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He bent his head to give her a light kiss, but she changed the tone, the texture, by pulling hireedy Her hands were fisted in his hair, and her blood was up before she released him

There was satisfaction in seeing his eyes had darkened and his breath quickened “Well What was that for?”

“I like to,” she said and picked up her eave him a smile over her shoulder as she went to the kitchen for a refill

• • •

Eve screened her calls on her home unit, her palm unit, her vehicle, and her equipment in her office at Central If her math held, she’d received twenty-three calls froue threats, andlocations and with increasing levels of frustration and urgency, were from Nadine Furst at Channel 75

They ht have been friends, which never failed to surprise Eve, but for both of them business was business Nadine wanted an exclusive one-on-one with the priator in the death of Richard Draco Eve just wanted his killer

She dunaled Peabody to stand by, and played the terseofficer

That one was sih His office Now

It was still shy of eight AM

Coestured Eve straight into his office where Whitney sat behind his desk, juggling his own communications

His big hands tapped the surface of his desk ier at a chair as she entered He continued to , his voice calm and brisk

“We’ll brief the press at two No, sir, it cannot be done any sooner I’m well aware Richard Draco was a pro details We’ll accommodate them at two The primary will be prepared Her report is ona brow at Eve

She rose quickly, set a disc at his fingertips

“I’ll contact you as soon as I’ve analyzed the situation” For the first time since Eve entered, irritation rippled over Whitney’s face “Mayor Bianci, whether or not Draco was a luminary of the arts, he’s dead I have a hoy and dispatch That is correct Two o’clock,” he repeated, then ended the transmission and pulled off his privacy headphones

“Politics” It was all he said