Free Born in Death by J. D. Robb Page B

people, darling Eve, who enjoy and are skilled with numbers and finance who are neither stuffy nor rigid.”
    “And here I figured you were the exception to the rule. No, I’m just being pissy,” she admitted. “Feel pissy. The firm’s had their lawyers tangling up the warrant all damn day. They’ve got two employees murdered and they’re blocking me from doing my job.”
    “By doing theirs,” he pointed out. “Sorry, Lieutenant, but if they didn’t use their muscle, and the law, to do whatever possible to protect their clients’ privacy, they wouldn’t have the reputation they hold.”
    “Somebody in there knows what Copperfield and Byson knew. They were cogs, moving into the center of the wheel, but still cogs. Somebody closer in knows.”
    He cut another slice of steak. “It wouldn’t be impossible for someone with superior hacking skills to access the files on Copperfield’s office unit.”
    She said nothing for a moment because she’d thought the same. She’d considered this streamlined approach. “Can’t do it.”
    “Didn’t think you could. And the why is the same as why the firm is paying their lawyers to paper the PA. It’s the job. At this point, you aren’t aware of other lives on the line. You can’t justify the shortcut.”
    “No, I can’t.”
    “You would be, I imagine, working your way into the wheel. Copperfield’s immediate supervisor.”
    “Interviewed her, ran her. I’m not crossing her off, but if she wasn’t genuinely shocked and distressed about Copperfield’s death she’s missed her calling. Doesn’t mean she isn’t aware of, potentially, part of what Copperfield discovered. Why wouldn’t Copperfield go to her supervisor, with whom she had—allegedly—a friendly relationship? Had to assume Greene, the supervisor, knew the secret. Or was afraid of that.”
    “You’re so sure it was something discovered at the firm?”
    “It all points there. Money laundering, tax evasion, fraud, skimming? Some legit front for something not legit.” She shrugged. “Could be all manner of things. You probably know people who use the firm.”
    “I’m sure I do.”
    “Something for the back pocket,” she added. “Not just a little skimming or whatever,” she continued. “Not with the level of nerves and excitement it generated, not with the violence of the murders. A big deal. Something that drew an offer of a bribe, and ended with two deaths.”
    He considered topping off their wine, but it would be wasted. His dedicated cop wouldn’t indulge herself in a second glass if she was going back to work. “Are you looking at professional hits?”
    “Doesn’t feel like it, doesn’t look like it. And why cover that up, if so, and not go further? Make it look like burglary. Rape, personal vendetta. But it wasn’t sloppy either. When I get him, I’m going to be surprised if these were his first kills.”
    Down in her office again, she set up a board as she had at Central. With the cat ribboning between his legs, Roarke stood and watched. And studied.
    “Hot-tempered and cowardly.”
    She stopped, turned. “Why do you say that?”
    “Her face, for one. It took several blows to do that to her face. That wouldn’t have been necessary. Would it?”
    “No. Keep going.”
    Roarke lifted a shoulder. “Binding her hands and feet tightly enough to leave those bruises. That’s anger, I’d think. The burns, bottoms of her feet. There’s a meanness there. And it’s cowardly to strangle her when she was bound—same with the male victim. And the use of the stunner. It just strikes me.”
    “Struck me the same. But you missed one. He got some kick out of it. No point seeing their faces when he killed them otherwise. Makes it intimate. Not sexual, but intimate. And he pulled the tape off their mouths before he killed them. Took that extra step. It’s powerful to watch the life go out, to see it and hear it while you cause it. Could’ve done it a lot of other ways, but this