In Death 29 - Kindred in Death

playing the piano.”
    “She’d make a good cop.” Eve glanced at the miniscreen that gave her a full view of the living area.
    She had men posted inside and out, some of them—like herself and Peabody—literally steps away from Charity Mimoto.
    No, Eve wouldn’t let him hurt her.
    But she needed him inside. He wouldn’t hear the cage door slam down, she thought. Wouldn’t know he’d walked into the trap.
    “We got him,” Jenkinson said in her ear. “Heading east on foot, two blocks. Navy shirt, brown pants, ball cap, black shades. He’s wearing a black backpack and carrying some flowers.”
    Eve thought of the flowers he’d brought to Deena. “Roger that. Hold your position. All positions hold. Teams A and B, wait until he’s in the box, inside the box, then move to secondary position. Sound it off.”
    She waited until she’d received an acknowledgment from each team leader. “Mrs. Mimoto?”
    “Yes, dear?”
    “He’s on his way. Just a couple blocks away. Are you okay?”
    “I’m just fine. How are you?”
    Eve shook her head at the woman’s unshakable aplomb. “We’re good. He’s bringing you flowers. I want you to do everything we rehearsed, but then you’re going to want to put those flowers in water. You excuse yourself, and go to the kitchen.”
    “That’s when he’ll drug my lemonade, won’t he?”
    “That’s likely. You stay in the kitchen. We’ve got you, Mrs. Mimoto.”
    “I’m sure you do, but let’s get him.” Her pocket ’link beeped. “I bet we know who that is. Don’t worry. Hello?”
    On screen, Eve watched Charity smile at the ’link. She angled it, just as she’d been instructed, so Eve could see his face on the ’link display from her screen.
    There you are, you bastard, she thought. Keep coming. Just keep on coming.
    “Hello, Denny. I was just thinking about you!”
    “Hi, Mrs. M. I’m running a couple minutes late, just wanted you to know, and to make sure we’re still on, that your husband and all got off okay.”
    “Of course we’re still on. I’ve got us a nice pitcher of lemonade and some muffins. My men are on their way to the wilds!” She laughed, easily. “It’ll be nice to have a little company before I settle into my solitude.”
    “Aw, you didn’t have to go to all that trouble, Mrs. M. But if those are your muffins, I’m walking faster! I’ll be there in one minute.”
    Yeah, come on, Eve thought as various teams relayed his progress through her earpiece. Come right on in, you son of a bitch.
    “Well, I’ll pour that lemonade,” Charity said cheerfully. “See you in a minute.”
    Charity shut down the ’link, set it on top of the piano. “How’d I do?”
    “Perfect,” Eve said.
    “I believe I might’ve missed my calling,” she said as she rose to pour the drinks. “I could’ve been a screen star.”
    Eve watched her eyes go fierce, saw her take a long, deep breath before her face turned harmlessly pleasant again.
    “Here we go,” Charity murmured and started toward the door.
    “Turning up the walk,” Feeney told her.
    “Hold positions. We do this by the numbers. No chatter. Wait for my go.”
    She watched Charity open the front door, and the quick, charming grin on Darrin Pauley’s face.
    “You look real nice today, Mrs. M.”
    “Oh, listen to you. Come on in here! Oh, look at those daisies. Aren’t they pretty?”
    “I just wanted to thank you for letting me take my lesson today.”
    “That’s the sweetest thing.” Charity sniffed at the flowers. “Take a minute to sit down, have some lemonade. I bet the walk made you thirsty.”
    “I guess it did.”
    “A young man like you’s always hungry. You have a muffin.”
    “Thanks.” He shrugged off his backpack, set it beside a chair before removing his cap, his shades.
    Charity stood where she was, smiling at him. “How’s your mama doing?”
    “Oh, she’s fine. I wish she didn’t work so hard. Wish I could do more for her.”
    “I bet you’re doing more than she’d ever think to ask,” Charity said, and Eve hoped she was the only one who heard the underlying ice in the tone. “And won’t she be surprised when you play for her? I don’t know another boy your age who’d go to so much trouble to please his mama.”
    “I owe her everything. I bet your family feels the same about you. Especially your kids. Are you sure you’re going to be all right here on your own? Alone until Sunday, didn’t you say?”
    “Oh, I’ll be fine, and