She reached up for her mother’s hand. “Used that ‘watch it, kid’ mom tone, then ignored him. It worked on him just like it worked on us, and he got sulky, then cooperative.”
“How did you get him to take the keys, the ’link, the rest out and leave it where you could reach it?”
“I said we’d play a game. He was still in creepy kid mode, so he jumped on it. A memory game—I’ve got a good one.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
“I’d close my eyes and he’d take everything out of his pockets and put it on that little table he’d bolted down. I got to look for, like, three seconds, then if I couldn’t name everything, he got a cookie.”
“A cookie?”
“It worked. I wanted to see what he had, what I could use if I could get to it. So I lost on purpose, and he went tearing over to get the cookie. That’s when the buzzer—the doorbell—went off.”
She ran through the rest up until she’d managed to unlock the shackles, grab the Taser and the police had come in.
“Then I cried all over Detective Jenkinson, you came down, and they took me out. Detective Reineke found me some tissues.”
Eve sat back. “You’re in marketing, right?”
“Yeah.”
“If you ever want to change careers and try the cops, I’ll get you into the Academy and into this division.”
Mary Kate gave a watery laugh. “I think I’ll stick with marketing.”
“I may have follow-up questions tomorrow, but you should go home, get some rest. I can arrange for transportation.”
“We have cars.” Ms. Covino rubbed her daughter’s shoulders. “We’ll all go to the house tonight, everyone. You, too, Cleo. We’ll have a lot of wine.”
“We’ll talk soon, Mary Kate.”
She nodded at Mira. “Yes, thank you. And thank you,” she said to Louise.
“Glad to help. Use the medication I gave you and change the bandages in the morning. The piercings will close, but if you have any issues, contact me or your family doctor.”
“I will.” Rising, she reached out, took both of Eve’s hands. “Don’t let the little boy fool you. He’s as vicious as the man.”
“I know. I’d tell you to take care of yourself, but you’ve already proven you know how.”
When they’d all filed out, Eve sat. “Louise, is she as stable physically as she looks?”
“She needs about twelve hours’ natural and deep sleep, probably another few good meals—and the wine won’t hurt. If she’s vigilant about the medication and bandage changes, she shouldn’t have any scarring, or very minimal.”
“She’ll be vigilant. Dr. Mira?”
“Strong-willed. She’ll have some bad moments—but the support of family, of friends will help. And she’s very open to counseling.”
“Will she handle giving testimony in court if this goes to court?”
“I have no doubts there. Strong-willed,” Mira repeated.
“Good. Louise, I’m cutting you loose.”
“Happy to be cut loose.”
“Charles is probably in my office, waiting for you.”
“I’ll find him. Let’s all take a page from the Covinos and have a lot of wine sometime soon.”
When Louise left, Eve got up, uncloaked the board.
“You’ve had a very long day,” Mira pointed out.
“I think I can finish it by finishing him. Not by punching him several times the way Ms. Covino might like, but in the box, within the law. I can get to him. Both sides of him. I could use your help.”
“You have it. What do you have in mind?”
“Let me get Peabody in here, and we’ll talk it through.”
22
After she had Dawber brought up, Eve let him cook in the box for about forty minutes, while she conferenced with Mira and Peabody, and Reo by remote.
She put her heel down hard on the possibility of a deal, and got no substantial argument from the APA. They had a witness in Covino with a strong handle on details, and an entire mountain range of evidence.
The sticking point was, and would be, if Dawber proved mentally capable of understanding his crimes, and could be held responsible for them.
With what continued to come in from the search of his house, the updates on his electronics from EDD, Eve pushed hard on the: Hell yes.
In her office, Eve put together a few fat files to take into Interview. Peabody would take in the box of carefully selected evidence removed from his residence. And Mira would serve as the expert shrink, evaluating Dawber’s mental status.