Page 100 of Thankless in Death

“No, ma’am, no. But I think, maybe, Mr. Rinskit doesn’t report like he’s supposed to. And maybe I shut up about it, but this was three high-end, and I just couldn’t keep shutting up. Does he have to know I told?”

She started on her nails again, her dark eyes full of worry. “If he knows I reported it after he said not to, he’ll fire me for sure. I’m going to lose my job.”

“You like your job?”

“It blows.” Juana smiled a little. “It blows wide, but I gotta work.”

“Hang on a minute.”

“McNab and two uniforms are on their way to pick up the evidence,” Peabody reported.

“Good. Arrange a voucher for Juana. A hundred for the report.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Eve held up a finger, signaling Juana to wait another minute as she pulled out her ’link.

She’d expected Roarke’s admin to pick up, but got the man himself. “Hey.”

“And a hey to you. I’m just leaving the office.”

“Oh. I’m not. I’ve got another DB, three stolen comps coming in that may help me find the route to money transferred from the DB’s account to the killer’s, and a little thing.”

“E-work, is it? I could use some recreation. Why don’t I come to you?”

“You could do that, but it would be to Feeney at this point.”

“I prefer you, but I’ll settle. What’s the little thing?”

“It’s actually why I tagged you. I want to give someone a job.”

“Doing what?”

“That’s the thing. I don’t know. And actually, I want you to give someone a job.”

His eyebrows rose. “You want me to give someone a job doing... you don’t know what?”

“What’s the point of having somebody who employs half the planet anyway if you can’t say, ‘Give this girl a job’?”

“A girl.”

“Well, early twenties. Honest, straightforward. She’s going to lose her job in a pawnshop for reporting those comps, but she came in anyway. She’s neat, clean, polite—and honest,” she repeated. “You must have something—Lower West would work best.”

He said, “Eve,” on a sigh. “Have her contact Kyle Pruett,” he began and rattled off information.

“Who is that?”

“One of the assistants in Human Resources, downtown. She’ll have to pass a background check, come in for an interview, but I imagine Kyle can find something. Give me her information, and I’ll pass it on.”

“Great. I’ll send it to you, and I’ll owe you.”

“You certainly will.” But he smiled at her. “I’m on my way to you, via Feeney.”

Satisfied, she turned back to Juana. “Peabody, did you get all Juana’s information?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Send it to Roarke.” The look she sent Peabody cut off any questions. “Juana, I need you to note something down.”