Quinn - Iris Johansen [29]
“It looks like those reporters are on the family like locusts,” Eve said. “Can’t you keep them away from them? It nearly killed me to have to deal with them after I first lost Bonnie.”
“I can knock a couple of heads together and end up in court. I may do it. But you can’t interfere with the freedom of the press.” He stiffened as he saw someone get out of one of the squad cars. “There’s Slindak. What the hell is he doing here?” He rolled down the window. “Slindak!”
Slindak turned at his call and strode over to the car. “How did you hear about this mess, Quinn?”
“What are you talking about? Did someone leak the results on the Bristol dental records?”
Slindak shook his head. “We haven’t heard anything yet.” He glanced at Eve. “She shouldn’t be here. Those reporters are going to recognize her, and they’ll surround her like sharks. I’ll get someone to take her home. I need you inside, Quinn.”
He nodded as he jumped out of the car. “Why? What’s going on?”
“Ellen Bristol answered the phone this morning. It was a phone call from a man who claimed he was the one who killed her daughter. He told her that Janey was the victim that they found in the cave.” His lips tightened grimly. “And then he gave her details about exactly what he did to her child.”
“Oh, my God,” Eve whispered.
“She collapsed, and her husband grabbed the phone. But the man had hung up. Ellen Bristol is hysterical, and her husband isn’t much better.” Slindak muttered a curse as he heard an outcry from the reporters, who were running across the lawn toward them. “Get her out of that car and inside the house! They’ve recognized me.”
Joe was already around the car and jerking open Eve’s door. “Come on, move.”
Eve was out of the car and running toward the front door.
But she was too late. They’d recognized Eve as well. She was surrounded by reporters and photographers. Bulbs were flashing in her face. Questions were being hammered at her.
“What are you doing here, Ms. Duncan?”
“Did you receive a similar call?”
“Has your daughter’s body been found?”
“No comment.” Joe muscled his way through the mob and took her wrist and pulled her toward the front door. “She’s just here as a gesture of sympathy toward the Bristols. Now give her space, dammit.”
“Inside.” Slindak was throwing open the front door.
Joe pushed Eve over the threshold, then followed her and turned to the reporters. “You’ll get a story when we have one to give.” He slammed the door.
Eve was pressed against the wall of the foyer. She shuddered. “I felt as if they were going to devour me.”
“No wonder you were so wary of the media when I first came down here.” He turned to a tall, dark-haired officer who was standing attention just inside the living room. “Where is Mrs. Bristol?”
“Upstairs with the doctor and her husband, Agent Quinn.” The officer shook his head. “She’s in a bad way.”
“What a surprise.” Eve drew a ragged breath. “I’m surprised she’s not in the hospital. But what I want to know is how all those reporters knew about that call. Surely the Bristols didn’t phone them.”
“You’ll have to ask Detective Slindak.”
“I intend to do that,” Joe said. “Do you know when the Bristols received the call?”
“About nine forty this morning. We were called in about ten. The media started arriving about ten fifty-five. It was all happening pretty—”
“Shit.” Slindak barreled through the door and slammed it behind him. “I feel like a damned rock star. They were practically tearing me apart.” He looked at Eve. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I should be used to it. But I’m not.”
“I’ll have an officer drive you home as soon as I can.”
“No, you won’t,” Joe said. “They’ll follow and camp out. I’ll find someplace else for her.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Eve said impatiently. “What happened here? How did those reporters know that Ellen Bristol got that call?”