Page 36 of Bonded in Death

“The last minutes of his frosty life, with all the normality he’d built into it, ended in pain, fear, and the terrible knowledge that he’d die thousands of miles from home. More, Peabody, he knew, he was too smart not to know, that his killer had seven others on a list.”

“It all goes back to the Urbans.”

“And whatever happened, most likely in May of 2026. We dig there. Major incidents in significant European cities after the first of the year and before May 2026.”

“His data says he worked out of London, not Rome.” Peabody hunched her shoulders at Eve’s long look. “That doesn’t mean he did, because spy.”

“Get started there. I’m going to contact Nadine on the off-chance—” She broke off as she turned into the bullpen, saw not only camera-ready Nadine Furst but the young apprentice Quilla.

Quilla sat at a chair pulled up at Jenkinson’s desk. Obviously unaffected by the atomic tie, she studied him intently as he wound through some story for her.

The teenager wore black pants that stopped just above her ankles and her purple kicks. The button shirt she wore untucked matched the sneakers. As did the thick fall of bangs and a few scattered streaks through her brown hair.

Nadine, watching them, wore a green suit that matched her cat eyes. Her streaky blond hair, perfectly coiffed, waved back from her sharp-angled face.

Eve caught the fading scents of sugar and chocolate.

Whatever bakery bribe Nadine had brought in had already been devoured.

“Detective Sergeant, haven’t you got work?”

“I’m doing it, Loo. You cleared the kid to come in.”

She had, Eve remembered. Quilla had completed her story on EDD, and Eve had given her the green light to conduct interviews in the bullpen.

But that was before murder and spies and what she believed could be a decades-long grudge.

“DS Jenkinson said you’d be too busy to talk to me today.” Quilla, eyes bright, turned to Eve. “But he and Detective Reineke had some time. Detectives Baxter and Trueheart are in the field, and Detectives Carmichael and Santiago are in Interview.”

Eve flicked a glance to the case board. “So it says, right there.”

“If they have time later, that’s chill. If not, I can come back. I’m going to talk to some of the uniforms. And I really want to interview you and Peabody when you’re not busy.”

“Don’t you have school?”

“This is part of it.” Quilla tried for earnest, but couldn’t quite hide the smug. “Part of my education.”

“You gave her the green light,” Nadine said.

“Yeah, yeah. Why’d you bring cookies?”

“As a thank-you,” Quilla piped right up. “For giving me the time, and because everyone here protects and serves.”

Eve caught Nadine’s overtly smug smile. “She’s a freaking mini you.”

“No, she’s all Quilla.”

“My office.” When Nadine hesitated, Eve offered her own smug smile. “Does she need you to watch her?”

“No. No, she does not.”

Pushing off Peabody’s desk, Nadine went with Eve. “You cleared her, and it’s a major project for her.”

“This isn’t about that, and what’s on my board is off the record. What we’re going to talk about is off the record.”

“All right.”

Just like that, Nadine’s agreement and Eve’s acceptance of it. Like her victim, Eve thought, Nadine kept her word.

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