The in Death Collection Books 11-15 - J. D. Robb [681]
Galahad inched toward the table, the plates. Roarke merely gave him one cool look. The cat shot up a leg and began to wash as if that had been the plan all along.
“And I’ve taken separate precautions,” he continued, “based on the shield we’ve been working on in the lab. I can’t give you a hundred percent guarantee, but unless they upgrade and modify what they’ve used to date, no. They can’t infect this system.”
“Let me take it in another direction. If there was an attempt to infect, can you rig some alarm, some detector, whatever, to alert us to it, maybe track the source?”
“You interest me, Lieutenant. I’ve already started working on that. It can’t be done with any real success until we complete the full ID. But your lab rats have been devising some creative options. Jamie’s particularly skilled in this area. I swear, if the boy wasn’t determined to be you, he’d make his first billion before . . . well, before I made mine.”
“If you could track it from this system, would you be able to track it back from one of the infected units?” She saw the look on his face. “Okay, so I’m one step behind the master geek plan. You get me that today, I might just dig up a pair of garters.”
“I want the corset, too. And the shoes.”
“You get me a source location, you get the shoes.”
“I’m really starting to like this job. You have to wear the shoes the whole time we—”
“Let’s not push it, pal.” She rose. “I’m going to make this call from my office.”
She closed her door. Though she wasn’t sure of Whitney’s schedule, she assumed he was already on the way in from Westchester. She tried his car ’link, and didn’t mind admitting to herself that she’d timed it so she didn’t have to tag him at home and chance dealing with his wife.
“Whitney.”
“Sir. There’s been a development in the investigation that requires your attention, and I believe Chief Tibble’s.”
“What development?”
“I don’t believe I can discuss this over ’link, Commander. My judgment puts this at Code Five.”
She saw his eyes narrow. Code Five meant complete media block, and all departmental records would be sealed during the investigation.
“Are you at your home office?”
“Yes, sir. I can be at Central in—”
“No. The chief is closer to you than downtown. For that matter, at this point, so am I. I’ll contact him. Expect us within thirty minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Has your team been informed of this development?”
“No, sir. Just the expert consultant who was working with me when this new development surfaced.”
“Keep it that way for now. Out.”
Even as the screen blanked, there was a quick knock on her door. Nadine burst in.
“Damn it, Nadine, when I close a door it’s because I want it closed. I don’t have time for the media. Go away.”
“Don’t be so hasty.” She closed the door at her back, then crossing the room at a clip, tossed a disc to Eve. “I went to a lot of trouble to get that to you and I don’t want anyone to know you got it from me.”
“Why, and what is it?”
“Why, because it could be perceived as taking media/police relations one step too far. I’ve a strong feeling the bosses at 75 would think so. What it is, is a copy of the home vid 75 bought after what I’m told was a rapid and lively negotiation from a tourist. A tourist who was taking a spin on an airtram when Nick Greene ran out on his balcony. They’re going to air at nine, sharp. I wanted to give you a heads up.”
“Channel 75 is going to air a guy killing himself?”
“I’m not saying I approve. I’m not saying I disapprove. This hits at nine, it’s going to be big. What I will say, for your ears only, is I disapprove of going public with it without informing the police first. The vid doesn’t change the outcome, the investigation, but I don’t like the way it might stir up more support for Purity. So I’m giving you time to structure a response.”
“Have you looked at this?” Eve held up the disc.
“I ran it on my way over. It’s grim, it’s ugly. And it makes Greene look like a monster. It’s going to be easy to look at it and think: Thank God he’s dead.