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“Not his apartment. There’s nothing in there. But there are other spaces in that building. Including the other half of his floor.”
“Let’s go have a look.”
“My thoughts exactly. I’ll run the address while you drive, see who rents or owns it.”
He got behind the wheel. “Backup?”
“I’ll let them know we’re taking the detour, but I don’t want to call out the troops then have this turn out to be a bust. Anyway, I think we can handle a cybergeek who kills by remote control. He’s a coward on top of . . . Stuben, Harry and Tilda, ages eighty-six and eighty-five respectively. Owners, in residence for eighteen years. Three children, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren.”
“It could be a blind.”
“Yeah.” She drummed her fingers on her thigh. “There was good security on that apartment. Two doors, both with monitors, cams, palm plates. The inside setup is probably a mirror image of Var’s. It’s worth a knock. I’ll run the other units. Maybe something will pop, but this one feels right.”
When he parked, she pulled out her communicator. “Peabody, we’re going to take a look at Var’s across-the-hall neighbors. Following a hunch.”
“Do you want me to meet you?”
“No. We’ll take our look-see. If I don’t tag you back in fifteen, send backup.”
“Copy that. Across the hall from his own place. That would be smart, now that I think of it. Dallas, why don’t you just leave the com open? I can monitor, and if I hear any trouble, I’ll release the hounds.”
“All right. While you’re babysitting us, go ahead and run the other occupants of the building. And put your com on mute. I don’t want to hear your voice coming out of my ass.” She stuck the communicator in her back pocket as Roarke chuckled.
“Let’s make this official. Record on. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve, and Roarke, expert consultant, civilian, entering Var Hoyt’s building to interview suspect’s neighbor.”
She used her master to gain entry.
“You know, if I were him, I’d have the outer security rigged to alert me if anyone bypassed the normal entry procedure.”
“Maybe. Still, he’d have to scramble to shut down operations in one space, secure it, get across the hall, unlock, get in, resecure. And when I push for another warrant, the security logs will show exactly that if so. Or we could just be interrupting an old couple’s quiet evening.”
“Maybe they’re out doing the tango and drinking tequila shots.” He sent Eve a grin. “As we will be when we reach their age. After which we’ll come home and have mad sex.”
“For God’s sake. This is on the record.”
“Yes, I know.” He stepped off with her on Var’s floor. “I wanted those future plans to be official as well.”
She aimed a smoldering look before stopping outside the entrance to the apartment across from Var’s. “He’s locked up over there. Full red. Here, too,” she noted.
She knocked, waited, with a hand resting on the butt of her weapon. She poised to knock again when the speaker clicked.
“Hello?”
The voice was female and a bit wary.
“Mrs. Stuben?”
“That’s right. Who are you?”
“Lieutenant Dallas, NYPSD.” She held up her badge so the camera could see it. “We’d like to speak with you.”
“Is there a problem? Is there something wrong? Oh my goodness! Is it one of the kids?”
“No, ma’am,” Eve began even as the locks opened, and the security went to green. “No, ma’am,” she repeated when the door opened. “This is just a routine inquiry related to an ongoing investigation.”
“An investigation?” The woman was small and slim in lounging pants and a flowered shirt. Her hair, tidy and ashy blond rode on her head like a helmet. “Harry! Harry! The police are at the door. I guess you should come in.”
She stepped back, revealing a large, comfortable living area, crowded with dust catchers and photographs. The air smelled of lavender.
