The In Death Collection Books 21-25 - J. D. Robb [213]
“Police.” Eve held up her right hand, reached for her badge with her left. “Dallas, Lieutenant Eve. My people are in five-twelve. I’m going up to check on them and the uniform on duty.”
“Lieutenant. Orders are to scan ID. So . . .”
“Good.” They were her own orders, after all. “Go ahead.”
The woman took out a hand scanner—jazzier than any police issue—verified. She tapped a button, brought Eve’s ID photo onto the scanner’s screen. Satisfied, she handed Eve her badge.
“Go ahead up, Lieutenant. Do you want me to call the uniform on duty and tell him you’re on your way?”
“No. I like surprising them.”
Fortunately for the uniform, he was at the door. They knew each other by sight, so rather than ask for ID, he simply sucked in his stomach, straightened his shoulders. “Lieutenant.”
“Bennington. Status?”
“Quiet. All the rooms this level are occupied except five-oh-five and five-fifteen. Few people in and out—shopping bags and briefcases. Not a peep out of five-twelve since I came on shift.”
“Take ten.”
“Thanks, Lieutenant. I’m relieved in thirty, so I can stand until.”
“Good enough.” She knocked, waited while someone inside checked the security peep. Zana opened the door.
“Hi. I wasn’t sure you’d be by today. Bobby’s in the bedroom talking to D.K. Do you want me to get him?”
“No need.” Eve stepped inside the little parlor. Roarke had provided what she supposed was termed an ‘executive suite,’ with a jut of kitchenette off a cozy sitting area. The bedroom was separated by a pair of pocket doors, currently shut.
“How you doing?” Eve asked.
“Better, thanks. Better.” Her cheeks pinked a little. She fluffed nervously at the long waves of her sunny hair. “It occurred to me that you’ve mostly seen me hysterical. I’m not usually. Really.”
“You had reason.” Eve scanned. Privacy screens engaged. Good. Entertainment screen on some sort of girlie talk show. No wonder Bobby had the doors shut.
“Can I get you something? The kitchen’s got a good supply.” She smiled wanly. “No need to run out for bagels. I can get you coffee or—”
“No, that’s okay.”
“It’s a nicer room than the other. Terrible way to get it.”
“No point in being uncomfortable and uneasy.”
“No. No, I guess not.” She turned her wedding ring around and around on her finger. Another nervous habit, Eve thought. There was a ring with a little pink stone on her right hand, and the same pink stone, as studs, in her ears.
They matched her lip dye, Eve noted. How—and why—did women think of that kind of detail?
“I’m so glad you got my purse back. It had all my stuff, pictures and ID and this new lip dye I just bought, and . . . God.” She rubbed her hands over her face. “Want to sit down?”
“For a minute. You’ve known Bobby and D.K. awhile.”
“Since I started working for them. Bobby, he’s just the sweetest thing.” She sat, brushed at the thighs of her pants. “I fell right off. He’s a little shy, you know, with women. D.K. was always teasing him.”
“Bobby mentioned that D.K. and Trudy didn’t get along.”
“Oh, well.” Zana’s color resurfaced, just a little. “Mostly D.K. just kept his distance. Kind of a personality clash, I guess. Trudy, she’d just say what she was thinking, right out. And sometimes, well, people got a little offended.”
“You didn’t?”
“She’s—she was—the mother of the man I love. And she raised him single-handed.” Her eyes went starry. “Raised such a good man. I didn’t mind her giving me advice. I’ve never been married before, after all, or kept a home. Anyway, Bobby knew just how to handle her.”
“Did he?”
“He’d just tell me to nod and go along, then do what I wanted.” Zana laughed, then covered her mouth with her hand as if to smother the sound. “That’s what he did, mostly, and there was hardly ever a cross word between them.”
“But there were some.”
“Little spats now and then, like families have. Eve—is it all right if I call you Eve?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Do you think we can go home soon?” Her lips trembled before she pressed them together. “I was so excited about coming here, seeing