Page 105 of Bonded in Death

“I’ll deactivate it.” Roarke rose. “I had a very good teacher. Give me a moment, Lieutenant, to fetch the sniffer.”

“I’ll get it. I’ll get it,” Summerset repeated before Roarke could speak. And walked out.

“Allow him to worry about you.” Ivanna let out a sigh. “Allow us all to do so. Being together like this, after so long, it brings back memories. The memories make it difficult to sit passively while others take the risks.”

“You took the risks,” Eve reminded her. “And more than your share. You’ve taken another by coming here. Now it’s our job. Roarke, is the restaurant still open?”

“Likely they take reservations until nine, and people will linger. But it may not be when we get there, as it’s Lower East Side.”

“Let’s cover that.” She pulled out her ’link, tagged APA Cher Reo.

Though Reo wore a baggy T-shirt, had her froth of blond hair messily bundled up, Eve concluded: Still working.

“I need a warrant.”

“So I assume, as I didn’t think you’d called to chat.”

“I’m good. How are you? Great. There, I chatted.”

“Dallas, I’m buried here.”

“Yeah? Me, too. More chat. Done. I have probable cause to believe there’s an incendiary device planted, or about to be planted, at Chez Robert, a restaurant on the Lower East Side.”

“Have you contacted the boomers?”

“No. The attention drawn would hamper my investigation, and warn off the perpetrator. I need a warrant to enter the restaurant should it be closed, and to search for said device.

“Conrad Potter, convicted war criminal—Urbans. I have evidenceindicating he faked his own death, escaped prison in England. Interpol is picking up, or in the process of picking up, his accomplice, the prison doctor, in Costa Rica. Potter is responsible for the murder of Giovanni Rossi.”

“The limo hit.”

“Affirmative. Potter has a kill list. He plans to check off three more names tomorrow. I can feed you all of it, Reo, but I’d sort of like to take care of this bomb.”

“I’ll get you the warrant, then you feed me frigging all of it.”

“I’ll send you everything I have.” She glanced over as Roarke came back in from his office. He wore his suit jacket again, she noted, and assumed he had a weapon somewhere on him.

Summerset stepped in behind him with another pot of coffee and a tray of cookies.

“I have more to write up, and you’ll get that when I do.”

“Make sure of it. I want to be up to date and prepped when you bag him. And I’m not great. The boss and two colleagues are down with a stomach virus. While I’ve escaped that, so far, I’ve got work up my ass.”

“Sorry. Good luck. See, more chat. Later. Let’s go,” she said to Roarke.

When they left, Marjorie poured herself another cup of coffee. “I like the girl more and more. Just no bollocks about her.”

“She can be, and often is, stunningly rude.” After topping off his own coffee, Summerset sat. “Honest, not to but beyond a fault, brilliant in her way and her focus, which does not include social niceties. Unflinchingly loyal to those who have earned her loyalty. And terrifyingly brave.

“She once stepped in front of a stream to spare me. I had not earned her loyalty. I had not. Yet she did so without hesitation.”

Reaching over, Ivanna took his hand. “He won’t best her,miy druh. He won’t best either of them.”

“If he harms them, either of them, he will not live.” He said it calmly, coolly, with absolute certainty. “Not this time. Not again. I swear that to all of you.”

Marjorie set down her coffee, walked over to lay her hand over theirs. “That’s an oath we’ll all take with you.”

And one by one they laid their hands, and swore it.

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