Big Jack

Her voice spiked as Eve reached out for one of the mechanical trucks. Even the cool stare Eve shot over her shoulder didn’t penetrate.

“I mean it, Lieutenant. Mr. Dix’s collection is very valuable. And he’s very particular about it. You may be able to have me taken down to the precinct or station house or whatever you call it, but he can fire me. I need this job.”

To placate the woman, Eve hooked her thumbs in her back pockets. “Any of these things a bulldozer, Peabody?”

“That little one there.” Peabody used a jerk of her chin to point. “But it’s too small, and it’s red. Doesn’t fit Whittier’s description.”

“What about this?” Eve reached out, stopping just an inch from touching as the assistant’s breath caught on a thin scream.

“That’s a-what do you call it-cougar? Mountain lion? Bobcat!” she exclaimed. “It’s called a bobcat, and don’t ask me why. And there’s a pumper thingee-fire truck-and, way iced, an off-planet shuttle and an airtram. See, he’s got them set up in categories. Farm machines, air transports, ground transports, construction equipment, all-terrains. Look at all the little pedals and controls. Aw, look at the little hay baler. My sister has one on her farm. And there’s little farm people to ride it.”

Okay, maybe it wasn’t just a guy thing. “That’s real sweet. Maybe we should just sit on the floor here and play with all the pretty toys instead of spending our time trying to catch the mean old murdering bastard.”

“Just looking,” Peabody said under her breath. “To ascertain that the object in question is not in this location.”

Eve turned to the assistant. “This the lot?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Is this the whole of Mr. Dix’s collection?”

“Oh no. Mr. Dix has one of the most extensive collections in the country. He’s been collecting since he was a child. This is just a sampling; he keeps the most valuable at his home. He’s even loaned some of the rarer pieces to museums. Several of his pieces were included in a show at the Met two years ago.”

“Where is he?”

“As I said, he has an outside meeting. He should be back-”

“Where?”

Now the assistant sighed. “He’s lunching with clients at the Red Room, on Thirty-third.”

“He calls in, you tell him to stay where he is.”

Dix had already finished his meeting and was enjoying a post-lunch martini. He’d been pleased to see Trevor’s name pop on his ’link ident as the meeting had been winding down. And delighted to stretch the tedious business lunch into an entertaining personal meeting.

Enough that he’d ignored the call from his office. He deserved a break after the morning he’d put in.

“Couldn’t have timed it better,” he told Trevor. “I was stuck with a couple of stuffy old-liners with more money than imagination. I spent ninety minutes listening to them whine about taxes and brokerage fees and the state of the market.” He sampled a fat, gin-soaked olive.

Technically, his rehabilitation forbade alcohol. But hell, a martini wasn’t Zoner or poppers, for God’s sake. And, as Trevor had pointed out, he deserved a small indulgence. “I’m more than ready for a break.”

They sat in the dark-paneled, red-cushioned bar of the restaurant. “Didn’t have a chance to talk to you much at the di

“Family business.” Trevor shrugged and sipped at his own martini. “Duty call on the old man.”

“Ah. I know how that goes. Did you hear about this mess with Samantha? I wasn’t able to talk about anything else all night. Everyone was pestering me for details.”

Trevor schooled his face into a puzzled blank. “Samantha?”

“My ex. Samantha Ga

“Oh. Sure, sure. Long redhead. You split?”

“Ancient history. But the cops come to my office, female storm trooper bitch. Samantha’s out of town, book tour. You remember that, right? The book she wrote about that old diamond heist and her family?”

“It’s all coming back to me. Fascinating really.”

“It gets more. While she’s gone, somebody breaks into her place and kills her friend. Andrea Jacobs. Hot number.”

“Christ, what a world.”

“You said it. A damn shame about Andrea. You had to like her. The cops are all over me.” The faint pride in the tone had Trevor smiling into his drink.

“Over you? Don’t tell me the morons thought you had anything to do with it.”

“Apparently. They call it routine, but I was this close to calling a lawyer.” He lifted his hand, putting his thumb and forefinger together. “Later, I hear Samantha’s cleaning girl got herself killed, too. You can bet I’m going to have to come up with an alibi for that one, too. Idiot cops. Jesus, I didn’t even know Sam’s cleaning girl. Besides, do I look like some psycho? You must’ve heard about all this. It’s all over the news.”

“I try not to watch that sort of thing. Depressing, and it has nothing to do with me. Want another?”

Dix glanced at his empty glass. He shouldn’t, really. But… “Why the hell not? You’re behind.”

Trevor signaled for another drink for Dix, smiled as he lifted his barely touched martini. “I’ll catch up. What does Samantha have to say about all this?”

“I haven’t been able to talk to her. Can you beat that? She’s gone incommunicado. Nobody knows where the hell she is.”

“Somebody must,” he countered.

“Not a damn soul. Smart money says the cops got her stashed somewhere.” Scowling, he nudged his empty glass aside. “Probably get another damn book out of it.”

“Well, she’ll surface soon enough. Meanwhile, I wanted to talk to you about a piece I sold you a few months ago. The scale-model bulldozer, circa 2000.”

“Beautiful piece, prime condition. I don’t know how you parted with it.” He gri

“That’s just the thing. I had no idea when I sold it that it was given to my father by his father. When I saw him the other night, the old man brought it up. Sentimental blah, blah, blah. He wants to come over and see it, among some of the others. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d sold it.”

“Well… ” Dix picked up his fresh drink. “You did.”

“I know, I know. I’ll buy it back for the full price, and add a kicker. I don’t want a big, ugly family crisis over it so it’s worth it to me.”

“I’d like to help you out, Trev, but I really don’t want to sell it.”

“Look, I’ll double what you paid me for it.”

“Double.” Dix’s eyes gleamed over the rim of his glass. “You must really want to avoid a family crisis.”

“It pays to keep the old man happy. You know about his collection.”

“And envy it,” Dix admitted.

“I can probably talk him out of a couple of pieces.”

Considering, Dix bit an olive off his swizzle stick. “I’m looking for a well driller. Circa 1985. The article they did on him in Scale-Model Mag said he had one, primo.”

“I’ll get it for you.”

Dix made a sound somewhere between interest and denial. Trevor curled his hand into a fist, imagined ramming it over and over into that smug face until the blood poured.

He’d wasted enough time.

“Okay, then do me a favor. Let me borrow it for a week. I’ll pay you a thousand for the use of it, and I’ll get the well driller, make you a good deal on it.” When Dix said nothing, just continued to sip gin, Trevor felt his control fray. “For fuck’s sake, you make a grand for nothing.”

“Don’t get twisted. I didn’t say no. I’m just trying to figure your angle. You don’t even like your father.”

“I can’t stand the stupid son of a bitch, but he’s not well. He may only have a few months left.”

“No shit?”

Going with the idea, Trevor shifted on his seat, leaned in. “He finds out I sold that piece, he’s going to blow. As it stands, I inherit the collection. He finds out about this, he’ll probably leave it to some museum. That happens, I won’t be able to sell you any of the prime pieces, will I? I lose, you lose, friend.”