Free Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb Page A

out.”
    â€œThat’s how I see it,” Eve agreed, “right now anyway. Her family’s going to contact you about seeing her.”
    â€œI spoke with them last evening. They’ll be in mid-morning. I’ll take care of them.”
    â€œI know you will.”
    Turning away from Wyman, Eve studied the other victims. “If there was a specific target, I think it was the second victim.”
    â€œMichaelson.”
    â€œYeah. But that’s just theory, just gut. I’ve got nothing to hang it on.”
    â€œAs your gut’s generally reliable, and in much better shape than Michaelson’s, I’ll keep that in mind when I examine him.”
    â€œHe knew what hit him. According to the wits who tried to help him, he was conscious, alive, at least for a minute or two.”
    â€œAn agonizing minute or two,” Morris added, nodding. “That would be part of the reason for your gut on him.”
    â€œPart of it.”
    â€œI noted in your report you’re consulting with Lowenbaum. I’ll copy him on all findings.”
    â€œAffirmative. How many LDSK investigations have you worked?”
    â€œThis would be my third—and first as chief ME.” With his own goggles lowered, he gave her a friendly look out of long, dark eyes. “I’ve got, what, about ten years on you?”
    â€œI don’t know. Do you?”
    He smiled at her, knowing that, especially for a cop, she took great care not to intrude in the personal business, or into the personal data, of colleagues.
    â€œRoughly ten, which makes us both a bit young for any real memories of the Urbans, when such things were all too common. Technology that creates the weapons used on these three people increases what we’ll call the science of the kill. And restrictions on those weapons decrease the accessibility, and the use of them for that purpose.”
    â€œBut sooner or later.”
    â€œYes, sooner or later. I don’t know a great deal about this sort of weapon, but I’ll learn.” He looked down at Ellissa again. “So we can do our best for her, and the others.”
    â€œI’ll go see if Dickhead knows as much about laser weapons as Lowenbaum says he does.”
    â€œGood luck. Oh, Garnet tells me you’re having drinks.”
    â€œWhat? Who?”
    â€œDeWinter.”
    â€œOh, DeWinter.” Dr. DeWinter, Eve thought, forensic anthropologist. Smart, a little annoying.
    â€œWe’re friends, Dallas—without any added benefits.”
    Uneasy, Eve stuck her hands in her pockets. “Not my business.”
    â€œYou were there for me when I lost Amaryllis, and being there helped me through the darkest days of my life. So while it might not be your business, I understand it’s your concern. We like each other’s company, particularly without the tension of ‘Will there be sex?’ In fact, she and Chale and I had dinner last night.”
    â€œThe priest, the dead doctor, and the bone doctor.”
    Now he laughed, and Eve felt herself relax. “Quite the trio when you look at it that way. In any case, she mentioned she’d talked you into having a drink.”
    â€œMaybe. Sometime.” At his arched eyebrows, she hissed. “Yeah, okay, I owe her for cutting through a lot of red tape. Did she put you up to poking me on it?”
    He only smiled. “You’ll see her at Bella’s party.”
    â€œShe’s— How’d she get into Mavis’s kid’s deal?”
    â€œWhen it comes to poking, Mavis is a charming expert. She gives me one every few weeks, just to be sure I’m not wallowing. The four of us went to the Blue Squirrel a couple weeks ago.”
    â€œYou went to the Blue Squirrel . . . on purpose?”
    â€œIt’s an experience. In any case, she and Leonardo invited Garnet, and her daughter, to the party. It promises to be quite the event.”
    â€œYou say that like