Page 122 of Thankless in Death

“He’s working his way down a list, Joe. You could be next.”

He laughed, shooting his legs out again, tossing his head back. “Please. NPW—no possible way. Lady—”

“Lieutenant,” Eve corrected with a whiplash in her voice. “The homicide lieutenant who waded through Jerry Reinhold’s parents’ blood two days ago, who stood over the body of Lori Nuccio that same night, and over the tortured body of Edie Farnsworth the day after.”

“Well, sure, I’m really sorry about all that, but—”

“There’s nothing to laugh at here. He beat, stabbed, bludgeoned, strangled, smothered human beings. You should start wondering what he’s got in store for you.”

The smile had vanished, but he waved a casually dismissive hand. “He’s got no reason to hurt me. We’re bros.”

“You won in Vegas; he lost. And you rubbed his face in it. That’s more than enough for him.”

“Hell, Jerry’s not like that, he knows I was just yanking. Plus I bought everybody a round of drinks.”

“Joe.” Peabody tried a voice of reason. “Why don’t you let us put you under protection, just for a few days.”

“No can do. How am I supposed to score with cops looking over my shoulder? It’s one thing for Mal and Dave to weenie out on it, they don’t see the kind of action I do. And hell.” He made a dismissive pfft sound. “I can handle Jerry. Been doing it for years.”

“Not this Jerry,” Eve said, but saw they hadn’t made a dent.

Joe just waved a hand again. “Listen, I’m going to tap my latest, then we’re going to have some breakfast. I’m putting in a couple hours’ work later, then I’ve got another frosty lady to entertain tonight, and that’s before I put in some time at the old homestead tomorrow for T-Day. Schedule’s tight, and I’m covered. But hey, if I hear from Jerry, I’ll let you know.”

Done, Eve pushed to her feet. “Your choice. Does he now or has he ever had the code and keys for this apartment?”

“No way. Nobody but me has them. I like my privacy.”

“Watch your back today, Joe. That comes from the person who’ll be standing over your corpse if you don’t.”

Eve caught his smirk just as she turned to walk out, and just kept going.

“Do you think he’ll contact us if he hears from Reinhold?” Peabody wondered.

“Fifty-fifty. I’d say it depends on his mood at the time. He really is Asshole Joe.”

“Yeah.” As they rode down in the elevator, Peabody considered. “Reinhold wouldn’t be able to access the apartment unless Joe lets him in. Even getting into the building’s a little tougher than what he’s done before. He could do that, but the apartment’s secure. If Joe goes into work, he’ll be in an office, with other people, then he’ll be with some woman stupid enough to give him the time of day. He’s about as safe as we can make him without forcing protection on him.”

“I’ve stretched it to put officers on people who want it. I can’t stretch it for someone who doesn’t.”

She stepped outside, took a breath of cool, damp air. No rain yet, damn it.

“We’re going into Central. You work the angles I gave you. I’m working the map and real estate. He’d want better than this.” She turned to study Joe’s building. “If for no more reason than his bro can afford this. He’s got that shitpile of money now, and he’s looking for the shine.”

“He’d need to snag a shiny place, and furnish it,” Peabody pointed out.

“Yeah.” Eve mulled it over as they walked back to the car. “High-end there, too. He’d go for the trend, like Asshole Joe. Nothing classic, nothing antique. Shine, shine. We’ll check that out. He’d need a few key pieces fast. Swank hotel suite’s still possible, so we keep hitting that. But the fucker’s nearby.”

•••

When Eve walked into the bullpen, she saw the tie gag hadn’t gotten old. Now Detective Carmichael wore one. She’d gone for a herd of purple, prancing horses over a field of virulent green.

Everyone, including uniforms, who sat at desks, in cubes, or milled around, wore sunshades.

Peabody pulled her own rainbow lenses out of a pocket, jabbed them on as she went to her desk. She shot Eve a toothy smile, then got down to work.

No harm in letting it play out, Eve decided, then headed to her office.

She hit the AutoChef for coffee, then brought up the map she’d generated. Somewhere inside the area she’d triangulated, or no more than... a six-block perimeter, she decided, outside. That would be her starting point.