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“Dark.” She lifted a shoulder. “Didn’t pay much attention, but they looked like good stuff—quality—so I figured they had fee and tip on them. Had bags, too, on long straps.” She held her hands about a foot apart. “ ’Bout that big. Now I’m thinking, one of the bags bumped me when they walked by. Felt solid, and that’s when I smelled the blood.”
“Which way were they walking, west or east?”
“West, heading on over toward Broadway. One of ’em had a hitch in his stride.”
“Meaning?”
“Gimpy. Limping some. Like his leg was paining him or his shoes didn’t fit right.”
Got one of them, Preston, Eve thought. Gave them a little pain. “Hair color, distinguishing marks, anything else?”
“I don’t know.”
Eve drew herself back. If she pushed too hard, the woman could start making things up, just to fill in the blanks. “Do you think you’d recognize them if you saw them again?”
“Might.”
“I’d like you to work with a police artist.”
“No shit. Never did that before. I must’ve given you good stuff.”
“Maybe. Good enough I’ll fix your license.”
“You’re stand-up. I don’t do girls as a rule, but you want a bang sometime, I’ll give you a freebie.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Meanwhile, I need you to stay here while I arrange for an artist.”
“I don’t gotta go back to the tank?”
“No.” As she rose, Eve decided she could do one better. “There hasn’t yet been a reward posted, but there will be by morning. There’s a standard reward in cases of cop killing. If this information you’ve given us leads to an arrest, I’ll see that you get it.”
This time Ophelia’s jaw dropped. “You are shitting me.”
“We appreciate your cooperation.”
The minute they stepped out, Peabody clutched a hand on Eve’s arms. “That’s the real deal, Dallas. She saw them.”
“Yeah, she did. Goddamn street hooker. You just never know.” Eve nodded as Jannson came out of Observation. “Nice work, Detective.”
“Back at you, sir. You drew that out of her like it was candy tied to a string. I can arrange for the artist.”
“Tag Yancy, he’s the best. Call him in. I don’t want this leaking to the media as yet. And the LC’s name is now Jane Doe on any and all records.”
“On that.”
Eve turned to Peabody. “I want her to stay in Central. I don’t want her back on the street. They get wind, they’ll find her. She gets out, she’ll tell anyone who’ll listen. No safe houses. We put her up in one of the cribs here. Get her whatever she wants, within reason. Let’s keep her happy.”
“On that,” Peabody said and returned to the interview room.
As she headed to her office, Eve yanked out her pocket ’link. Roarke’s face filled the screen so quickly, she knew he’d been waiting.
“I may not make it home for a while. I got something.”
“What can you tell me?”
“Street LC, tried to solicit them a couple of blocks from the scene. I’ll fill you in later, but I’ve got her here, bringing Yancy in to work with her. I’m going to stick, see if we can get a good picture.”
“What can I do?”
