Or maybe Supervisor of All.
He did something with those long, clever fingers to something inside the open studs. “Try it now, Ian.”
“And we are up! We are green all the way! Woot! My man!” He gave Roarke a high five, then offered his palm for a low one to Leonardo. “This system will rock it up, down, sideways, inside, and out.”
“And the house, the grounds, my girls, they’ll be safe.”
“They will, yes.” Roarke gave Leonardo a pat on the shoulder. “I promise you.”
“That’s all that matters.”
Roarke looked through the studs, the odd wire, and smiled at Eve right up into those wonderful wild blue eyes. “Nothing matters more. Lieutenant.”
“He’s not going to look at Mavis,” Eve said as she walked forward. “I’ve got a line on him, and she doesn’t fit. I just want to be careful.”
Leonardo crossed to her, folded her in. “They’re my world.”
“They’re a really big chunk of mine. Just steer clear of the playground until we’ve got him.”
“We will. Bella’s so in love with the house, it’s her playground for now.”
“Job Boss,” Eve said, adding a smile in hopes it took the worry from his eyes. And it did.
“She runs the show. We’ve got wine. I’ll go open a bottle.”
She started to beg off. She wanted to get home, get back to work—but she caught Roarke’s eye.
“Sure. We’ll have a glass before we take off. Everything echoes.”
“Sometimes Mavis wanders around singing. It’s wonderful. I can already see us here. I already see it.”
Eve slowed her pace so she fell well behind Leonardo and McNab. “I really can’t stay long. There’s another missing woman, and he has her.”
“We won’t.” Roarke took her hand. “They need this, need just a moment with you here.”
She did her best to shift gears. “Can you already see it?”
“Actually, I can. It’s going to be a colorful, creative, and surprisingly functional home.”
“And safe.”
“Safe as our own. Trust me on that.”
“I do.”
When they reached the kitchen area, McNab poured wine into disposable cups, and Leonardo mixed some sort of sparkling drink for Mavis.
“To welcoming friends who are family into our home.” Leonardo hauled Bella onto his hip, handed her a sippy cup.
“And when it’s finished,” Mavis continued, “Leonardo, Bella, Peabody, McNab, and me? We’re going to throw the mother of all parties.”
Eve watched Bella’s eyes go dreamy as she sucked on the little protrusion on the side of the cup. “What’s in that thing?”
“Water.” Leonardo nuzzled his girl. “With a vitamin fizzy tab.”
Conversation headed into tile samples, and choices of sinks, and, oddly to Eve, doorknobs. She didn’t object when Mavis tugged her outside.
“I know you gotta book it.”
“Yeah, but when you throw the mother of all parties, I’m going to use the power of my will to put a moratorium on all homicides, suicides, and suspicious deaths for one damn night.”
“Bet you will. Don’t worry about me, Dallas. I’m heading out tomorrow for a gig in Atlanta the next night. Security team’s with me,” she added. “And because he’s still a little freaked, Leonardo’s going, too.”
“I’m sorry I freaked him.”
“He freaks if I break a nail these days. My honey bear loves me. And don’t be sorry, it means Bella’s going so I don’t have to miss her for a couple of days. I’m going to miss this, though—the house, the crew, the big magalicious mess of it. I’m so into it. Who’da thought, right? But the gigs are part of why I have it to get so into. I feel abso-poso forking serene.”
She turned to Eve, beaming. “Another who’da thought.”
“It looks forking good on you.”
“Totally does.”
When Mavis wrapped an arm around Eve’s waist, Eve took the moment. And gave it.
When the moment passed, she left her friends with their tile samples and doorknobs.
Roarke drove home so she could check on any progress.
“No other witnesses popping up.” She frowned at her ’link. “We were lucky to hit on one with Hobe.”
“I take it Hobe’s the missing woman.”
“Yeah. We coordinated with the detective who caught the Lauren Elder case when she was reported missing. I had him and Peabody do searches for others in that age group, with that basic physical description.”