Page 62 of Fury In Death

“Okay.” With a nod, Nadine took a slow sip. “I’ll be all surprised with you.”

“Wyst became uncooperative, had the investigators removed from the building by security with orders to bar them from entering again.”

“Oooh.” Nadine let out a laugh. “Someone’s either very, very stupid, or very, very scared.”

“Wyst then attempted to pressure Chief of Police Tibble into reprimanding and removing the primary from the investigation. And has accused her of attempting to enhance her husband’s—that would be Roarke—business interests by pursuing a connection of Banner-Wyst to the brutal murders of two of its key and longtime employees.”

“Wow. Okay, stupid and scared. Do you suspect Wyst killed them?”

“No, I suspect—strongly, off the record—he’s a future target. Lieutenant Dallas will proceed . . . You should ask me how I intend to proceed.”

“All right. On record.” Nadine took a recorder out of her elephant-sized handbag. She switched it on.

“Lieutenant Dallas, in light of this lack of cooperation from the victims’ employer, Banner-Wyst, and the accusations levied by Jacob Wyst against your integrity, how do you plan to proceed with this investigation?”

Pleased, Eve shot out a finger. “Yeah, see, that’s good. Lieutenant Dallas, Detective Peabody, and the NYPSD will proceed with any and all avenues of inquiry pertinent to the investigation of the murders of Lawrence Chu and Ezra Dent. The NYPSD does not, and will not, compromise its duty, regardless of attempts by wealth and influence demanding it does so. Lawrence Chu, Ezra Dent, and those they left behind deserve our best, and that’s exactly what they’ll get.”

Nadine shot out a finger in turn. “Yeah, see, that’s good. Follow-up?”

“Okay, quick. I need to get back to it.”

“Lieutenant, how do you respond to the implication you might weigh this investigation in order to damage one of your husband’s business competitors?”

“It wasn’t an implication, since it was said straight out. I say beyond the insult to me, my badge, to this department, to Roarke and his business acumen, it’s a sign that Jacob Wyst is worried about what Detective Peabody and I may find during the course of our investigation.”

“Is Jacob Wyst a suspect?”

Eve gave Nadine a look, got back an easy smile. But she answered. “In the murders of Lawrence Chu and Ezra Dent? No, he is not.”

“Are—”

“That’s it, pal.”

“Okay.” Nadine turned off her recorder, slipped it back into her elephant, rose. “I’m on this. I need to get back, do some research, write it up, talk to the producer. I figure a couple of hours because I’ll push it. I’ll push it because it’s a good story, and I’ll push it because he took a swipe at friends of mine.”

“He may take a swipe at you.”

“Oh, he’s welcome to try.” Her smile could have cut steel. “He may have money, but I have the First Amendment. And ratings. Add in a goddamn Oscar.

“If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you at the Big Bash.”

“Yeah, people keep saying that.”

“We dropped by to see the place, and Mavis made lemonade, Peabody made lemon bars—from actual lemons.”

“Summerset takes them over.”

“Yeah. We’re bringing potted lemon trees for both sides of the house.”

“They’ll like that. We already gave them stuff.”

“I saw. Well done, too. Later.”

Two minutes after Nadine walked out, Trueheart and Baxter came to her door.

“Got your runs,” Baxter told her, then pointed to Trueheart. “Go.”

“The assistant? Crazy smart, Lieutenant. Graduated from Brown at twenty with a double major. Business-slash-communications and biotech. Got her masters in both by twenty-two. No criminal, originally from New Hampshire. Employed by Banner-Wyst for five years. She moved up to the top floor fast. She’s got a crazy smart younger sister doing a double major at Carnegie Mellon, physics and public relations. She’s a junior, and eighteen. Oh, and the assistant volunteers at a women’s shelter two weekends a month. Yours, sir. Dochas.”