The In Death Collection Books 6-10 - J. D. Robb [552]
Obligingly, Roarke took the communicator and shut it down. “There, before you ask your superior to join the drunken revelry.”
“Jesus, I can’t believe I said that.” She stepped out into the teeth of the wind, winced against the brilliant spin of lights from landing copters. She rubbed a hand over her face as the teams began to leap out and race toward the statue. “Let’s get out of here before I say something else stupid.”
By the time they dragged each other into the jet-copter, she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a corner, any corner, and sleep for a week. Yawning, she turned her head and looked at Roarke as he took the controls. He was bloody, torn, and gorgeous. Through the fatigue, the worry, she grinned.
“Roarke? Nice working with you.”
His eyes glinted wild and blue and his grin flashed in return as the jets roared to life. “My pleasure, Lieutenant. As always.”
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s Imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
The Penguin Putnam Inc. World Wide Web site address is
http://www.penguinputnam.com
Witness in Death
J. D. Robb
Contents
chapter one
chapter two
chapter three
chapter four
chapter five
chapter six
chapter seven
chapter eight
chapter nine
chapter ten
chapter eleven
chapter twelve
chapter thirteen
chapter fourteen
chapter fifteen
chapter sixteen
chapter seventeen
chapter eighteen
chapter nineteen
chapter twenty
chapter twenty-one
chapter twenty-two
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
WITNESS IN DEATH
A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with the author
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002 by Nora Roberts
This book may not be reproduced in whole or part, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.
For information address:
The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
The Penguin Putnam Inc. World Wide Web site address is http://us.penguingroup.com
ISBN-10: 978-1-1012-0374-3
A BERKLEY BOOK®
Berkley Books first published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY and the “B” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Putnam Inc.
Electronic edition: October, 2003
The play’s the thing.
—WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
This reasonable moderator, and equal piece of justice, Death.
—SIR THOMAS BROWNE
chapter one
There was always an audience for murder.
Whether it took its form in horror or glee, in dark humor or quiet grief, mankind’s fascination with the ultimate crime made it a ripe subject for exploration in fact and in fiction.
At its bottom line, murder sold tickets and had packed theaters throughout history. Romans had pushed and shoved their way into the Coliseum to watch gladiators hack each other to bloody bits. Or, to alleviate the boredom of the day, by catching a matinee where a few hapless Christians were pitted against happy-to-oblige lions for the amusement of a cheering audience.
Since the outcome of these uneven matches was pretty much a sure bet, the crowd hadn’t packed the stands to see if maybe this time the Christians would win the day. They wanted the results and all the blood and gore they offered.
People could go home pleased that they’d gotten their money’s worth—and more, that they themselves were alive and whole. Vicarious murder was a simple way of reassuring yourself that your personal problems weren