Survivor in Death

“I saw, just for a second, taillights. They were gone so fast, I just saw the blocks of them.”

“Blocks?”

“Like building blocks. Three red squares, one on top of the other on either side. It was only a glimpse, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have seen even that if I'd looked down instead of over first.”

“Did you hear them drive in, drive out?”

“I might have. I'm not sure. We have music playing back here while we work. I'd only been in the storeroom a minute or so, and I was humming. You can hear the street traffic from there, but you tune it out. You understand? You hear it, but you don't. I think-I wish I could be sure-but I think I might've heard an engine in the alley before I heard the thump, and then the sound of driving away. I'm almost sure, now that I put myself back there, almost sure.”

“Have you ever seen this man?” Eve offered the composite of Kirkendall.

“No, I'm sorry. Did he-”

“Pass this around,” Eve interrupted. “See if anyone else recognizes him. Or her.” She handed Leah a copy of Isenberry's ID photo.

When she exited, Eve gestured to Trueheart. “Any tingles?”

“No, sir. So far the canvass hasn't turned up anybody who saw a vehicle entering or leaving the alley.”

“Witness heard the body hit-and caught a glimpse of the taillights at the mouth of the alley. Three vertical squares on each side. Little bits and pieces. If the witness hadn't been all but on top of the exit door when she hit, nobody would have seen even that much.”

“Bad luck for them,” Trueheart said.

“Yeah, bad luck for them. We'll let the CSU and sweepers do their thing, for what it's worth, and write this up from my home office. We've got another face to pin to our board, Trueheart.”

She looked at the black bag being loaded into the morgue wagon. “Bad luck for her.”

“I didn't mean any disrespect before, Lieutenant, regarding the bad luck comment.”

“I didn't hear any disrespect.” As she walked back toward her vehicle, she sca

“I shouldn't have missed the points on-scene. The fact that the body had been sanitized.”

“No, you shouldn't have. You won't next time.” She drove south, taking her time. “You learning anything working under Baxter?”

“He pushes the details, and he's patient. I'm grateful you gave me the chance to work in Homicide, Lieutenant, and to train under Baxter.”

“He hasn't corrupted you yet.” She turned east, cruised.

“He says he's working on that,” Trueheart said with a quick smile. “He speaks highly of you, Lieutenant. I know he kids around, that's his way. But he has nothing but the greatest respect for you as a police officer.”

“He didn't, he wouldn't be on this investigative team.” She checked the rearview, the sideview, back to the front. She turned south again. “And if I didn't have the same for him, he wouldn't be on this team.”

She pulled up at a bodega, dug out credits. “Run in, will you, get me a tube of Pepsi. Whatever you're drinking.”

The fact that he didn't appear to find the request odd told her Baxter sent the kid off on similar errands routinely. While he dashed out and into the shop, Eve sat, watched, tapped her fingers lightly on the butt of her weapon.

Trueheart came out with her Pepsi, and a cherry fizzy for himself She waited until he'd strapped in, then began to cruise as before.

“Do we have another stop to make, sir?” he asked a few moments later.

“Why do you ask?”

“You're well east now of your home.”

“That's right. Keep drinking that fizzy, Trueheart, keep facing front. But check the side mirror. You see that black panel van about five vehicles back?”

He did as ordered. “Yes, sir.”

“Same one's been on us since we left the scene. Not all the time, didn't pick us up until we were about four blocks south, but it keeps sliding in, four, five, six back. Gave them a chance to come at me when I sent you in for refreshing beverages.”

“Sir!”

“They didn't take it. They're just watching awhile. Just watching, maybe trying to catch a transmission, maybe thinking I might lead them to wherever we've got the kid stashed. Careful, careful, careful. Me, I'm getting a little tired of watching.”

“I'll call it in.”

“No! They're close enough, maybe they can monitor transmissions. You don't call anything in until I say different. You strapped in all right and tight, Trueheart?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Hold on to your fizzy.”

She'd gone as far east as Second, and now at an intersection, whipped the wheel, slapped into a steep vertical lift, and executed a rapid and airborne three-sixty.

“Hit the sirens,” she snapped at Trueheart. “Call it in now! Street and air support. Black panel van, New York plates. Abel-Abel-Delta-4-6-1-3. And up they go.”

The van shot into vertical, then blasted like ca

“Shit on a stick. They've got laser rifles. Fricking armed and fricking dangerous, heading south on Second at Seventy-eight. Make that west on Seventy-seven, approaching Park. Look at that bastard move.”

“Juiced up.” Trueheart's voice was even as he spoke, as he gave dispatch a rapid-fire report of their direction. But it had gone up a full octave.

The van shot out another blast, then dropped to street level, punching up speed in a shower of sparks as they streamed onto Fifth and aimed south.

She saw two black-and-whites cut over from the west at Sixty-fifth, move to intercept. Pedestrians scattered, and some of them went airborne as the next blast boomed out. One of the black-and-whites was flung into the air to spiral like a top.

Eve was forced to slap vertical again to avoid collision and panicked civilians. She lost nearly half a block before she could set down and increase speed. Then she screamed downtown after the building-block red squares of the van's taillights.

Another blast knocked her back, had her fighting to keep control. Icy red liquid splattered over the dash. She was gaining. The shops of midtown were a colorful blur as she careened south. Lights and animated billboards were nothing but sparkle.

Overhead, one of the ad blimps boomed out about a buy-one get one half fall sale on winter coats.

She stayed on him, weaving, dodging, matching maneuver to maneuver as he swung west again. She heard the scream of sirens, her own and others.

She would tell herself later she should have anticipated, should have seen it coming.

The maxibus was lumbering in the right-hand lane. The blast from the van rolled it like a turtle, had it skidding over the street. Even as she switched to a straight lift, the maxi's spin caught a Rapid Cab, flipped it into the air like a big yellow ball.

On an oath, Eve whipped right, dived down, managed to thread between the bus, the cab, and a pocket of people on the sidewalk who were standing with eyes and mouths wide open at the free show.

“Abort standard safety factors!” she shouted and prayed the computer would act quickly enough. “Abort cushioning gel, goddamn it!” An instant later, she landed with a bone-crunching slap of tires to pavement.

Safety factors aborted. Please reset.

She was too busy swearing, shooting into reverse. But when she pulled out on Seventh, she saw nothing but chaos. And no sign of the van.

She yanked the harness clear, shoved out of the door, and slammed a fist on the roof. “Son of a bitch! Tell me air support's still got him. Tell me one of the black-and-whites still has him.”

“That's a negative, sir.”

She studied the overturned bus, the wrecked cars, the still screaming pedestrians. There was going to be hell to pay.