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“She’s in treatment. They’re patching her up. It’s just like I told you, McNab. She’s got a deep puncture in her shoulder, but it missed the major arteries. They don’t think there’s any muscle damage. They’re going to clean it up, give her some blood and fluids, sew her up. Then they’ll probably spring her.”
She saw him stare down at her hands. She hadn’t taken time to wash the blood off. Cursing herself, she shoved them into her pockets.
“Which treatment room?”
“B. Around the corner to the left.”
He rushed off, and Eve scrubbed her hands over her face. “I can’t stay in here,” she muttered and hurried outside.
“Is it more serious than you told McNab?” Roarke asked her.
“I don’t think so. The MT seemed solid. He said it was too serious to treat and release on-scene, but not major. She lost a lot of blood.”
She stared down at her hands.
“You lost a bit yourself.” He traced his fingers over her jaw where Geller’s nails had swiped.
“It’s nothing. Goddamn it, it’s nothing.” She spun away from him, kicked the tire of an ambulance parked in the bay. “I took her in there.”
“Is she less a cop than you?”
“That’s not the point. That’s not the fucking point.” She whirled back. “I took her and six other cops in there. I made the call, I set the op. I dodged out of the way when Geller threw the scissors at me.”
Because her eyes were swimming, her voice beginning to hitch, he took her shoulders. “And Peabody didn’t move as quickly. Is that your fault?”
“It’s not about fault. It’s about reason. I took her in, took all of them in to secure and transport to medical a woman who’s probably going to die anyway. I ordered those people to put their lives on the line for her. A woman who sells little girls. Boy, that’s irony for you. I’ve got Peabody’s blood on my hands because of a woman who sells children for sex.”
She gripped his shirt, fisted her hands. “For what?” she demanded. “What’s the damn point?”
“Lieutenant.”
She jerked at McNab’s voice, turned quickly.
He’d never seen her cry before. Hadn’t known she could. “She’s awake. You were right, they’re going to spring her. They want to keep her about an hour first. She’s still a little groggy. She asked if you were around.”
“I’ll go in and see her.”
“Dallas.” McNab moved into her path, took her by the arm. “If you ask her what the point is, she’d tell you. You haven’t asked me, but I’ll tell you anyway. Because when something has to be done, we’re the ones who’re supposed to do it. I didn’t have to be there to know you went through the door first. So you already know what the point is.”
“Maybe I needed somebody to remind me.”
Roarke watched her walk back inside. “You’re a good man, Ian.” He laid a hand on McNab’s shoulders. “Let’s go buy Peabody some flowers.”
“I usually just steal them.”
“Let’s make an exception for this one.”
Chapter 21
Whitney took Eve’s report orally, in his office. She was in her shirtsleeves, and the shirt carried a small stain of dried blood.
“Has Peabody been released from the health center?”
“They were preparing to sign her out when I left. She’ll need to take a couple days’ medical leave.”
“See that she has what she needs. Dwier and Price are in custody, and will be held incommunicado until the situation is resolved. We have the location in Albany under surveillance. When you’ve cleaned up here, Donald Dukes will be taken. We agree that he shouldn’t be arrested until after your raid on tonight’s meeting?”
“Yes, sir. Dwier and Price were just soldiers. Dukes is one of the generals.” The commandant, Eve remembered. “It’s probable he remains in contact with other key members of the organization. We let him sit until we’ve broken its back. Sir, as Dwier has further implicated Mayor Peachtree, I request permission for formal questioning.”
