The In Death Collection Books 26-29 - J.D. Robb [278]
“I can’t just—”
“Don’t tell me what you can’t. Make it work. Get back to me.” Eve clicked off, contacted Mira’s office. “I don’t care what she’s doing,” Eve began when the ferocious admin answered. “I need to speak with her now. Put me through, or I’m coming down there.”
The screen went to hot, waiting blue.
Moments later, Mira came on. “Eve?”
“I need you in Observation,” Eve began, and explained. “Maybe I’m wrong,” she added. “You’ll know if I’m wrong.”
“I can be there in about twenty minutes.”
“I’ll wait for you.”
She made the last call to Feinburg, and set in motion the last of her plan. When Reo tagged her back, Eve grabbed the ’link.
“I’m on my way. Immunity isn’t out of the question, but I need more information.”
“The wit was approximately seventeen years old, and a member of the Soldados when the bombings in 2043 occurred.”
“Jesus, Dallas, if he was part of that—”
“I believe his part, if any, was minor, and after the fact. And that he can give us information on the major players. Later today, I’m going to be picking up the only one of them I believe is still alive, as part of the St. Cristóbal’s arrest. They could skate on this anyway, Reo, but what he gives me would be another nail for you to hammer.”
“The Clemency Order’s a murky area as it was revoked. If a suspect wasn’t arrested and charged during the time it was in place, and information after its repeal—”
“Don’t lawyer me, Reo. You’re going to give my wit immunity.” No, she couldn’t stop them all, Eve thought. She couldn’t save them all. But she could save some. “I’m not taking this guy down for it.”
“What’s the wit’s name?”
“It’s going to be Mr. X until you give me the damn immunity.”
“Goddamn it, what is he, your brother? All right, conditional immunity. If he did murder, Dallas, I’m not giving him a wash.”
“Good enough.”
“I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“Interview B. You may want to clear your slate for the rest of the day. It’s going to be a long one.”
She swung out, met up with Peabody, and went in to talk to Joe Inez.
“Record on. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve, and Peabody, Detective Delia, in interview with Inez, Joe, and Inez, Consuela. I’m going to read you your rights at this time.” Once she had, she sat at the table across from them. “Do you both understand your rights and obligations in this matter?”
“Yeah, I do, but Connie isn’t involved.”
“This is for her protection. Mr. Inez, have you come in to interview of your own volition?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“I’d like you to tell me, for the record, why you chose to come in and make a statement today.”
“I . . . I did a lot of things I’m not proud of, in the past. But I got a family. I’ve got three kids, three boys. If I don’t do what’s right, how am I supposed to tell them they have to do what’s right?”
“Okay. Do you want something to drink?”
“I—no.” Obviously flustered, he cleared his throat. “I’m good.”
“Mrs. Inez?”
“No, thank you. We just want to get this over with.”
“Tell me what happened, Joe. What happened back in the spring of 2043?”
“Ah, most of us, even if we didn’t go to the school, went to the dances. Maybe to dance, or pick fights, do some dealing, look for recruits.”
“Who are we?”
“Oh. The Soldados. Lino and Steve were co-captains then. Well, Lino mostly ran the gang. Steve was more muscle. Lino wanted more recruits, and he figured you got more recruits when you had trouble. When you had, like, a common enemy. He talked like that,” Joe added. “But I didn’t know, I swear to God, I didn’t know, until later.”
“Didn’t know what?”
“The bomb. I didn’t know. I’d been a member for about a year, year and a half, and