In Death 28 - Promises in Death

there. At the end of the day you’ll do what needs to be done, for all the reasons you named. But at the core of it, at the heart, you’ll do what needs to be done for Amaryllis Coltraine.”
    “I didn’t give her a chance, you know?”
    “In what way?”
    She let out a breath, shoved at her hair. “When she was alive, with Morris. I didn’t give her a chance. It kind of irritated me for some reason that he was stuck on her. Stupid.”
    “Not stupid, really. You didn’t know her, and you’re very attached to him.”
    “Not that way.”
    Mira smiled. “Not that way. But you’re not one who trusts quickly, or easily. God knows. You didn’t trust her yet.”
    “I’ve been having dreams, kind of conversational dreams with her. It’s weird. Weird because I know it’s my head holding both ends of the conversation, but . . . I had this thought the other night at the shower deal. This thought that I guess comes out of those weird conversation dreams. I think I would’ve liked her okay if I’d given her more of a chance, when there was a chance. I think if that shower deal had been another six months or so down the road, she’d have been there.”
    “It’s harder knowing that.”
    “It’s fucking brutal actually.”
    “Dallas. Sorry, Dr. Mira.” Peabody poked her head in the door. “Alex Ricker’s on his way in.”
    “Good. Set up for interview.”
    Wait’s over, she thought.

21
    ALEX SAT WITH HIS COMPLEMENT OF LAWYERS while Eve and Peabody set up, while Eve engaged the recorder and read off the salients. Though she’d Mirandized him before, she did so again.
    “Questions?” she asked pleasantly. “Comments? Snide remarks?”
    As she expected, the head suit went into a prepared riff on Mr. Ricker’s voluntary presence, on his willingness to cooperate, the previous examples of his cooperation. She let it run through, then nodded.
    “Is that it? All finished now? Or would you like to give examples of Mr. Ricker’s kindness to the little orphaned children and small puppies?”
    Harry Proctor looked down his important nose. “I’ll make a note of your sarcasm and discourteous attitude.”
    “My partner here keeps them on disc.”
    “I can get you a copy,” Peabody offered.
    “And here’s what I’m making a note of. The cooperative and civil-minded Mr. Ricker comes into interview with not one, not two, but three—count them, three—lawyers. Makes me wonder just what you’ve got to worry about, Alex.”
    “I believe in being prepared, particularly when it comes to the police.”
    “I bet you do. But, golly, it’s strange that someone who’s prepared, a businessman of your . . . caliber would be, as he claims, oblivious to the machinations—don’t you love that word, Peabody?”
    “Top-ten favorite.”
    “Let’s say it again, to the machinations of his personal assistant and longtime best pal, Rod Sandy. That you’d just be blissfully ignorant of Sandy and your father’s plotting and planning. It makes you kind of an idiot, doesn’t it?”
    It got a rise of color along his cheekbones, but Alex’s voice remained neutral. “I trusted Rod. My mistake.”
    “Oh boy, wasn’t it just? We’re talking years here, Alex. Your boyfriend’s been socking away money your daddy paid him to spy on you, to pass info on. You can probably think back to a deal that didn’t pan out the way you wanted, and wonder if it’s because your old man had the inside track and felt like screwing with you.”
    “Am I in here to admit a trusted friend used me for his own gain, and my father enjoys complicating my life? Admitted. Freely. Is that all?”
    “Not even close. It’s got to piss you off.”
    “Again, freely admitted.”
    “In your shoes I’d want some payback.” Eve gave Peabody a speculative glance. “If my partner here worked me that way and I found out? She couldn’t run far or fast enough.”
    “And I can run pretty fast given the right incentive.”
    “I’d make her pay for it. How do you think I’d make you pay for it, Peabody?”
    “In the most painful and humiliating way possible.”
    “See how well we know each other? The difference in the situations and personalities as I see it is I wouldn’t end her. I’d want her to hurt and fear me for a long, long time. But we all have our different definition of fun. Did you have fun killing Sandy, Alex?”
    “That accusation—”
    Alex simply lifted a hand to cut the lawyer off. “Rod’s dead? How?”
    She’d kept a