Divided in Death

“Move it. I’ve got business.”

“So do I. Same place, same business.”

Her heart tripped. Webster was Internal Affairs. “I wasn’t informed IAB was part of this. That’s a serious breach, Webster. I’m entitled to a departmental rep.”

“You don’t need one.”

“Don’t tell me what I need,” she hissed. “Somebody sics the rat squad on me, I get a rep.”

“The rat squad’s on your side.” He took her arm, then released it quickly when her eyes went to hot slits. “I’m not hitting on you, for God’s sake, Dallas. Give me a minute. One minute.” He gestured her around the corner.

“Make it fast.”

“First, let me say this isn’t personal. Or let me say this isn’t intimate. I don’t want Roarke trying to beat my brains into veggie hash again.”

“I don’t need him to do that.”

“Acknowledged. I’m here to help you.”

“Help me what?”

“Kick a little Homeboy ass.”

They had a history, Eve reminded herself as she studied his face. That history included a single night between the sheets, years before. For some reason she never quite understood, that night had gotten under Webster’s skin. He had a… thing for her, which she was fairly sure Roarke had tramped out of him before she could do so herself.

She supposed they were, in some strange way, friends by this point. He was a good cop-wasted, in her opinion, in IAB, but a good cop. And an honest one.

“Why?”

“Because, Lieutenant, IAB doesn’t like outside organizations trying to mess with what’s ours.”

“No, you like to mess with us yourselves.”

“Ease back, would you? We’re informed the HSO is looking at one of our cops, we’re obliged to take a look at that cop. That cops comes up whistle-clean-and you do-we take exception to the waste of our time and resources. Somebody outside tries to target a good cop, IAB offers a shield. Consider me your knight in shining fucking armor.”

“Get out.” She turned away.

“Don’t ditch a shield, Dallas. IAB’s required to be in on this meet. I just want you to know going in where I’m standing.”

“Okay, okay.” It wasn’t easy, but she buried her temper and her resentment. She was probably going to need all the help she could get. “It’s appreciated.”

She kept her head up as she approached Tibble’s office. “Dallas, Lieutenant Eve,” she said to the uniformed admin stationed outside. “Reporting as requested.”

“Lieutenant Webster, IAB, as directed.”

“One moment.”

It didn’t take long. Eve stepped into Tibble’s office just ahead of Webster.

Tibble was at the window, hands loosely held at the back of his waist, watching the city below. He was a good cop, in Eve’s opinion. Smart, strong, and steady. It had helped put him in the Tower, but it was his political dexterity, she knew, that kept him there.

He spoke without turning, and his voice carried authority. “You’re late, Lieutenant Dallas.”

“Yes, sir. I apologize. It was unavoidable.”

“You know Agent Sparrow.”

She glanced at Sparrow, who was already seated. “We’ve met.”

“Have a seat. And you, Lieutenant Webster. Webster is here representing Internal Affairs. Commander Whitney is present per my request.” He turned, swooped his hawk’s gaze over the room, then moved to his desk.

“Lieutenant Dallas, it seems the HSO has some concerns about the nature of your current investigation, the direction thereof, and your techniques. They have requested, through me, that you halt the investigation and turn over all notes, data, and evidence to AD Sparrow, thereby passing this case into HSO aegis.”

“I am unable to comply with this request, Chief Tibble.”

“This is a matter of global security,” Sparrow began.

“It’s a matter of murder,” Eve interrupted. “Four civilians have been killed, in New York City.”

“Four? “Tibble asked.

“Yes, sir. I was detained due to the discovery of a fourth victim. Joseph Powell, a city employee assigned to transportation and disposal at the morgue. My partner and ME Morris are on scene.”

“How is this co

“Dr. Morris contacted me this morning to inform me that the body identified as Blair Bissel had been removed from storage.”

Sparrow lunged out of his chair. “You lost the body? You lost a key factor in the investigation and you sit there and refuse to hand it over to us?”

“The body was not lost,” Eve said evenly, “but removed. Covertly. That sort of thing falls under your aegis, doesn’t it, Assistant Director?”

“If you’re accusing the HSO of stealing a corpse-”

“I’ve made no such accusation, but merely commented about the covert nature of your work.” She reached into her pocket and drew out a microtracker. “This is the sort of thing you play with, right?” She held it up, turning it between her thumb and forefinger. “Fu

“This is a sensitive matter, beyond your-”

“Electronic surveillance of a police officer, who has not been charged or is not suspected of a crime or an infraction of law,” Webster put in, “violates federal and state privacy codes as well as departmental regs. If Lieutenant Dallas is suspected of a crime or an infraction by the HSO that requires said surveillance, Internal Affairs would like to see the paperwork, the order, the charge, the evidence that led to the surveillance.”

“I am unaware of any such surveillance by my agency.”

“Is that what you call plausible deniability, Sparrow?” Eve asked. “Or just a big, fat lie?”

“Lieutenant,” Tibble said, quietly, authoritatively.

“Yes, sir. I apologize.”

“Chief, Commander, Lieutenants.” Sparrow paused, let his gaze scan the faces. “The HSO wishes to cooperate with local law-enforcement whenever this cooperation is possible, but global matters take priority. We want Lieutenant Dallas removed from the investigation and all data pertaining thereto given over to me, as representative.”

“I am unable to comply with the request,” Eve repeated.

“Chief Tibble,” Sparrow continued. “I’ve given you the letter of request and authorization from the director.”

“Yes, I’ve read it. As I’ve read the reports and the case file provided by Lieutenant Dallas. Of the two, I find hers more compelling.”

“I can, if this request is denied, obtain a federal warrant for those reports and case files, and authorization to have the investigation terminated.”

“Let’s cut the bullshit here, Assistant Director.” Tibble folded his hands and leaned forward. “If you could have, you would have rather than wasting this time. Your agency is hip-deep in the mud on this. Two of yours are dead, and they were, allegedly, exploiting an i

“Securecomp is on the agency’s watch list, Chief Tibble.”

“I can only imagine what’s on your agency’s watch list. Regardless of this, or the very legitimate reasons you may have for that list, Reva Ewing was unforgivably-and illegally-used, her reputation impugned, her life turned inside out. She is not one of you. Chloe McCoy is dead. She was not one of you. Joseph Powell is dead. He was not one of you.”

“Sir-”

Tibble merely held up a finger. “My count makes it three victims to two, weighed on this side of the fence. I will not compel my lieutenant to step out of an active investigation.”

“During the course of her investigation, your lieutenant illegally received or accessed data from the HSO. We can pursue charges on that issue.”

Tibble spread his hands. “You are free to do so. It may be necessary for you to pursue charges against Commander Whitney and myself as well, as we have both received that data from the lieutenant.”

Sparrow kept his seat, but Eve watched his hands ball into fists. The way things were going from his side, she couldn’t blame him for wanting to punch something.