Page 71 of Devoted in Death

Eve glanced over. “That’s not a comment I get often,” she decided and bulled her way uptown.

When Eve drove through the gates Banner gave a low, through-the-teeth whistle and said, “Holy hell.”

She glanced over, saw he’d leaned forward, eyes fixed ahead.

She’d gotten used to the mass and magnificence, she admitted, but she understood absolutely the staggering impression the house made, its windows lit against the dark sky, its silhouette both powerful and fanciful with snow—white and blue in the lights—spread at its feet.

“I saw the vid,” he told her, “but it sure smacks you upside the head live and in person. Sort of like a castle, isn’t it, right inside the city.”

“He’s Irish,” Eve said, as if that explained it all.

“Biggest house I’ve ever seen.”

“Me too.” Mildly embarrassed, she pulled up, parked. “Summerset—that’s Roarke’s... man of everything,” she decided, “will have your room ready. You can get settled in, and we’ll take this in my home office.”

“Good enough. I want to say again, I appreciate this.”

“Rooms we’ve got.”

“I can sure see that.” He got out, hauled up his gear. “Biggest house I’ve ever seen,” he called out against the wind, “in the coldest place I’ve ever been to. It’s a by-God experience.”

She led the way inside, saw—as expected—Summerset in the foyer with the cat squatting beside him. They both gave Banner the eye.

“This is Deputy Banner.”

“Yes, Detective Peabody informed me. Welcome to New York, Deputy.”

“Thank you, and thanks for the room. Will Banner,” he added, stepping forward, extending a hand.

Summerset inclined his head, shook hands while the cat sniffed suspiciously at Banner’s boots.

“You’d be—what is it—Lancelot?”

“Galahad,” Eve corrected as Banner crouched, ran a hand smoothly over the cat, head to tail.

“Galahad—knew it was one of those knights. Like I said, I saw the vid. Lucky cat—two eye colors. That’s a lucky cat.”

Galahad apparently agreed as he arched under Banner’s hand, then rubbed along his leg.

“Deputy Banner will be in the Park Room.” At Eve’s blank look, Summerset smirked. “I’ll show you up.” He gestured toward the elevator. “May I help you with your bag?”

“I got it, thanks. Elevator, right in the house. Another first for me.”

“I’ll be in my office once you’ve settled,” Eve told him, a little irked that the cat padded along at Banner’s heels.

Unabashedly gawking again, Banner grinned back at Eve as the elevator doors closed him in with Summerset and the cat.

It all felt off, she decided. Not one snarly remark from Summerset—one smirk hardly counted—the cat going off without even giving her a glance.

It occurred to her that she wasn’t just used to their usual evening ritual, she liked it. So, sulking a little, she shrugged out of her coat, very deliberately hung it on the newel post before jogging upstairs.

She headed to the bedroom first. It would take Banner some time to unpack, get his bearings, so she pulled off her jacket, considered her weapon harness, then decided to leave it on.

She was debating whether to change her boots for skids when her ’link signaled.

Santiago.

“Dallas. What have you got?”