The In Death Collection Books 6-10 - J. D. Robb [330]
She snapped open a lighted compact, checked her face, her hair. Satisfied, she sat, crossed her silky legs. “Your hair’s a wreck, but I don’t suppose you care.”
“Let’s get it done.” Vaguely annoyed, Eve tunneled her fingers through her hair twice. Damn it, she’d had it dealt with before Christmas.
“Okay, we’re set. I’ll do the bumpers and the teases back at the station, so we’ll just go right into it here. Stop scowling, Dallas, you’ll frighten the viewing audience. This will roll on the noon report, but it’s going to take second to the weather.” And that, Nadine thought philosophically, was the breaks. She took one deep breath, closed her eyes briefly, jabbed a finger at the operator to start tape.
Then she opened her eyes, fixed a solemn smile on her face. “This is Nadine Furst, reporting from the office of Lieutenant Eve Dallas at Cop Central. Lieutenant Dallas, you are primary on a recent homicide, one that involves one of the city’s homeless who was killed a few nights ago. Can you confirm that?”
“I’m primary on the matter of the death of Samuel Petrinsky, street name Snooks, who was murdered some time during the early-morning hours of January twelfth. The investigation is open and ongoing.”
“There were, however, unusual circumstances in the matter of this death.”
Eve looked steadily at Nadine. “There are unusual circumstances in the matter of any murder.”
“That may be true. In this case, however, the victim’s heart had been removed. It was not found at the scene. Will you confirm that?”
“I will confirm that the victim was found in his usual crib, and that his death occurred during what appeared to be a skilled surgical operation during which an organ was removed.”
“Do you suspect a cult?”
“That avenue of investigation is not prime, but will not be dismissed until the facts warrant it.”
“Is your investigation centering on the black market?”
“Again, that avenue will not be dismissed.”
For emphasis, Nadine leaned forward just a little, her forearm resting on her thigh. “Your investigation has been, according to my sources, expanded to include the similar death of one Erin Spindler, who was found murdered several weeks ago in her apartment. You were not primary on that investigation. Why have you assumed that position now?”
“The possible connection between the cases is cause for both cases to be assigned one primary. This streamlines the investigation. It’s simply procedure.”
“Have you, as yet, established a profile of the killer or killers?”
Here, Eve thought was the point where she would walk the shaky line between departmental policy and her own needs. “The profile is being constructed. At this time it is believed that the perpetrator has well-trained medical skills.”
“A doctor?”
“Not all well-trained medical personnel are doctors,” she said briefly. “But that, too, is an avenue of our investigation. The department, and this investigator, will put all efforts into finding the killer or killers of Petrinsky and Spindler. It’s my priority at this time.”
“You have leads?”
Eve waited a beat, just one beat. “We are following any and all leads.”
Eve gave her another ten minutes, circling around and back to the information she wanted aired. There was a connection, there was medical skill, and she was focused on finding the killer.
“Good, great.” Nadine shook her hair back, rolled her shoulders. “I think I’ll snip and edit and work that into a two-parter. I need something to compete with this damn snow.” She sent her operator a warm smile. “Be a sweetheart, would you, and go on down to the van? Shoot that feed to the station. I’ll be right along.”
She waited until he was gone, then turned her sharp eyes to Eve. “Off the record?”
“On or off, I can’t give you much more.”
“You think it’s a doctor, a surgeon. A very skilled one.”
“What I think