Justice in Death---Chapter 21

^{For mog, who asked nicely!}


                        Eve parked on the street close to Roarke Industries and walked to the building keeping her eyes scanned on everyone around her. If Boone tried to come after her before her plan was put into motion, then she would be ready for him. No one else was going to be hurt because of her again.

    She showed her badge at the front entrance of RI even though it wasn’t necessary and took the elevator up to Roarke’s floor. The doors opened two minutes later to Roarke’s shiny office floor. Caro was at her desk and gave Eve a smile when she approached.

    “Is he busy?” Eve asked, offering a smile.

    “He just finished a holo call,” Caro told her. “Go right in.”

    Roarke was staring out his office window when Eve walked in. She stopped long enough to drink him in. He had changed into fresh clothes kept at the office for emergencies and had evidently washed his hair as well. It looked clean and shiny against the navy suit.

    “Did we have an appointment?” He asked, still staring out the window.

    Eve closed the door. She deserved the coolness of his tone, even though she had apologized. “I thought instead of having another go around that we could talk.”

    Roarke turned this time and Eve saw the coffee mug in his hand. Her mouth watered at the sight of it. She came to a chair and sat down. “I saw the orchids you sent Mira. They were
beautiful. She told me I could read the card, but I left it alone.”

    Roarke took a seat behind his desk. If a stranger had seen them there, he would have thought they were strangers too.

    “I told her I would spend the rest of my life repaying the gift she gave me.”

    Eve didn’t say anything. She let the comment float in the air. “I showed up in person to invite you to participate in a sting that’s going on tonight at Creeper’s Alley.”

    Roarke’s right eyebrow raised and his blue eyes grew dark. “You think I want to participate in an operation so I could possibly watch my wife being killed in front of me.”

    Eve knew his reaction would be something equal to what he had just said. She smiled in return. “No. I’m offering you the rights to watch your wife take down a killer. Are you in?”

    “If I say no, will you stay home and watch old movies with me tonight.”

    “No.”

    Roarke’s lips upturned in a smile which he quickly changed back into his thin lipped look. “Then I’ll supply the nuts and the popcorn.”

    “Good. Meet me at Cop Central at seven tonight.”

    Eve left.



    Roarke had the limo drop him off in front of Cop Central. New officers to the force stared at him as he got out of the limo while veteran cops spared only a second to see who was coming into Central before turning back to their previous chore. Roarke was escorted into Homicide and stopped. No one was at their desk, but instead was hovered around Eve’s office. Roarke checked his watch. It was seven on the dot, but Eve wasn’t anywhere around. Curious as to the drawing crowd around Eve’s office, Roarke joined in.

    “Hey, boy-o,” Feeney called out. “We’re waiting for the kid to come out.”

    Roarke knew from the nickname whom Feeney was talking about, but what he didn’t know was why. “What’s going on?” He asked.

    Before Peabody or the others could tell him, Eve’s door opened and Eve stepped out. The only problem was, it wasn’t the Eve that he had seen this morning in her black pants and green buttoned top. This Eve was wearing filthy sneakers, baggy pants, black sweatshirt, and a wool coat down to her ankles. She had fingerless gloves and her hair was in small pigtails and pushed back with
a black bandana. This definitely wasn’t his Eve.

    “Well,” She said, staring at the gathering group. “This will have to do. At least Trina didn’t have to get involved this time.”

    “He won’t recognize you, Dallas.” McNab said. He bit into a candy bar and passed it to Peabody.

    “I would recognize you,” Roarke spoke up from the back of the group. He smiled. “But then again, I’ve seen every inch of you.”

    He watched Eve’s face go red.

    Feeney cleared his throat. “And on that note, boys and girls, we should get the van loaded. Roarke, when you’re ready, you’re in the van with me.”

    Roarke nodded and stepped closer to Eve as the crowd dispersed.

    He looked her up and down and shrugged his shoulders. He straightened the collar on her coat dragging her closer to him. “I don’t know if I like this look on you, Lieutenant.”

    Eve batted his hand away from her coat. “I can’t go into Creeper’s Alley wearing one of Leonardo’s designs. Talk about conspicuous. This way I blend in with the others.”

    Roarke raised her hand to his lips and kissed her ring. “Be careful tonight, Lieutenant.
You’re carrying my heart along with yours.”

    “Oh, well,” Eve remarked making a face. “That’s not adding any pressure.”