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Eve let him stew until the server droid arrived with a bottle of Stoli and a short thick glass on its tray She let him drink

“There was nothing I could do,” he oaded, as she’d intended, by her silence “I wasn’t involved”

“Your o by the method you’ve just described to me And this didn’t involve you?”

“That was part of the probleain Shuddered “I was shocked, and—and afraid Violence isn’t part of my life, Lieutenant It was part of my mother’s, a part I could never understand She understood violence,” he said quietly “She understood it”

“And did you resent that, Mr Angelini? That she understood violence, was strong enough to face it? Fight against it?”

His breathing was shallow “I loved my mother When I saw this other woman murdered, as my mother had been murdered, all I could think of to do was run”

He paused, took a last quick s of vodka “Do you think I don’t know you’ve been checking oninto my personal and professional lives? I’m a suspect already How ht there, at the scene of another murder?”

Eve rose “You’re about to find out”

chapter fourteen

Eve questioned his of Interview Rooht for counsel, and three pinstriped, cold-eyed lawyers ranged beside their client at the conference table

Eve had privatedly dubbed them Moe, Larry, and Curly

Moe apparently was in charge She was a tough-voiced woman with a severe bowl-cut hairstyle that had inspired Eve to christen her Her associates said little but looked sober and occasionally al pads that lawyers never seemed to tire of

Now and again Curly, his wide forehead creased, would tap a few buttons on his log book and murmur conspiratorially in Larry’s ear

“Lieutenant Dallas” Moe folded her hands, which were tipped icked looking inch-long scarlet nails, on the table “My client is eager to cooperate”

“He wasn’t,” Eve stated, “as you’ve seen for yourself froinal story, your client ad to report said crime to the proper authorities”