Page 103 of Bonded in Death

“You’re already in the mix I’m working out.” She breathed a sigh as they got out of the car. “And I don’t see a way of pushing them out of it.”

“You’re not letting them go to the restaurant.”

“Oh, hell no. But as much as it doesn’t sit all the way right, I have to keep them informed.”

Starting now, she thought as they went up the stairs.

It didn’t surprise her to find them all waiting in her office. It struck heras weird, but not as a surprise. Some on the sofa, some at the table, and Harry and the cat enjoying her sleep chair.

At least they hadn’t taken over her command center.

Iris got to her feet. “You’re absolutely sure she—”

“We had a conversation,” Eve interrupted. “She’s under no duress. She misplaced her ’link earlier today.”

“He lifted it,” Harry said. “I showed him how it’s done.”

Iris sent him a weary look. “It wouldn’t take any particular skill with Darlie.”

“You need to check with your assistant.”

“I did while you were gone. He did take an after-hours call from her, or believing it Darlena. I didn’t specifically instruct him not to tell her I was in New York, so it didn’t take much pleading for him to tell her.”

“Then that checks. But if she’d wanted to speak to you, why didn’t she contact you directly? Why go through your assistant?”

“I… I’m slipping. I will say it wouldn’t be impossible for her to go that route. Click his number first, as I’ve asked her to when I’m working. She remembers about half the time.”

“Don’t bring that up when you call to confirm.”

“I’m going to confirm?”

“We’re going in the field?”

Eve turned to Marjorie. “You are not.”

“It does sting.” With a sigh, Marjorie lifted the coffee that came after the brandy.

“You’ll confirm. The three of you to meet her, Chez Robert. You can’t make it until thirteen hundred, and have to leave by fifteen hundred. You’ve got a holo-meeting shortly after.”

“I see, add details and make him work for it a little.”

“Don’t contact yet. Roarke, I need an interior of the restaurant, and an idea of their security. And what we have across the street.”

He sat at her command center and got to work. Summerset poured him coffee, then took a cup to Eve.

“Yeah, great.” She drank; she paced.

“He wants to take all three of you together. He’s not that solid a marksman.”

“Close range, good enough,” Summerset told her. “Or with a covering fire. But no, he was no sniper. Leroy was our best. Iris right along with him.”

“He needs to get in there, but won’t be in there at thirteen hundred. Can’t get close enough to poison the drinks, especially three at once.”

“Happy thought,” Iris murmured.

“A boomer’s the way. You just have to be close enough to see it, hear it, have that satisfaction. But you have to get in to place it.”

“He might have done already.”

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