Page 83 of Bonded in Death

“I know he never moved in on Vanna, but everyone knew she wasMI6, so he wouldn’t want to cross that line. And he never tried anything with Iris that I know of. But that would’ve been his bigotry.

“He used women, used sex to pull them in as assets, to gain information. I can’t throw stones there, as I did the same myself with men, more than once. But—what’s that expression? Ah, I took one for the team. Potter, on the other hand, enjoyed using people.

“Using others, exploiting others, it was necessary. But one didn’t have to enjoy it.”

Eve ran her through similar questions as she’d asked Ivanna, got similar answers.

Then a little more.

“Oh, he disliked cats. There were a lot of strays and displaced cats on the streets in those days. Potter had an asset who took a couple in, and he complained bitterly about that. Oh, and he was always smooth-shaven. He left a kit at HQ so if we needed to work overnight, he could shave. Obsessive about it.”

Sitting back, sipping her drink, she thought back. “A vain man, but I’m a vain woman, so again, no stones thrown. He respected Rabbit—Sylvester. He’d often ask Rabbit to teach him more about explosives, timers. Maybe it was the military bond, I can’t be sure. I’d say he found Ivan interesting. He often asked more details about his work, his inventions. And I believe he genuinely liked Harry, as much as he was capable of liking anyone.”

She lifted her glass in toast again. “Of course, he’d have killed any or all three of them without hesitation and regret, and we believed he meant to kill Magpie that night. Without Fawn and Magpie giving us the warning, we would have moved on the prison in Whitechapel. Into the trap.”

“You were part of the team formed to take down the prison?”

Marjorie smiled at Peabody again. “There’s a reason I did most of my own stunts in the trio of action vids I starred in. I was a badass.”

“I don’t see the ‘was.’”

At Eve’s comment, the smile became a quick, delighted grin. “See, I knew I’d like you.”

“He’s alive. Potter. And he killed Giovanni Rossi.”

For several moments, Marjorie only stared. Slowly, her deep green eyes hardened like stone. “Of course, the bloody, buggering bastard. Can you tell me how?”

She did, and when she completed the interview, she asked Marjorie to send up Harry Mitchell.

“So we add a bigot who doesn’t like cats or facial hair. The superior shit slides into the profile, too.”

“He uses—or used—women,” Peabody added. “He doesn’t respect or value them. The three Marjorie named that he respected, found interesting, or liked? All men.”

“White men,” Eve said. “And all, with the exception of the interesting Ivan, Brits.”

“Wanker.”

Eve let out a half laugh, and programmed more coffee.

She turned when she heard footsteps, and thought Harry Mitchell didn’t move thief silent like Roarke.

But Ivan Draski stepped into the doorway.

Immediately and instinctively, she shut off her recorder.

“Excuse me. I saw Marjorie and asked if I could come up next. May I speak to you a moment, Lieutenant?”

“My partner has been fully briefed on our previous meeting.”

“Oh.” He blinked his mild blue eyes. “I see. Well then.” He cleared his throat, a harmless-looking man with a round face topped by thinning gray hair. “You very clearly instructed me not to come back to New York, and I feel I agreed, even tacitly gave you my word I would never do so. But I have come back. I took an oath before I gave you my word, and one I couldn’t break.”

Unclasping his hands, he spread his fingers. “I understand you may becompelled to arrest me, and only ask you wait to do so until I’m able to help you find the traitor who killed my friends. I swear to you I will not resist or attempt to escape.”

“Nobody’s going to arrest you. That ship sailed over a year ago. We’re not going to discuss it or refer to it during this on-the-record interview. Understood?”

“Yes, of course. Thank you. I had to come. I traveled under another name, as I felt it necessary for all parties, but I had to come.”

“Also understood. Subject closed, and record on. Please have a seat.”

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