In Death 27 - Salvation in Death

Chávez does time here and there; Lino bobs and weaves. No convictions on record. But comparing McNab’s search with Chávez’s sheet, she noted that there were a number of times both men had been in the same area.
    Old friends, hanging out?
    And to the best of her knowledge, they dropped off the grid at about the same time in September of ’53. No way she’d buy coincidence.
    Had Chávez come back to New York with Lino? Had he, too, assumed a new identity? Could he be somewhere else, waiting for whatever Lino had waited for? Had he eliminated Lino—and if so, why? Or was he—as she believed Flores was—dead and buried?
    Penny Soto. No love lost between her and her former gang partner, Inez. She’d seen that on his face. She’d warrant an interview. She’d had more trouble with the law than Inez, but had no family to protect. And a little digging would probably turn up something Eve could use as a lever to pry information out of her.
    She’d go see Soto before she headed downtown to meet Teresa at the morgue.
    And maybe she’d missed a step with Teresa. She believed the woman had told her all she was capable of telling her at the time. But another round there might jiggle something else loose.
    When her computer announced its task complete, Eve scanned the media reports for the weeks surrounding the time of Lino’s departure.
    Murders, rapes, burglaries, robberies, assaults, one kidnapping, assorted muggings, illegals busts, suspicious deaths, and two explosions.
    None of the names listed in the reports crossed her list, but she’d run them as a matter of course. Still, it was the explosions that caught her interest. They’d occurred exactly a week apart, each in rival gang territory and both had cost lives. The first, on Soldado turf, at a school auditorium during a dance, had killed one, injured twenty-three minors, two adults—names listed—and caused several thousand in damages.
    The second, on Skull turf, at a sandwich joint known as a hangout, a homemade boomer—on timer as the first, but more powerful—had killed four minors, one adult, and injured six.
    The police suspected retaliation for that explosion, blah blah, Eve read. Known members of Soldados were being sought for questioning.
    She used her authorization to request the case files on both explosions. And hit a block. Files sealed.
    “Screw that,” she muttered, and without thinking contacted her commander at home. The blocked video and rusty voice had her glancing at her wrist unit. And wincing.
    “I apologize, sir. I didn’t check the time.”
    “I did. What is it, Lieutenant?”
    “I’m following a lead, and it involves a pair of explosions in East Harlem seventeen years ago. I believe the as-yet-unofficially identified victim may have been involved. Those files have been sealed. It would be helpful to know if any on my list were questioned or suspected of involvement.”
    He let out a long sigh. “Is this a matter of urgency?”
    “No, sir. But—”
    “Send the request to my home and office units. I’ll have you cleared in the morning. It’s nearly midnight, Lieutenant. Go to bed.”
    He clicked off.
    She sulked for a few seconds. Stared thoughtfully at the doorway connecting her office and Roarke’s for a few seconds more. Roarke could get into the sealed files in minutes, she had no doubt. And if she’d thought of that before she’d tagged Whitney, she might’ve been able to justify asking Roarke to do just that.
    Now she’d started the tape rolling, and had to wait for it to unwind.
    She sent the formal request, added the evening’s interviews and notes to her own case file. She pinned more names and photos to her board. Teresa, Chávez, Joe Inez, Penny Soto.
    Then she crossed to the doorway. “I’m done. I’m going to bed.”
    Roarke glanced up. “I’ll be done shortly.”
    “Okay. Ah, could you make a boomer, on timer? I don’t mean now, because, duh, I mean back when you were a kid?”
    “Yes. And did. Why?”
    “Could you because you’re handy with electronics or with explosives?”
    “Both.”
    She nodded, decided it would give her something to chew on until morning. “Okay. ’Night.”
    “Who or what did Lino blow up?”
    “I’m not sure. Yet. But I’ll let you know.”

15
     
    A MORNING STORM RUMBLED OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS. The thunder, a bit dim and distant, sounded like the sky clearing its throat. Rain slid down the windows like an endless fall of gray tears.
    As much for comfort as