Page 84 of Thankless in Death

“Really nice,” Peabody repeated. “Thanks.”

Eve consulted the route map. “You called the store, and we hit. We hit big. You get a prize.”

“A totally mag prize.” She riffled through the bag. “Oooh, samples!”

“Peabody.”

Peabody stopped riffling, but kept grinning. “Okay, he went blond and blue right? Rich man’s tan, pierced ear—most likely ear with the hoop. He’d need at least a couple hours to do all that. More like, I’d say, four to do it right.”

“And a place to do it. A hotel again? Go in looking as is, leave looking new. Not a smallish hotel then. Someone might notice, should notice. Maybe another business hotel, a big, busy hotel. Or...”

“Or?”

“He spent the night with his murdered parents, several hours with his dead ex. Maybe he picked his next victim, and did his makeover there.”

“Creepy.”

“He hits that note. Not a family place for this. He wouldn’t want to take on a spouse, kids. Look through for singles, and we’ll start there. Start contacting them via ’link. Anyone who doesn’t answer or seems off, we pay personal visits to. And I want to talk to Golde again, in person. How did Reinhold get his old ID?”

“And the fact he’s using it? I think it ups Golde on the hit list.”

“Agreed. Start looking,” Eve said when they reached the car.“Start contacting. Start with Golde—he’s at his parents’—and tell him we’re coming.”

“All over that.”

WHILE EVE DROVE, SHE USED THE IN-DASH ’LINK to send Reinhold’s morph to Baxter, and instruct him to distribute copies to the rest of the department. She added a media lock. As she updated the commander, checked her own incomings for anything relevant, Peabody worked her own ’link.

And when her partner fell silent, Eve glanced over. “What?”

“The Brooklyn grandparents. I talked to the grandmother. She says Reinhold hasn’t contacted them, and it rings true.”

“I don’t see him going that route, not yet. So what’s the problem.”

“It’s not a problem,” Peabody began, but sighed. “The out-of-town grandparents are coming in later today, and they’re going to stay with the Brooklyn ones. Together. There are sibs and family members for both sides coming in, or opening their homes to those who’re coming. The ME’s releasing the bodies tomorrow, but they’re planning to wait until Saturday for a double memorial. They’re all getting together for Thanksgiving. Family needs family. That’s what she said.”

Peabody stared down at her ’link. “It’s sad, really sad, but it’s kind of great, too.”

“Great?”

“They’re all pulling together, coming together, staying together. I think Reinhold has a really good family, on both sides. He never appreciated what he had, what they gave him. But now, when they’re facing one of the hardest things that can happen, they appreciate each other. And it made me realize I’m going to miss seeing my family this time around. Made me wonder if I appreciate them enough.”

“I hear it every time you mention any one of them. Don’t slap yourself over that.” But since she could see Peabody was doing just that, Eve pushed the theme. “You and your family are a big, sloppy pile of Free-Agey appreciation. It’s a little embarrassing.”

On a half laugh, Peabody’s broody look shifted to sentimental smile. “Yeah, I guess it is, a little.”

Satisfied with the response, Eve considered as she drove. “He’s not going for any family then. Not yet anyway. Too many of them together. He wouldn’t know that, but he’d see it pretty damn fast if he decided to target any of them. Friends, employment, childhood grievances, teachers, exes. That’s where we look first. And eliminate anyone with kids at home for now. I don’t see him dealing with kids.”

“Too messy, too complicated, too much trouble.”

“Exactly. He’s gone one at a time so far, all with him having the initial advantage. We follow that pattern.”

“He’s probably not going for Golde, or not top of his list, since Golde’s staying at his mother’s, working from there, too, primarily. He’s freaked about leaving her during the day while his father’s at work.”

“He’d be on the list, but no, not top of it,” Eve agreed. “I want to talk to him anyway.”

“He’s expecting us. And he said he was going to tag Dave Hildebran. He’s been staying at his parents’, too.”

“What about the other friend. Asshole Joe?”