“What’s going to happen?”
“We’re going to do our jobs, and you’re going to help. And you?” Eve shifted to Sebastian. “I need the location where this other kid found her. Exact location, exact—or as close as you can get—time.”
“A building on Watts off Hudson—condemned. I’ll get you the precise location. Mouser brought Dorian in yesterday, about eleven in the morning. She was feverish, dehydrated. She had a concussion, a severely sprained ankle, and a dislocated knee. We got her medical attention. Yes,” he said before Eve could speak, “you would say we should have taken her to a hospital or health center, but she was terrified, and said no. My sense was she hadn’t had a choice before, and I gave her one.
“She remembered nothing at first,” he added. “Then remembered her name. Her first name. She came to you of her own volition when she remembered the rest.”
“No, I didn’t. Not really,” Dorian said. “I didn’t want to, but Sebastian said I had to honor my friend. Honor Mina, and help the others. If you’re mean to him, I won’t talk to the artist person. I just won’t.”
“You will,” Sebastian corrected, “because you’re not going to let all the other girls go through what you and Mina did. So you will. Don’t disappoint me, Dorian.”
“We’re going to start with this. Peabody, contact Yancy, see when he can work with Dorian. Contact Feeney, have him factor in what we’ve got. Piles of old wood, possible construction site or derelict buildings, tunnels.”
“I’m on it.” Peabody rose. “Dorian, what Roarke said—about being brave. It’s true. You’re doing the hard here.”
When Peabody left, Eve pulled out her PPC. “I want to show you some pictures.”
“Why don’t I set up the screen,” Roarke began, “so she can see them that way? It’ll be clearer than your portable.”
“Great, do that.”
Dorian sent Roarke a look as he walked over to the wall screen. “He can do that? He’s wearing a suit and stuff.”
“He can do that. He’s wearing a suit because he can do that and a lot more. Let’s take a walk.”
“I’m not leaving Sebastian.”
“Just outside. He has my word, and so do you.”
“Her word’s as good as they come,” Sebastian assured Dorian. “Remember the girls behind the wall. Go with the lieutenant, and listen.”
He got an eye roll, but Dorian walked out with Eve.
“I’m going to show you those photos. But until we get to that, do that listening thing.”
Eve looked out at the gardens already just beginning, at the play area just cleared, at the tumble of rocks and lines of pipes that would be, she knew, Peabody’s water feature.
Home was where you made it.
“You can’t go back with Sebastian.”
“I can do what I want.”
“No, you really can’t, but— Shut the hell up and listen. But I can give you some damn good choices. First, I’m going to make sure you never have to go back to your mother. I can find a way around you going into foster if you’re against it. I said shut up,” she repeated when Dorian started to interrupt. “I was in the system once—it can work, but it depends on who’s in charge. Now I am the system, so I’m going to make it work for you.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s my job. And because I’ve been where you are.”
“How?”
“Not your business, so that’s all you get.”
Eve turned, stared into the young defiance.
“They’re after you, know that, fear that, and believe me. If they find you, they’ll do one of two things. Kill you outright, or sell you. Either way, you’re done. That’s not going to happen.”
“There’re more of them than you.”
“You think it’s just me? I’m in charge, and there’s not a cop under me who wouldn’t put his life on the line for you. And one of your choices is a safe house—a place to stay where they can’t find you, with cops I pick to watch out for you. That’s one choice. I got another, and if you’re smart, you’ll grab it.”
“What?”
“There’s a school.”
“Like they won’t find me in a school. Jesus.”
“They won’t in this one. The guy in the suit? He started it, and what he doesn’t know about security doesn’t exist. It’s a damn good place, and the woman in charge? She’s the opposite of Auntie. You have to have a cop go in with you, and you’re going to give your word—you break it, I bust Sebastian—you won’t leave the building until I take down these fuckers.”