The Cold Moon (Lincoln Rhyme 7)

Dance was vaguely aware of the other officers watching her and Cobb. They were undoubtedly impatient, waiting, like most people, for the big Confession Moment. She ignored them. Nobody really existed except the agent and her subject. Kathryn Dance was in her own world--a "zone," her son, Wes, would say (he was the athlete of the family).

She looked over the notes she'd taken. Then she closed the notebook and replaced one pair of glasses with another, as if she were exchanging reading for distance glasses. The prescriptions were the same, but instead of the larger round lenses and pastel frames these were small and rectangular, with black metal frames, making her look predatory. She called them her "Terminator specs." Dance eased closer to Cobb. He crossed his legs.

In a voice much edgier, she asked, "Ari, where did that money really come from?"

"The--"

"Money? You didn't get it at an ATM." It was during his comments about the cash that she noticed an increased stress level--his eyes stayed locked on to hers, but the lids lowered slightly and his breathing altered, both major deviations from his nondeceptive baseline.

"Yes, I did,

" he countered.

"What bank?"

A pause. "You can't make me tell you that."

"But we can subpoena your bank records. And we'll detain you until we get them. Which could take a day or two."

"I went to the fucking ATM!"

"That's not what I asked. I asked where the cash in your money clip came from."

He looked down.

"You haven't been honest with me, Ari. Which means you're in serious trouble. Now, the money?"

"I don't know. Probably some of it was from petty cash at my firm."

"Which you got yesterday?"

"I guess."

"How much?"

"I--"

"We'll subpoena your employer's books too."

He looked shocked at this. He said quickly, "A thousand dollars."

"Where's the rest of it? Three hundred forty in the money clip. Where's the rest?"

"I spent some at Hanover's. It's a business expense. It's legitimate. As part of my job--"

"I was asking where the rest of it is."

A pause. "I left some at home."

"At home? Is your wife back now? Could she confirm that?"

"She's still away."

"Then we'll send an officer to look for the money. Where is it, exactly?"

"I don't remember."

"Over six hundred dollars? How could you forget where six hundred dollars is?"