In Death 27 - Salvation in Death

Billy Crocker.”
    “Quicker than I thought.” She stepped back into her office, signaling Baxter to follow. “I need to secure an interview room. Hold on.”
    She ordered her computer to scan for availability, and book her Interview C. “Okay, tell them I’m going to be a few minutes, escort them to Interview. Make nice, offer refreshments.”
    “That’s going to take time off my current assignment.”
    “Half of which you’ve already passed off to your aide. Trueheart can keep it going while you get these guys settled. If I get my confession out of Crocker, have him booked and in a cage within the next ninety minutes.” She checked her wrist unit. “From now, I’ll take half of what’s left of the search off your hands.”
    “Deal.”
    When he walked out, Eve tagged Peabody again. “Change of plans, come up, meet me outside Interview C. We’ve got Crocker and company.”
    “Jeez. If I was a lesser person, it would piss me off, how often you’re right.”
    “Since I am a lesser person, you’ll be good cop in today’s performance.”
    Eve cut Peabody off, then contacted both Whitney’s and Mira’s offices to relay her prime suspect on the Jenkins homicide was in the house.
    “Okay, Billy,” she murmured. “Let’s see what you have to say for yourself.”
    She took her time, to give Baxter a chance to settle them in and Peabody a chance to reroute from the garage. She already had her strategy outlined in her mind, and had adjusted that somewhat after her meet with Mira. Due to that, she wasn’t surprised that Billy had come in with Luke.
    The confessor, she thought.
    She slipped into Observation first, studied the setup. Billy sat at the table, flanked by the victim’s sons-in-law. The lawyer looked grim, with his gaze cut away from Billy. Luke looked . . . sorrowful, Eve thought. A more sophisticated lay-version of López, to her eye.
    And Billy himself? Jittery, scared, and on the edge of weepy.
    She stepped back out as Peabody hoofed down the corridor.
    “He brought his priest and his lawyer,” Eve said.
    “Priest?”
    “In a manner of speaking. Luke Goodwin. He’s already told them everything he intends to tell us and probably more. Yeah, more, because the lawyer may be pissed and shocked, but he’s still a lawyer, and he’d advise him how to play it. You’re sympathetic, you get why he had to do what he did. You want to help.”
    Peabody ’s face went wistful. “Am I ever going to be able to be bad cop?”
    “Sure, as soon as you’re willing to kick a puppy out of the way to take down a suspect.”
    “Aww, does it have to be a puppy?”
    “Keep that save-the-puppy look on your face. It’s perfect.” Eve opened the door, nodded to Baxter. “Thank you, Detective. Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Wright, Mr. Crocker.”
    “My client wishes to make a statement,” Samuel began.
    “Great. Hold that thought. Record on. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve,” she began and ran all the particulars as she took a seat. “Mr. Crocker, you’ve been read your rights, correct?”
    “Yes.”
    “And have stated, for the record, that you understand your rights and obligations in the matter of the investigation into the death of James Jay Jenkins.”
    “Yes, I—”
    “And have come into this interview of your own volition, and with Samuel Wright as legal counsel?”
    Billy cleared his throat. “Yes.”
    “You would also like Mr. Goodwin to witness this statement, at this time?”
    “Yes.”
    “I am here to bear witness,” Luke said, “and to serve as Billy’s spiritual adviser. Lieutenant Dallas, this is very difficult, for all of us. I hope you’ll take into account that Billy has come in, voluntarily, that the statement he intends to make is sincere and heartfelt.”
    “I think, of all connected to this matter, all this has been most difficult on Mr. Jenkins, seeing as he’s stone dead. As for heartfelt and sincere?” She jerked a shoulder. “I don’t much care. I’m interested in the facts. You served up a cyanide shooter for your pal Jimmy Jay, didn’t you, Billy?”
    “Don’t answer that. Lieutenant Dallas,” Samuel began in a tight voice, “my client is willing to make a statement, in return for consideration.”
    “I’m not feeling real considerate.”
    Something flashed in Samuel’s eyes that told Eve he wasn’t either. But he did his job. “The media is running with the two recent homicides, and is especially pushing on the death of my father-in-law. The longer it takes to