In Death 15 - Purity in Death

sitting there, doing his books. Making entries. Just like he did every evening about that time. It doesn't feel right."
    Frowning, she leaned back on Roarke's desk. "You know of any illegal that goes by Purity?"
    "No."
    "Neither does anyone else. When I went into his apartment, his screen was on. It said Absolute Purity Achieved. What the hell is absolute purity, and how was it achieved?"
    "If it's something new, why would a small-time playground dealer be in on the ground floor?"
    "I've been asking myself that. The computer wouldn't identify, even with my authorization code. So I've sent it into EDD. Can't bring Feeney in," she mused. "Looks wrong to tag the head of Electronics Detective Division for a standard data search."
    "You could've tagged me."
    "Talk about looking wrong. Besides, you were working."
    "So I was, and eating, which I imagine you weren't. Hungry?"
    "Now that you mention it. What did you have?"
    "Hmm. Chilled plum soup, crab salad, and an excellent grilled turbot."
    "Huh." Eve pushed to her feet. "I could go for a burger."
    "Somehow I knew that."
    ***
    Later, Eve lay awake, staring at the ceiling as she reconstructed data, evidence, theory. None of it felt right, she thought, but couldn't be sure how much of that was influenced by concern over a young, promising cop.
    He had a good brain, and an idealism that was as bright and shiny as polished silver. Purity, she thought again. If she had to use one word to define it, it would be Trueheart.
    He'd lost some of that purity today. Some, she knew, he'd never be able to get back. He would suffer for it, more than he should.
    And she wasn't being a mommy, she thought, turning her head just enough to scowl at Roarke in the dark.
    "Well then." He shifted toward her, sliding his hands unerringly over her breasts. "Since you've all this energy . . ."
    "What're you talking about? I'm sleeping here."
    "You're not, not with your mind racing around loud enough to wake the dead. Why don't I just give you a hand with all that energy?"
    As he pulled her against him, she chuckled. "I've got news for you, ace. That's not your hand."
    ***
    Thirty-six blocks away, Troy Trueheart lay in the dark, staring at the ceiling. No one shared his bed to offer comfort or distraction. All he could see, printed on the dark, was the face of the man he'd killed.
    He knew he should take a departmentally approved tranq. But he was afraid to sleep. He'd see it all again in his dreams.
    Just as he could see it all as he lay awake.
    The splatter of blood and bone and worse all over the walls of that dank hallway. Even here in his tidy apartment, he could smell it. The way the heat ripened the stench of blood, of gore. He could hear the screams, the woman's no more than a howl of terror and awful pain. And the man's. Louis K. Cogburn. The man's screams like a wild animal's mad from the hunt. The voices of other tenants shouting out from behind locked doors. Calls booming up into the windows from the street.
    And his own heart raging in his chest.
    Why hadn't he called for backup? The minute he'd heard the woman calling for help, he should have called for backup.
    But he'd rushed inside, thinking only to protect and serve.
    He'd shouted back - he had, at least he had shouted as he'd rushed up those stairs for someone to call 911. No one had. He realized that now. No one had or cops would have come long before Lieutenant Dallas.
    How could people stand behind locked doors and do nothing while their neighbor was crying for help? He would never understand it.
    He'd seen the man in the hallway far beyond anyone's help. He'd seen that, felt his stomach lurch, and the blood roar into his head in a buzzing white noise that was the sound of fear. Yes, he'd been afraid, very afraid. But it was his job to go through the door. The open door, he thought now, go through it and into the screams and the blood and the madness.
    What then? What then?
    Police! Drop your weapon! Drop the weapon now.
    His stunner was in his hand. He'd drawn it on the way up. He was sure of that. The man. Louis K. Cogburn. He had turned, the bloody bat hitched in both hands like a batter at the plate. Tiny eyes, Trueheart thought now. Tiny eyes almost disappearing in a thin face that was red from rage and secondhand blood.
    Darker blood, fresher blood leaked from his nose. Just remembered that, he thought. Did it matter?
    He'd charged. A madman in Jockey shorts who'd moved like lightning. The bat had come down on his shoulder