Page 53 of Bonded in Death

“All right. Make the contacts. I can arrange for protection.”

Summerset let out a bark of laughter. “Forewarned, they are protection. Wasp had no warning. He had to believe either Ivanna or I called for him. Your board tells me the driver met him and drove a limo. It makes me think he believed I sent for him. Roarke would provide a limo for my friend. So the killer used me to kill.

“I’ll contact the others. They’ll come.”

“It’s not necessary for all of them to—”

“They’ll come,” Summerset said flatly. “We took an oath.”

“They’ll stay here.” Roarke flicked a glance at Eve, watched her struggle with it, then shrug. “This house is secure, as you know. They’ll be safe, which is Eve’s concern, and yours. And they’ll be accessible—to the lieutenant. We have more than room enough.”

“I’m grateful—”

“Don’t.” With some heat, Roarke cut Summerset off. “Don’t say ‘grateful’ to me. I wouldn’t be here without you. Use my office, with the secure line engaged. Talk to your friends, and we’ll arrange for their travel.”

“That’s best.” Eve nodded at that. “Keep the travel off the radar. The killer might expect it, but he won’t know when. They should cover the departure and arrival, and—”

“Lieutenant, we spent years in espionage. They know what to do. Old isn’t feebleminded.”

“Rossi wasn’t feebleminded, and he’s dead.”

“He had no warning,” Summerset insisted. “And no reason to doubt. He would have been worried for me, or Ivanna.” Carefully, Summerset got to his feet. “I’ll contact them, all of them, and make the travel arrangements. See rooms are ready.

“It helps to have duties, a purpose,” he said before Roarke could object. “I was shaken, but I have my balance now. I know you, Lieutenant, will hunt the killer of my friend. And you’ll find him. I’m grateful.”

“Don’t say ‘grateful’ to me when it’s my job.”

“It’s not a job, but a calling. I know callings.”

He walked away, into Roarke’s adjoining office, shut the door. The red light, securing it, blinked on.

“I’m going to need to talk to him again, about all of this. Pull out details.”

“Not tonight.”

“No, not tonight.”

“I want them here, Eve. I want him to have the comfort of that. I know it’s an imposition.”

“No, no, you’re right. Safe, accessible. He’s got plans, Roarke.”

She rose, walked to the board. “He has a plan in place for every one of them. How do you kill a fox?”

“They hunted them, riding on horses, with dogs giving chase, catching the scent. Barbaric kind of sport.”

“A chase. Maybe.”

“Or a trap. Trapping them. You think the method is connected to the code name.”

“Possibly. I need to get the other seven on my board.”

“I’ll help you with that.” He got up, went to her, took her hands. “Then you’ll call it for tonight. We’ll have a houseful tomorrow. And you’ll have these very capable hands full with interviews, I suspect.”

“Right. I can’t keep this contained, just the three of us and the ones coming in. I have to report this to Whitney, I have to give Peabody the details. And I’m going to need to talk to Mira.”

“He’ll understand, and if he doesn’t, he’ll have to accept it.”

“You didn’t know.”

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