Page 48 of Framed in Death (In Death #61)

“That much money buys expertise. How about the lawyers? Would they conspire on this for a big, fat payday?”

Reo didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely not. They’ve earned their reputation, and this would ruin them.”

“Good. I didn’t think so.”

She hopped off the glides and strode straight into the bullpen.

“Court,” Baxter said, gesturing at Jenkinson and Reineke’s empty desk. Then at Carmichael’s and Santiago’s. “Follow-up. On their way back.”

She decided the hell with a conference room.

“You and Trueheart, soft clothes. Officer Carmichael! Pick two officers. I want you and them on surveillance. Visibly on surveillance. Peabody, give them printouts of Ebersole and Harper’s ID shots. I want you seen. I want you obvious.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The woman comes and goes as she pleases. If you spot or believe you spot Ebersole leaving the building, contact me. Do not move on him.”

“How’s he going anywhere?” Baxter demanded. “He’s in custody.”

“He made bail.”

“What the—”

She cut Baxter off with a look. “Soft clothes,” she repeated. “I don’t want you seen. You’re fucking invisible. If you see or believe you see Ebersole, contact me. Do not move in. Follow. Be prepared to follow a vehicle.”

“Sir, Lieutenant,” Trueheart said. “They didn’t let him out without a tracker. I mean, with all we had.”

“They didn’t, but he won’t be wearing it when he leaves the building.

And he will leave the building. If they have to exit the building on foot, they won’t leave together—she’ll go out first. He’ll be disguised.

He’ll either have a car waiting, or walk a short distance to where a car’s waiting—with her in it. ”

She shook her head. “Watch for that, but they’ll have a better way.”

When Feeney walked in, face stony with anger, she nodded. “I feel the same, but we need to set this up fast. Use Peabody’s unit, and get this on-screen.”

She handed him a disc.

“The better way. The building has underground parking. The slickest way out for him, use the penthouse’s private elevator all the way down to the waiting car. Has to be a car, as the building doesn’t have roof access for air vehicles.”

“How’d you get all this so fast?” Feeney asked as he studied the blueprints on-screen.

“Some help from the consultant. I’d like McNab, or whoever you assign, to ride with Baxter. I want to know how many people are in the penthouse at all times.”

“I’ll get you McNab.”

“Good. The Harpers have a private airstrip in their compound upstate, but that’s a long way to go, and they’re in a hurry. We factor for that, and we have a jet-copter and pilot on call, but best bet is private shuttle. Bring up the map on there, Feeney.”

When they had, Eve used her pointer. “Here are their options. Facili ties for private, long-distance shuttles. The Harpers have their own private shuttles. They have six of them. One, the one Phoebe Harper used to travel last night, is already here. They won’t use that, too easy to trace, but we factor. This station.”

She highlighted another. “It’s the closest to the penthouse.”

“Bring another in, have it ready to go.” Feeney nodded. “A lot of options to cover, kid, and if he’s managed to ditch the tracker, no way to be sure. You’re going to need more men.”

“He won’t be wearing the tracker, but he’ll be carrying one. The consultant had one on hand, one used in covert ops.”

Feeney’s face began to light up. “Damn right he did.”

“I made a stop on the way to court. She may have bought him some new ID—though he won’t need it, since she’ll take him somewhere without extradition. He’s got a real nice wallet to carry it in if so.”

“You put the tracker in the wallet.” Now Feeney grinned at her.

“It’s small, thin, almost transparent. I’ve got the code to activate. She’ll have gotten him a new ’link, the new ID most likely, a new passport, but why would she buy him a new wallet when he’s already got one with his initials engraved on it?”

“She had to work most of the night on all this,” Reo put in. “And I agree, a new wallet wouldn’t be a priority. It had to take hours and an extraordinary amount of money to do what you think she’s done since his arrest.”

“He’s her baby boy. Whether she ruined him or he came out ruined, the result’s the same. Three people are dead, and with this? She’s as responsible as he is.”

Eve thought of the long, measuring stare they’d shared in court.

“We’ll be making two arrests today.”

She checked her wrist unit. “Surveillance teams, get moving—pick up McNab and get me how many bodies are up there. Feeney, you’re going to need a portable. The van’s too slow. You’ll ride with me and Peabody.”

“So will I,” Reo said. “I need to update my boss.”

“So do I. Let’s make it fast. Peabody, while I report to the commander, inform Mira that her presence in Observation is vital when we bring Ebersole back in.”

She watched the clock as she reported to Whitney. Gauged the time as she tagged Nadine.

She would, she swore it, sew Jonathan Harper Ebersole and his mother up, and sew them up together.

And add another big, shiny bow.

She waited until Baxter checked in.

