The In Death Collection Books 16-20 - J. D. Robb [742]
“We get lucky here, you won’t have to. Every property or company I find is one away from pinning their base. Just give us some room here, Lieutenant.”
“Right, right.”
Nixie heard footsteps, crouched.
“And stop pacing about. It’s annoying. Why don’t you leave me to this for a half hour, go downstairs—or at the very least go hound someone.”
“I sent my team home. You’re what’s left for me to hound.”
“Just my lucky day.”
There was a beeping, an oath that would have gotten Nixie grounded for a month if she’d so much as thought it.
“Dallas.”
Dispatch, Dallas, Lieutenant Eve. Compromised police seal, main front entrance, Swisher murder scene.
“Goddamn kids.”
Patrol dispatched. Acknowledge you have been informed of compromise.
“Acknowledged. Have the patrol hold at scene. Have officers in light armor as precautionary measure. I want to check it out myself. ETA, ten minutes.”
Acknowledged. Seal requires replacement. Dispatch out.
“If there’s a patrol heading there, it seems unnecessary for you to go as well.”
“I chased a bunch of kids away earlier. Should’ve kicked some butt, but I didn’t want to chance another chase. If they’re inside, I want to correct that error in judgment, personally. If they’re nearby, I’m going to take a few minutes of my time to round them up, and kick said butt.”
“I’ll go with you, then.”
“Jesus, Roarke, it’s a kid butt-kicking detail. I can handle it.” There was a long pause, a hiss of breath. “Okay, okay, no unnecessary risks. I’ll catch Baxter, take him along. I need you to stay on this and coordinate with Peabody once she gets to Central.”
“Wear your vest.”
“Oh Christ!” There was a sharp thud, as if something had been kicked. “Yes, mommy.”
“And later when I take it off of you, you’ll be calling me something entirely different.”
“Ha-ha. Ten minutes there, ten back, ten to kick teenage butt. Back in thirty.”
In the hall, Nixie streaked away. With her heart drumming, she raced down the stairs, found an elevator, and ordered it to take her to the ground-floor library.
There was an outside door there, and she knew which car Dallas drove.
Eve caught Baxter on the stairs. “I need you to ride with me. Seal’s compromised at the Swisher house. I chased a bunch of teenagers away from it this afternoon. Looks like they came back. Trueheart, take the vehicle. I’ll stick your partner in a cab when we’re done slapping around a bunch of kids.” She tossed Baxter a vest. “Suit up. I take no chances.”
He started to take off his jacket.
“Upstairs. Jesus, you think I want to see what you refer to as your manly chest?” She took a small remote out of her pocket, tapped in a code.
“What’s that?”
She felt the heat rise up the back of her neck. “It’s a remote, brings my ride around on auto.”
“Sweet. Let me—”
She stuck it back in her pocket. “Just suit up, Baxter. I’d like to get this annoying little detail accomplished so I can get back to work.”
She took enough time to signal Mavis out of the parlor. “Listen, I’ve got to go out for a few, and I might be pretty jammed up when I get back. Can you keep everybody happy?”
“It’s what I do best. Hey, maybe I’ll get everybody down to the pool before we eat. That chilly with you?”
“It’s great.” She tried to envision Mavis cavorting in the water with Elizabeth and Mira. “Ah . . . But wear a suit, okay?”
Outside, Nixie dashed behind a tree when she heard the engine. She watched, breath quick and short as Dallas’s car streamed out of the garage and toward the front of the house. She watched it stop, heard locks click.
It was wrong. She shouldn’t do it. But she wanted to go home. Even for a little while. Before they sent her away, before they made her have another mom and dad.
She took one last glance toward the house, then ran for the car and crawled onto the floor of the backseat. She pulled the door shut only a moment before the door of the house opened. And she lay there, eyes squeezed shut.
“Some smooth ride you scored this time, Dallas.”
Baxter. He was nice, funny.