“Let’s stick with Renquist. He’s a perfectionist, and he’s had years of practice. In his work, within the image he’s built, he has to be discreet, diplomatic, often subservient. And this goes against the grain, day after day. At heart, he’s an exhibitionist, a man who finds himself above others-even as he’s been hammered down by females all his life. Women are inferior, yet they have power over him, so they have to be punished. He hates us, and killing us is his greatest joy, his finest accomplishment.”
“You were going to be his last.”
She glanced over, saw him watching her. “Yeah, he’d have gotten around to me, later rather than sooner because he’d want to string this out. I saw it in his eyes the first time I met him. Just an instant. Couldn’t stand the son of a bitch. I wanted it to be him.”
She pulled up in front of the Renquist home, and the search team pulled up behind her. “This is going to be fun.”
She waited for Feeney, let the team file in behind. Home security scanned her badge, then the warrant, before shifting to a holding pattern. Within two minutes, the housekeeper, in a long black robe, opened the door.
“I’m sorry,” she began, “there must be some mistake-”
“This warrant authorizes me and my team to enter this residence and conduct a search thereof. I am also authorized to arrest Niles Renquist on multiple counts of suspicion of murder in the first degree, and a count of first-degree assault with intent. IsMr.Renquist on the premises?”
“No, he’s away on business.” She looked more baffled than annoyed. “I’ll need to ask you to wait here while I informMrs.Renquist of these… circumstances.”
Eveheld up the warrants again. “These mean I don’t have to wait. But go right ahead and tell her we’re here. After you direct me toMr.Renquist ’s home office.”
“I’m not… I can hardly take the responsibility for-”
“It’s my responsibility.” She signaled the team behind her to enter. “Split into groups of two. I want a complete and thorough room-by-room. All recorders on. The office?” she said to the housekeeper.
“It’s on the second level, but-”
“You’re going to want to lead the way,Stevens, then step back. You don’t want a part of this.”
Without waiting for the housekeeper,Eve started up the staircase.Stevens came after her in a trot. “If you’d just let me wakeMrs.Renquist and inform her-”
“As soon as you show me his office.”
“It’s the last door, on the right. But it’s secured.”
“You got the code?”
She pokered up then, struggling for dignity as she stood in her nightrobe surrounded by cops. “OnlyMr.Renquist has the code. It’s his personal office, and he handles sensitive material. As an official of the British government-”
“Yeah, yeah, blah blah.”Eve decided she’d been right. This was fun. “My warrant gives me the right to open this door, with or without the code.” She pulled out her master. “I am employing that authorization at this time, and using a police master code to disengage the subject’s security on this door.”
The housekeeper turned and fled up to the third floor.Mrs.Renquist,Eve thought, was about to get a rude awakening.
She used the master, and wasn’t the least surprised to find the police code denied.
“He’s taken extra precautions.” She looked over her shoulder at Roarke. “At this time I find it necessary and expedient to employ alternate methods. If the electronic experts on team are unable to disengage locks, I will utilize the battering ram.”
“Let’s have a look first,” Feeney suggested, andEve deliberately turned her recorder away so that it wouldn’t show Roarke crouching down with burglar tools in his hands.
“Feeney, I’m going to need you to confiscate all security discs. I suspect the subject doctored them, so that he wasn’t scanned when he left the house for the murders and attack.”
“If he did, we’ll find the shadows.” He tracked his gaze toward Roarke and had to bite down on a grin. Magic hands he thought again.
“I want all ‘links and transmission devices as well.” She didn’t look at Roarke, kept her back to him. But her mind was muttering: Hurry up, damn it, hurry up. I can’t stall much longer.
“Lieutenant,” Roarke said a moment later, “I believe the locks are now disengaged.”
“Good.” She turned back. “We’re now entering the private home office of Niles Renquist.” She opened the door, called for lights on full, then took a deep breath. “Let’s get to work.”
The room was meticulously organized, even elegant in its choice of furnishings and decor. The antique desk held modern communication and data equipment, and what she concluded, after a puzzled study, was an old silver inkwell and quill. There was a leather-bound notebook, an electronic calendar, and deeply cushioned chairs in dark, masculine green.
There was a neat black-and-white bath attached with the towels perfectly aligned on the rack.
He would wash up there after the murders, she presumed. She could see him perfectly, cleaning, grooming, watching himself in the long mirrors that shone on the walls.
She turned back, mentally measuring the room, and gestured to what looked to be a closet door.
“There. Five gets you ten his unregistered’s in there.”
She crossed the room, found the door locked. Rather than waste time, she waved to Roarke, then planted her feet at the sound of rushing footsteps.
With a pale peach robe swirling around her,PamelaRenquist rushed into the room. Her face was naked of enhancements, and looked older than it had. Her color was high, her teeth were already peeled back in a snarl.
“This is outrageous! This is criminal. I want you, all of you, out of my home immediately! I’m calling the ambassador, I’m calling the consulate, and your superiors.”
“Be my guest,”Eve invited, and all but slapped the warrant in her face. “I have all the proper authorization for this search, and I will complete same with or without your cooperation.”
“We’ll see about that.” She started to march to the desk, andEve blocked her. “You won’t be able to use this ‘link, or any of the house ‘links until the search is complete. If you wish to make a call or send a transmission, you are restricted to the use of your personal ‘links, in the company of a duly authorized officer. Where is your husband,Mrs.Renquist?”
“Go to hell.”
“He’s going to beat me there, I promise you.”
She caught the signal from Roarke out of the corner of her eye, and moved over to the unlocked door. She opened it.
“Well, well, well, what have we here. A little hidey-hole, complete with data and communication center. We’re going to find this is unregistered, Feeney. And look at all these discs. Renquist is a big fan ofThomasA.Breen, and his ilk. All these books and data on serial killers tucked in here.”
“It’s hardly against the law, even in this country, to have a private space, and to own books on any subject.” ButPamela was losing her furious color.
Eveeased farther in, and opened a barrel-shaped leather bag. “Not against the law to own surgical tools either, but it sure is funny. I’m sure he cleaned these very well, but I just bet we find traces ofJacieWooton ’s blood on them.”
She opened a long cupboard, felt her own blood pump when she studied the collection of wigs, the black cape, the city employee uniform, and other costumes. “Nileslikes to play dress up?”
She booted a container of plaster with her toe. “And does his own home improvements, too. A real Renaissance man.”
Opening a drawer, she felt a little hitch in her heart. Then reached in with a sealed hand and picked up a gold band, set with five small sapphires.
“LoisGregg’s ring,” she murmured. “I think her family will want this back.”
“Got another of that sick bastard’s souvenirs.”
Eveturned, saw Feeney’s face was white. He held the lid of a portable cold box, and she knew before he spoke what was inside.