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“If that’s the word. Pike’s left as patsy, with that trigger still cocked in his head. The pain’s impossible, and trying to remember takes it up to excruciating.”
“I believe if you hadn’t gotten them to me, into a controlled, medical environment when you did, they’d have ended it as the desk clerk did. I’ve had to use that pain to try to get to the trigger. It’s . . . difficult.”
Understanding, Eve moved to Mira’s AutoChef. “What’s that tea you’re always drinking?”
Mira managed a smile. “It varies. I think jasmine would be nice. Thank you.”
Eve programmed a cup, brought it to Mira, took a seat. “You’re not hurting them. You know that. The one who cocked the trigger is.”
“They, both of them, begged me to kill them.” Mira sipped the tea, then eased wearily back in the chair. “It’s taken hours for me to find the right method to dial the pain down. Not turn it off, not yet, but lower it from inhuman to hideous. Enough that Jack remembered a little. He remembered that Dr. Pratt called him into his office at the end of the day. He’s not sure of the time, it’s cloudy, but thinks it was after his last patient. Pratt gave him a cup of coffee, and after he drank it, it’s more jumbled. He remembers being in a limo with Collins and Ava. He thinks there were more. I recorded everything, of course. He remembers having sex with Ava.”
“Does he remember the murder?”
Her eyes troubled, Mira shook her head. “He’s suppressing. Even without the trigger, his mind’s not ready to go there. He next remembers waking in a bed, covered with blood, and a woman he called Leah sitting beside him, crying.”
“Leah Burke. Good, that’s good. I can break her, and she’ll take them all down with her.”
“It wasn’t just a young woman killed in that suite, Eve. Parts of the two people I have sedated and restrained for their own safety were murdered in there. When I find the way to remove the trigger and they remember what was done, their part in it however unwilling, they’ll never be the same.”
“You’ll help them deal with it, or find someone who’ll help them deal with it. It’s what you do.”
“Take them down, Eve. Take them down hard. When I can tell Mika and Jack that’s been done, we can start on the healing.”
In all the time they’d worked together, Mira had never asked. Eve rose. “Like you said, it’s a lovely day. Before it’s over, they’ll be down.”
As she walked out, Eve whipped out her communicator to contact Peabody. “Search warrants?”
“It’s looking good on the clinic. I just need to—”
“Put a hold on it. We’ve got a wit who puts Leah Burke in Suite 606. We’re bringing her in. Book an interview room.”
“You want me to have her picked up?”
“Here’s how it goes. Two uniforms at her door. If she’s not home yet, I need to know ASAP. She’s not under arrest, and she’s not to be read her rights. Got that?”
“Got it.”
“She’s needed down here for further questioning. That’s all they know. She’s not to be permitted to contact anyone. She’s not under arrest. I’ll finish up with the search warrants.”
Eve was still listing the names for the APA when she approached Homicide. What sounded like a small riot had her quickening her steps.
Then she smelled the pizza. “Yeah, I mean even the house in the Caribbean. I’ve got goddamn probable cause right down the line. I’ve got witness statements, and within two hours I’m going to hand you a confession on a goddamn platter that will take down every son of a bitch on the list I just gave you. They’re going to have hoodoo voodoo crap tucked away,” Eve said meeting Roarke’s eyes as she stepped into the bullpen. “Because they believe it. A dozen blades were used on the vic. We’re going to find some, most, or all of them.”
She clicked off. “Figured you’d be back around after you got your witch home.”
“You haven’t eaten.” He picked up a box of pizza while her men swarmed like ants over the five others he’d brought in. “Eat now.”
She grabbed a slice, chomped a huge bite. “Oh. God. Good.” She swallowed, took another. “I got them.”
“I can see that. Can I watch?”
She took the tube of Pepsi he offered, guzzled. “It’s a good bribe. Take Observation.”
Ten
&n
bsp; Revived and revved, Eve stood with Roarke in Observation and watched Leah pace the interview room in her smart suit.
