He stopped the car, shifted to her. “You’re going to take a breath, and you’re going to have a meal.”
“I’ll eat something after I brief Whitney. I can’t, okay, I can’t. Nothing would stay down until I know how he reacts, what he orders.”
She’d gotten paler and paler on the drive, and not just from fatigue, he knew. From the stress of blurring her rules and regs. From the sickness he imagined lived inside her from hearing Dorian’s story.
So he nodded.
“Then we’ll set up the holo first.”
“You can start on the swipe? See if you can dig anything out of it.”
“I will. But I can’t be expected to do my best work if I’m worried about you.”
“That’s a cheap way to get me to eat.”
“Not when it’s true.”
They walked inside together to the looming Summerset and the cat. Whatever Summerset started to say, he swallowed it back after one glance at Eve’s face.
“Welcome home. The pasta and meatballs is particularly good tonight.”
“Just the thing,” Roarke said as he steered Eve toward the stairs. “Thank you.”
Summerset looked down at the cat. “I expect the lieutenant could use your company. She will push herself beyond reason,” he added as the cat streaked toward the stairs.
“Let’s just get this done.” Get it over, Eve thought. “I’ll make the request, and hope he’s available.”
“He’ll make himself available when you tell him you’ve secured Dorian Gregg.”
“Yeah, I’ll lead with that.”
She used her comm, on text mode.
Commander, Dorian Gregg has been located and is now secured. I have conducted a lengthy interview, and will write up same. I would prefer to give you an oral briefing as soon as possible by holo, as I made several concessions and agreements in order to secure Gregg and obtain her full cooperation. Dallas, Lt. Eve.
Roarke handed her a glass. “Water—just water. Coffee later.”
“Fine.” She gulped it down while she studied the board and waited. “A lot of updating to do here.” Because she wanted more information, she plugged the disc on Thomas Grantly into her comp.
“The kid’s from Buffalo, for God’s sake. He—”
She broke off, read. Then sighed it out as Roarke set up for the briefing.
“Father liked to beat the crap out of the kid, and the mother. Mother liked to self-medicate. Looks like she tried to clean up a couple times, and they put the kid back with her. A lot of medical on both of them. Broken bones, concussions, then he took to burning the son. Getting back with the mother, then going on his rage-fest. Jesus, we got photos of the burns. Favored the torso, the belly. Finally got busted, he’s still in. It’s looking like the mother went back on the juice, took off. OD’d in some flophouse. When they found her—dead a couple days—ID’d her, went to look for the kid, he was gone.”
She broke off again when her comm signaled.
“Whitney says five minutes.” She took a long, slow breath. “All right, I’ve got it from here. You should hit the lab.”
“He may have some questions for me regarding the school and its security.”
“Right.”
“Stand with the board behind you, Eve.”
“What?”
“Stand with the board behind you, the young girls behind you. Stand there as you stand for them.”
17
Rather than one of his dignified suits and conservative ties, Whitney entered the holo wearing khakis and a navy golf shirt. It threw Eve off for half a beat before he spoke.
“Lieutenant, you bring welcome news.”
“Sir. Dorian Gregg, through an intermediary, sought the protection of the NYPSD, and has provided us with a great deal of vital information. She’s currently in a secured location and under the watch of two handpicked officers. Detective Yancy will meet with her at oh-nine-hundred to begin the process of identifying the female we believe is in charge of the child trafficking operation.”
Eve remained standing as Whitney took a seat.
“We installed Dorian Gregg at An Didean.”
Whitney’s eyebrows winged high. “The school? And why would you choose a civilian location, one with other minors and considerable civilian staff in residence?”
“To secure her cooperation first and foremost, Commander. Secondarily to give her both a physical and emotional break from the trauma endured over the past several months. I take full responsibility for this decision, and for giving my word, as a representative of the NYPSD, on several points. It was my call.”