect wears a disguise, we’re assuming he was doing so again. I’m waiting for lab reports. His appearance was markedly different in the second murder. Short, straight blonde hair, lantern-jaw, wide brow, dark brown eyes, pale gold complexion.”

Eve stared at the fish. It was making her dizzy, but she couldn’t look away. “There was a different attitude, as well. A deliberation, and a pleasure in the violence that wasn’t apparent in the first killing. We’re working to trace the first wig, the enhancements. We’re also pursuing the cyber-angle, and continue to look for another connection between the victims. I’ve requested a consult with Dr. Mira, and am copying her all files and reports to date.”

“The media hasn’t yet sniffed out the connection, but we won’t keep it that way for long.”

“In this case, sir, the media might be an advantage. If women are made aware of the potential dangers, the suspect’s pool gets shallow. I’d like to leak some of the data to Nadine Furst at Channel Seventy-five.”

He pursed his lips. “Make sure the leak doesn’t become a flood before we’re ready for it.”

“Yes, sir. I have some more sources on the illegals angle, and I’ve asked Feeney to use his contacts within the department in that area. Neither drug is common. When I find the supplier, I may need room to deal.”

“We’ll work that out when you find the supplier. But I can tell you there won’t be much room. Politically, these illegals are a hot button. We go soft on a supplier, we’ll have feminist’s organizations, social balance, and moral watchdog groups taking numbers to kick us in the teeth.”

“And if dealing with the supplier saves lives?”

“For a lot of these people, that won’t matter. They deal in principles, not individuals. Work the angles, Lieutenant, do the checklist and get this bastard before we have more dead. And a public relations nightmare.”

Eve didn’t give a rat’s skinny ass about public relations. Since this wasn’t a well-kept secret, it was no surprise that Nadine expressed some suspicion at being offered inside data.

“What kind of happy bullshit is this, Dallas?”

Eve had waited, deliberately, until she was home rather than at Central to contact Nadine. It seemed to her that made the exchange friendly rather than official.

“I’m doing you a favor.”

Nadine, already polished for an on-air segment, lifted one perfectly arched brow, let her coral-slicked mouth curve. “You, Lieutenant Locked Lips, are going to, of your own free will and out of a sense of camaraderie, give me data on an ongoing investigation.”

“That’s right.”

“Just a minute.” Nadine’s face disappeared from the ’link screen for ten seconds. “Just wanted to check with the meteorologist. It appears, despite indications to the contrary, hell has not frozen over.”

“Pardon me while I fall into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. You want the data or not?”

“Yeah, I want it.”

“A top police source confirms that the investigations of the Bryna Bankhead and the Grace Lutz cases are linked.”

“Hold on.” Everything about Nadine sharpened as she leaped into full reporter mode. “There’s been no confirmation to this point as to whether the Bankhead death was accidental, self-termination, or homicide.”

“It’s homicide. Confirmed.”

“My information is that the Lutz murder was sexual homicide.” Nadine’s voice was brisk now. All business. “Is that the case in the Bankhead homicide? Did the victims know each other, and are we dealing with one suspect?”

“Don’t interview me, Nadine. This isn’t a one-on-one. Both victims were young, single women who, on the night of their deaths, met with an individual they had corresponded with via e-mail and online chat rooms.”

“What kind of chat rooms? Where did they meet?”

“Shut up, Nadine. Evidence indicates that both victims were given an illegal substance, possibly without their knowledge, during the evening.”

“A date rape drug?”

“You’re quick. Your source neither denies nor confirms that information. Take the freebie, Nadine, and run with it. That’s all you get for now.”