In Death 27 - Salvation in Death

counter, Peabody ordered the hash and egg (substitute) burrito and a café con leche.
    “How’s it going, Penny?” Eve said while the other woman filled Peabody’s order.
    Penny shifted her gaze up, over, fixed it on Eve. The dark, bored mouth turned sour. “Thought I smelled cop. Got nothing to say.”
    “That’s fine, then we’ll go down to Central, see if you change your mind.”
    Penny sniffed, sneered. “I don’t have to go anywhere, you don’t have a warrant and cause.”
    “You know, you look suspiciously like the suspect who rolled a guy a couple blocks from here last night. Detective, arrange for Ms. Soto to be taken downtown for a lineup.”
    “That’s bullshit.”
    “While you smell cop, I smell several hours of detention and paperwork. Maybe you should call a lawyer.”
    “I don’t need a stinking lawyer. What are you hassling me for? I got a job here. I’m doing my job.”
    “Hey, me, too. Do you want to talk here or downtown?”
    “Shit.” Penny jerked back from the counter. “Back the alley,” she snapped, then swaggered off.
    Eve signaled Peabody to go around by the front, then followed Penny into the cramped back room, and out the alley door.
    “Lemme see ID,” Penny demanded.
    Eve pulled out her badge. “You’ve had some trouble along the way, Penny.”
    “I got gainful employment. My rent’s paid. So screw you.”
    “Actually, I think you might be the one getting screwed in all this. Miguel Flores.”
    Penny jerked one pointed shoulder, shot out one bony hip. “Dead priest. Everybody knows. So what? I haven’t been inside a church in years. That’s bullshit, too. I figured it out when I was ten.”
    “You knew him.”
    A gleam lit her eyes, accenting the sneer. “Everybody knew him. Everybody knows all the priests. They’re all over the neighborhood like lice.”
    Eve acknowledged Peabody with a glance as her partner turned into the alley. “You knew him,” Eve repeated.
    “You hearing defective or what? I just said I did.”
    “Lino Martinez.”
    The anger wavered for an instant before Penny aimed an unconcerned look a few inches over Eve’s right shoulder. “I don’t know anybody by that name.”
    “Oh now, you don’t want to lie about something that stupid. It just tips me you’re going to lie about more. Lino Martinez,” Eve said again, and gripped Penny’s forearm. “You should cover this up if you don’t want to admit to old allegiances.”
    “So what? I haven’t seen Lino since I was sixteen. He took off. Ask anybody who was around back then, they’ll tell you the same. Shit, ask his whiny, sainted mother. She’s slinging pasta over in Brooklyn somewheres. Got herself a nice house, a dipshit husband, and snot-nosed kid.”
    “How do you know that?”
    A flash of annoyance darkened Penny’s eyes. “I hear things.”
    “Did Lino tell you?”
    “I just said I haven’t seen him since—”
    “You know, you can have these removed,” Eve interrupted, giving Penny’s forearm a light squeeze. “So you can hardly tell anything was ever there. Except when you’re meat on the slab, under microgoggles and all that nasty autopsy equipment, pop.”
    “So—”
    “—what,” Eve finished. “The thing is we know Lino Martinez was masquerading as a priest, right next door. We know he came in to see you nearly every day. For over five years. We know how far back you go with him, with Chávez, with the Soldados. And gee, Penny, you’re the only one here. Tag, you’re it.”
    “That’s bullshit.”
    “I hear things, too,” Eve said cheerfully. “Like you and Lino used to tango. How he came into the bodega where you work every day.”
    “That doesn’t mean shit. I didn’t do a damn thing. You can’t prove I knew Lino was back. You’ve got nothing.”
    “Give me time. I’m taking you into custody.”
    “For what?”
    “Material witness.”
    “ Screw that!”
    Eve made a deliberate move to take Penny’s arm again, and smiled as Penny slapped her hand away. “Uh-oh, did you see that, Detective Peabody?”
    “I did, Lieutenant. I believe this woman just assaulted a police officer.”
    “Screw that shit.” Temper burning her face, Penny shoved Eve aside, swung toward the door.
    “Oops, another assault. And now resisting arrest.” Eve made the grab, twisting Penny’s wrist as the woman dug for her pocket. “Goodness, what do we have here?” she said as she pushed Penny’s face against the wall.
    “Why, Lieutenant, it