Read Online Naked in Death by J. D. Robb - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. D. Robb
Tags: Fiction, General, detective, Suspense, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Mystery Fiction, Political, Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths, Fiction - Mystery, New York, New York (State), New York (N.Y.), Policewomen, Mystery & Detective - Series, Eve (Fictitious character), Dallas, Twenty-first century, billionaires, Policewomen - New York (State) - New York, Dallas; Eve (Fictitious Character)
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care what the damn stuff costs a pound, Dallas. A woman wants glitter.”
Eve brought the bag to her face and sniffed deep. “Not this woman. The son of a bitch knew just how to get to me.” She sighed. “In more ways than one.”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––—
Eve treated herself to one precious cup the next morning. Even her temperamental AutoChef hadn’t been able to spoil the dark, rich flavor. She drove to the station, with her faulty heater, under sleeting skies, in a wild chill that came in just under five degrees, with a smile on her face.
It was still there when she walked into her office and found Feeney waiting for her.
“Well, well.” He studied her. “What’d you have for breakfast, ace?”
“Nothing but coffee. Just coffee. Got anything for me?”
“Ran a full check on Richard DeBlass, Elizabeth Barrister, and the rest of the clan.” He handed her a disc marked Code Five in bold red. “No real surprises. Nothing much out of the ordinary on Rockman, either. In his twenties, he belonged to a paramilitary group known as SafeNet.”
“SafeNet,” Eve repeated, brow wrinkling.
“You’d have been about eight when it was disbanded, kid,” Feeney told her with a smirk. “Should have heard of it in your history lessons.”
“Rings a distant bell. Was that one of the groups that got worked up when we had that skirmish with China?”
“It was, and if they’d had their way, it would have been a lot more than a skirmish. A disagreement over international space could have gotten ugly. But the diplomats managed to fight that war before they could. Few years later, they were disbanded, though there are rumors on and off about a faction of SafeNet going underground.”
“I’ve heard of them. Still hear about them. You think Rockman’s involved with a fanatic splinter group like that?”
It only took Feeney a moment to shake his head. “I think he watches his step. Power reflects power, and DeBlass has plenty. If he ever gets into the White House, Rockman would be right beside him.”
“Please.” Eve pressed a hand to her stomach. “You’ll give me nightmares.”
“It’s a long shot, but he’s got some backing for the next election.” Feeney moved his shoulders.
“Rockman’s alibied, anyway. By DeBlass. They were in East Washington. ”’ She sat. “Anything else?”
“Charles Monroe. He’s had an interesting life, nothing shady that shows. I’m working on the victim’s logs. You know, sometimes if you’re careless in altering files, you leave shadows floating. Seems to me somebody just kills a woman could get careless.”
“You find a shadow, Feeney, clear away the gray, and I’ll buy you a case of that lousy whiskey you like.”
“Deal. I’m still working on Roarke,” he added. “There’s a guy who isn’t careless. Every time I think I’ve gotten over one wall of security, I hit another. Whatever data there is on him is well guarded.”
“Keep scaling those walls. I’ll try digging under them.”
When Feeney left, Eve shifted to her terminal. She hadn’t wanted to check in front of Mavis, and preferred, in this case, using her office unit. The question was simple.
Eve entered the name and address of her apartment complex. Asked: Owner?
And so the answer was simple: Roarke.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––—
Lola Starr’s license for sex was only three months old. She’d applied for it on her eighteenth birthday, the earliest possible date. She liked to tell her friends she’d been an amateur until then.
It was the same day she’d left her home in Toledo, the same day she’d changed her name from Alice Williams. Both home and name had been far too boring for Lola.
She had a cute, pixie face. She’d nagged and begged and wept until her parents had agreed to buy her a more pointed chin and a tip-tilted nose for her sixteenth birthday.
Lola had wanted
Eve brought the bag to her face and sniffed deep. “Not this woman. The son of a bitch knew just how to get to me.” She sighed. “In more ways than one.”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––—
Eve treated herself to one precious cup the next morning. Even her temperamental AutoChef hadn’t been able to spoil the dark, rich flavor. She drove to the station, with her faulty heater, under sleeting skies, in a wild chill that came in just under five degrees, with a smile on her face.
It was still there when she walked into her office and found Feeney waiting for her.
“Well, well.” He studied her. “What’d you have for breakfast, ace?”
“Nothing but coffee. Just coffee. Got anything for me?”
“Ran a full check on Richard DeBlass, Elizabeth Barrister, and the rest of the clan.” He handed her a disc marked Code Five in bold red. “No real surprises. Nothing much out of the ordinary on Rockman, either. In his twenties, he belonged to a paramilitary group known as SafeNet.”
“SafeNet,” Eve repeated, brow wrinkling.
“You’d have been about eight when it was disbanded, kid,” Feeney told her with a smirk. “Should have heard of it in your history lessons.”
“Rings a distant bell. Was that one of the groups that got worked up when we had that skirmish with China?”
“It was, and if they’d had their way, it would have been a lot more than a skirmish. A disagreement over international space could have gotten ugly. But the diplomats managed to fight that war before they could. Few years later, they were disbanded, though there are rumors on and off about a faction of SafeNet going underground.”
“I’ve heard of them. Still hear about them. You think Rockman’s involved with a fanatic splinter group like that?”
It only took Feeney a moment to shake his head. “I think he watches his step. Power reflects power, and DeBlass has plenty. If he ever gets into the White House, Rockman would be right beside him.”
“Please.” Eve pressed a hand to her stomach. “You’ll give me nightmares.”
“It’s a long shot, but he’s got some backing for the next election.” Feeney moved his shoulders.
“Rockman’s alibied, anyway. By DeBlass. They were in East Washington. ”’ She sat. “Anything else?”
“Charles Monroe. He’s had an interesting life, nothing shady that shows. I’m working on the victim’s logs. You know, sometimes if you’re careless in altering files, you leave shadows floating. Seems to me somebody just kills a woman could get careless.”
“You find a shadow, Feeney, clear away the gray, and I’ll buy you a case of that lousy whiskey you like.”
“Deal. I’m still working on Roarke,” he added. “There’s a guy who isn’t careless. Every time I think I’ve gotten over one wall of security, I hit another. Whatever data there is on him is well guarded.”
“Keep scaling those walls. I’ll try digging under them.”
When Feeney left, Eve shifted to her terminal. She hadn’t wanted to check in front of Mavis, and preferred, in this case, using her office unit. The question was simple.
Eve entered the name and address of her apartment complex. Asked: Owner?
And so the answer was simple: Roarke.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––—
Lola Starr’s license for sex was only three months old. She’d applied for it on her eighteenth birthday, the earliest possible date. She liked to tell her friends she’d been an amateur until then.
It was the same day she’d left her home in Toledo, the same day she’d changed her name from Alice Williams. Both home and name had been far too boring for Lola.
She had a cute, pixie face. She’d nagged and begged and wept until her parents had agreed to buy her a more pointed chin and a tip-tilted nose for her sixteenth birthday.
Lola had wanted
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