“I have a house droid.” He got to his feet. “I can get it. You can question it as to when I left, when I came back. Oh, and I have a cash receipt for drinks. I’m sure they’re time and date stamped. Will that help?”
“Very much. We’ll just clear this up so we can move on in the investigation.”
“Anything I can do. Anything to help. I’ll get the droid. And while you’re doing the questioning, I’ll get the receipt. I’m sure I stuck it in my pocket.”
“Appreciate it. Oh, I should tell you your address is mislisted in the city files.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your address, there’s an error. I got your correct location from your grandfather’s files. You might want to see to that, when you get the chance.”
“How odd. Yes, I’ll take care of it. Excuse me just a minute.”
He got the droid, having no doubt Kevin’s careful re-programming and falsified input would hold. But his fists were clenched when he strode into his bedroom. Kevin rushed in behind him.
“You said they’d never identify the car.”
“Well, they did,” Lucias shot back. “But it doesn’t matter. Everything’s fine. Looks like it’s just as well that stupid bitch didn’t show up at Jean-Luc’s tonight. I wouldn’t have this.” He tugged the receipt out of his trouser pocket. “Alibied all around, and playing the shocked and grieving grandson.”
“What about me?”
“They don’t know about you, and there’s no reason they should. There’s no connection between this and the project as far as the cops are concerned. And no connection that can be proved between me and my grandfather’s death. Just stay up here and be quiet. I’m handling this.”
He hurried down again. “Lieutenant, in my pocket, just as I thought.” He handed Eve the receipt.
“Fine. I’d like my aide to make a copy of this for the files.”
“Of course.”
He waited while Peabody scanned the receipt. “Is there anything else I can do? Anything at all?”
“Not at this time. We’ll be in touch.”
“You’ll let me know if you—when you find who did this.”
“You’ll be the first,” Eve promised.
She walked back to the car, slid behind the wheel. “Cold-blooded son of a bitch. He was enjoying that.”
“Droid could’ve been reprogrammed,” McNab said from the backseat. “Same for the security. The guy who’s been doing the e-work could’ve done both. It’d be cake.”
“Still, we didn’t get much out of him,” Peabody complained.
“Didn’t we?” Eve tapped her fingers on the wheel. “I never said his grandfather’s name and he never asked. He has the requisite two, both New York City residents. But he never asked which one was dead. Didn’t have to ask. And that bit about being stripped of his dignity at the end of his life. That’s just what he’d done. What he’d intended to do. And he out-thought himself by not just saying his pal and housemate Kevin was with him part of the evening. Didn’t want to share the spotlight.”
“I guess we got more out of him than I thought.”
“That’s right. Little mistakes.”
Chapter 18
Roarke met them at the door. It only took one look at Eve’s face to confirm his suspicion that she was running on fumes. At that moment, he’d have preferred closing the door in Peabody’s and McNab’s faces, scooping his wife up, and pouring her into bed.
Because she read something of his thoughts, Eve nudged everyone inside. “It was quicker to bring them here.”
“We can catch a cab downtown,” Peabody said, sacrificing the delights of lolling in one of the magnificent beds for a few hours.
“Don’t be silly.” Roarke skimmed a hand over Eve’s hair, a subtle gesture of reassurance. “We’ve plenty of room. Whose fist did you run into, Ian?”