In Death 08 - Conspiracy in Death

knew that. I'm delighted to meet you. Can we assume the city's safe as you're free to join us tonight?"
    "A cop never assumes, Doctor."
    He laughed, giving her hand a friendly squeeze. "Has Tia confessed her secret fascination with crime? The only thing I've ever seen her read other than medical journals are murder mysteries."
    "I was just telling her about one of mine. Of the non-fiction variety." She outlined the facts, watched a variety of expressions cross Waverly's face. Mild interest, surprise, puzzlement, and finally understanding.
    "You believe it's a doctor -- a surgeon. That's very difficult to accept."
    "Why?"
    "Dedicating yourself to years of training and practice to save lives only to take them for no apparent reason? I can't fathom it. It's baffling but intriguing. Do you have a suspect?"
    "A number of them. But no prime, as yet. I'll be taking a close look at the top surgeons in the city at this point."
    Waverly gave a short laugh. "That would include me and my friend here. How flattering, Tia, we're suspects in a murder investigation."
    "Sometimes your humor falls very flat, Michael." With anger sparking in her eyes, Wo turned her back on them. "Excuse me."
    "She takes things quite seriously," Waverly murmured. "Well, Lieutenant, aren't you going to ask me my whereabouts on the night in question?"
    "I have more than one night in question," Eve said easily. "And that would be very helpful."
    He blinked in surprise, and his smile didn't shine quite so brightly. "Well this hardly seems the time and place to discuss it."
    "I'll schedule an interview as soon as possible."
    "Will you?" His voice had dropped several degrees and bordered on cold. "You're straight to the point, I see, Lieutenant."
    Eve decided she'd insulted him but hadn't unnerved him. He wasn't a man who expected to be questioned, she concluded. "I appreciate your cooperation. Roarke, we should say hello to Mira."
    "Of course. Excuse us, Michael. That was smoothly done," he murmured in Eve's ear as they moved through the crowd.
    "I've watched you cut somebody off at the knees politely often enough to get the hang of it."
    "Thank you, darling. I'm so proud."
    "Good. Find me another one."
    Roarke scanned the crowd. "Hans Vanderhaven should suit your mood."
    He steered her through the crowd toward a big man with a gleaming bald head and a natty white beard, standing beside a tiny woman with enormous breasts and a waterfall of gilt-edged red hair.
    "That would be the doctor's newest wife," Roarke murmured in Eve's ear.
    "Likes them young, doesn't he?"
    "And built," Roarke agreed, moving forward before Eve could add a pithy comment to his observation. "Hans."
    "Roarke." His voice was huge, barreling out and echoing through the room. Lively eyes the color of chestnuts landed on Eve, took her measure. "This must be your wife. Enchanted. You're with the police department?"
    "That's right," She didn't much care for the way he took her hand, or the way those eager eyes played over her as he kissed her knuckles. But it didn't seem to bother the newest Mrs. Vanderhaven, who stood smiling inanely with a glass of champagne in one hand and a diamond the size of Pittsburgh on the other. "My wife Fawn, Roarke and..."
    "Dallas, Eve Dallas."
    "Oh." Fawn giggled, batted eyes of Easter egg blue. "I've never talked to a policewoman before."
    If Eve had anything to do with it, they weren't going to change that record by much. She merely smiled, giving Roarke a light but none-too-subtle elbow nudge. Understanding, he shifted toward Fawn and, recognizing type and priorities, began to compliment her on her dress.
    Eve turned away from the giggle and gave her attention to Vanderhaven. "I noticed Dr. Wo had a pin like the one you're wearing."
    He lifted a wide, capable hand to the gold pin on his lapel. "The caduceus. Our little medal of honor. I imagine those in your profession have their own symbols. Now, I don't imagine you asked Roarke to distract my delightful wife so we could discuss accessories."
    "No. You're observant, Doctor."
    His eyes sobered, his barrel voice lowered. "Colin told me you were investigating a homicide that involves organ theft. Is it true you believe a surgeon is involved?"
    "That's right, a very skilled one." So there would be no dancing, no pleasantries. Vanderhaven might have been on her short list of suspects at the moment, but she could find room to be grateful. "I hope I can count on your cooperation. I'll be scheduling interviews over