“Ebersole and Harper just arrived. They’re going into the building. McNab reports two other people already in there.”

“Stay invisible. Stay ready.”

She walked out to the bullpen. “Suspects entering the building. Two others already in the penthouse. We’re moving.”

“Already tracking him.” Feeney tapped his portable. “Signal’s clear and strong.”

“Let’s keep it that way.”

Since Santiago and Carmichael were back at their desks, she nodded to them. “Mind the store.”

She glanced at the elevators, then at Feeney.

“Can you make it go straight down, no stops?”

“Not supposed to, but in this case.” Inside, he used a swipe, then keyed in a code.

“We’ll set up close,” Eve continued. “Not too close, but close enough. People already in there, waiting for them. If he doesn’t move inside two hours…” She shook her head. “We’ve lost him.”

“We’re not going to lose him.” Feeney stood, resolute in his baggy shit-brown suit. “We’re the long arm of the fucking law.”

“Why is it one arm? You need both to be long, or at least the same length.”

“It only takes one to grab some asshole doing the crime. Then you don’t need long to cuff ’em.”

“You know what would be frosty?” Peabody held out her arms. “If cops could stretch their arms like Mr. Fantastic.”

“Who the hell is that?”

“The Fantastic Four, Dallas. Superheroes. But what would be even more iced? Having invisible capabilities. Like right now, Baxter and Trueheart could literally be invisible. Then they could stand right outside the penthouse door, follow Ebersole out, down to the car.”

“I’d rather have super speed. The older you get,” Feeney told them, “the more you appreciate super speed.”

“Like the Flash. He’s not one of the Fantastic Four,” Peabody explained.

“I’ll make a note of that.” Eve got out of the elevator.

“I’d be Wonder Woman.” Reo shrugged when Eve gave her a baffled look.

“She has an invisible plane,” Peabody pointed out.

“I wouldn’t care about that. I’d want the Lasso of Truth. And the outfit. And the body to rock that outfit. But the lasso would be priority.”

Reo settled in the back with Feeney. “I don’t get to go on busts with the long arms of the law often enough. But if I did, I’d bring my lasso.”

“Feeney.”

“I’ve got him, Dallas. He’s in the penthouse. Tracker’s moving around a lot, but in that area. He’s inside. I might shoot for the web-slinger.”

“Oh, Spider-Man!” In the front, Peabody shifted, looked back at Feeney.

“I had a serious crush on Peter Parker when I was a little girl. And now, come to think, I’ve got my own sort of Peter Parker.

I might try for Black Widow. The outfit and body again.

No superpowers, but a totally mag ass-kicker. ”

“Wouldn’t you have to kill Peter Parker first to make widow?” The minute she asked, Eve ass-kicked herself for letting them suck her in.

“She’s not that kind of widow. It’s a code name, like the poisonous spider. You should probably take her, Dallas, you’d fit. I could go with the Scarlet Witch.”

“That one’s got some issues,” Feeney reminded her.

“Yeah, but I’d overcome them. I’d make a totally extra Scarlet Witch.”

“Now that that’s settled, maybe we can all focus on stopping the evil villain and his mommy from escaping to Planet Zero. Peabody, keep tabs on the court-ordered tracker. I suggest using technology rather than your imaginary superpowers.”

“I’ve got him.”

“Wallet tracker’s still moving around,” Feeney added.

“So’s the original.”

Eve pulled into a loading zone a block from the apartment building. “Baxter, Officer Carmichael, we’re in position. McNab?”

“Still four heat sources.”

“Okay, okay, wallet tracker’s holding steady now.”

“So’s the original. Like he’s maybe sitting down or at least standing still.”

“Sitting,” McNab said. “Looks like sitting from here. One source beside him, very close. One across from him. One… looking on, I’d say.”

“They’re starting work on the tracker,” Eve muttered. “Roarke said it would be slow, tedious work to do it right, to keep it going and remove it, undamaged, at the same time.” She flicked a glance in the rearview at Feeney. “Estimate thirty to forty minutes.”

“For Roarke?” Feeney smirked, just a little.

“For an exceptional e-man who could bypass it. Either one already on the Harper payroll or a freelancer. One who’s also willing to face prison time. Aiding and abetting, accessory after the fact.”

“Works for her already if he knows the score,” Feeney concluded. “Freelancer if she didn’t want the tie-in. Still holding steady.”

“Some loyalty, maybe. And a big fat fee either way, add an escape plan to anywhere the e-man wants to go. That’s not going to happen.

“McNab, when Ebersole and his mother move out, you switch and stick with Officer Carmichael’s team. I want you on the two others. Do not arrest. Don’t move in until we have Ebersole. I’m getting you backup. Don’t lose them.”

“You’re sure they’ll leave first?” Reo asked.