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“You’re on,” he told her. “Nothing I found on the video disc had equipment that can tag this pretty little bug. We’ve got a decoy so he’ll think he’s found one and deactivated it.”
“Good thinking.”
“You got to do it this way.” He nodded at her. “I’d do the same. But you better understand I hear anything I don’t like, I’m coming in. Roarke.” He stepped back as Roarke came into the room. “I’ll give you a minute here.”
Roarke crossed to her, tapped a finger on her badge. “Funny, you don’t look like Gary Cooper.”
“Who?”
He smiled. “High Noon, darling Eve, though the clock’s turned around on this one. We have a date in a couple of hours.”
“I remember. I’ve got a present coming. I can do this.”
“Yes.” He kissed her, softly. “I know. Give my best to Mira.”
“You bet. The team’s moving into place now. I have to go.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
He waited until she was gone, then walked outside himself and climbed casually into Feeney’s unit. “I’ll be riding with you.”
Feeney scratched his chin. “Dallas won’t like it.”
“That’s a pity. I spent the last few hours studying the schematics for the security on the Palmer house. I can bypass it, by remote.”
“Can you, now?” Feeney said mildly.
Roarke turned his head, gave Feeney a level look. “I shouldn’t need more than twenty minutes clear to manage it.”
Feeney pursed his lips and started down the drive. “I’ll see what we can do about that.”
She went in at ten. It was best, she’d decided, not to cut it too close to the deadline. The old brownstone was lovely, in perfect repair. The security cameras and sensors were discreetly worked into the trim so as not to detract from its dignity.
As she walked to the door she was certain Palmer was watching. And that he was pleased. She gave the overhead camera a brief glance, then bypassed the locks with her master.
She closed the door at her back, heard the locks snick automatically back into place. As they did, the foyer lights flashed on.
“Good evening, Dallas.” Palmer’s voice flowed out of the intercom. “I’m so pleased you could make it. I was just assuring Doctor Mira that you’d be here soon so we could begin our end-of-year celebration. She’s fine, by the way. Now, if you’d just remove your weapon—”
“No.” She said it casually as she moved forward. “I’m not stripping down for you, Dave, so you can take me out as I come down the stairs. Let’s not insult each other.”
He laughed. “Well, I suppose you’re right. Keep it. Take it out. Engage it. It’s fine. Just remember, D
octor Mira’s fate is in your hands. Come join us, Lieutenant. Let’s party.”
She’d been in the house before, when she interviewed his parents. Even if the basic setup hadn’t come back to her, she’d taken time to study the blueprints. Still, she didn’t move too quickly, but scanned cautiously for booby traps on the way through the house.
She turned at the kitchen, opened the basement door. The sound of cheering blasted up at her. The lights were on bright. She could see streamers, balloons, festive decorations.
She took her weapon out and started down.
He had champagne chilling in a bucket, pretty canapés spread on silver trays on a table draped with a colorful cloth.
And he had Mira in a cage.
“Lieutenant Dallas.” Mira said it calmly, though her mind was screaming. She’d been careful to call Eve by her title, to keep their relationship professional, distant.
“Doctor.” Palmer clucked his tongue. “I told you I’d do the talking. Lieutenant, you see this control I’m holding. Just so we understand each other right away, if I press this button, a very strong current will pass through the metal of the doctor’s temporary home. She’ll be dead in seconds. Even with your weapon on full, I’ll have time to engage it. Actually, my nervous system will react in such a way to the shock that my finger will twitch involuntarily, and the doctor, shall we say, is toasted.”
