"Jesus, Dallas, don't – "
She shook her head. "Run the cop list for me, will you? I've got some calls to make."
CHAPTER TWELVE
Press conferences left a bad taste in Eve's mouth. She stood on the steps of City Hall, on a stage set by Simpson with his patriotic tie and his gold I Love New York lapel pin. In his Big Brother of the City mode, his voice rose and fell while he read his statement.
A statement, Eve thought in disgust, that was riddled with lies, half truths, and plenty of self aggrandizements. According to Simpson he would have no rest until the murderer of young Lola Starr was brought to justice.
When questioned as to whether there was any connection between the Starr homicide and the mysterious death of Senator DeBlass's granddaughter, he flatly denied it.
It wasn't his first mistake and, Eve thought glumly, it would hardly be his last.
The words were barely out of his mouth when he was peppered with shouts from Channel 75's on-air ace, Nadine Furst.
"Chief Simpson, I have information that indicates the Starr homicide is linked with the DeBlass case – not only because both women were engaged in the same profession."
"Now, Nadine." Simpson flashed his patient, avuncular smile. "We all know that information is often passed to you and your associates, and it's often inaccurate. That's why I set up the Data Verification Center in the first year of my term as chief of police. You have only to check with the DVC for accuracy."
Eve managed to hold back a snort, but Nadine, with her sharp cat's eyes and lightning brain didn't bother. "My source claims that Sharon DeBlass's death was not an accident – as the DVC claims – but murder. That both DeBlass and Starr were killed by the same method and the same man."
This caused an uproar in the huddle of news teams, a scatter shot of demands and questions that had Simpson sweating under his monogrammed shirt.
"The department stands behind its position that there is no connection between these unfortunate incidents," Simpson shouted out, but Eve saw little lights of panic flickering in his eyes. "And my office stands behind the investigators."
Those jittery eyes shot to Eve, and she knew, in that instant, what it was to be picked up bodily and thrown to the wolves.
"Lieutenant Dallas, a veteran officer with more than ten years of experience on the force, is in charge of the Starr homicide. She'll be happy to answer your questions."
Trapped, Eve stepped forward while Simpson bent down so that his weasley aide could whisper rapid-fire advice in his ear.
Questions rained down on her, and she waited, filtering them until she found one she could deal with.
"How was Lola Starr murdered?"
"In order to protect the credibility of the investigation, I'm not at liberty to divulge the method." She suffered through the shouts, cursing Simpson. "I will state that Lola Starr, an eighteen-year-old licensed companion, was murdered, with violence and premeditation. Evidence indicates that she was murdered by a client."
That fed them for awhile, Eve noted. Several reporters checked their links with base.
"Was it a sexual crime?" someone shouted out, and Eve lifted a brow.
"I've just stated that the victim was a prostitute and that she was killed by a client. Put it together."
"Was Sharon DeBlass also killed by a client?" Nadine demanded.
Eve met those cagey feline eyes levelly. "The department has not issued any official statement that Sharon DeBlass was murdered."
"My source names you as primary in both cases. Will you confirm?"
Boggy ground. Eve stepped onto it. "Yes. I'm the primary on several ongoing investigations."
"Why would a ten-year vet be assigned to an accidental death?"
Eve smiled. "Want me to define bureaucracy?"
That drew some chuckles, but it didn't pull Nadine off the scent.
"Is the DeBlass case still ongoing?"
Any answer would stir a hornet's nest. Eve opted for the truth. "Yes. And it will remain ongoing until I, as primary, am satisfied with its disposition. However," she continued, rolling over the shouts. "No more emphasis will be given to Sharon DeBlass's death than any other. Including Lola Starr. Any case that comes across my desk is treated equally, regardless of family or social background. Lola Starr was a young woman from a simple family. She had no social status, no influential background, no important friends. Now, after a few short months in New York, she's dead. Murdered. She deserves the best I can give her, and that's what she's going to get."
Eve scanned the crowd, zeroed in on Nadine. "You want a story, Ms. Furst. I want a killer. I figure my wants are more important than yours, so that's all I have to say."
She turned on her heel, shot Simpson one fulminating look, then strode away. She could hear him fighting off questions as she headed for her car.
" Dallas." Nadine, in low-heeled shoes built for style and movement, raced after her.
"I said I'm finished. Talk to Simpson."
"Hey, if I want to wade through bullshit, I can call the DVC. That was a pretty impassioned statement. Didn't sound like Simpson's speech writer."
"I like to talk for myself." Eve reached her car and started to open the door when Nadine touched her shoulder.
"You like to play it straight. So do I. Look, Dallas, we've got different methods, but similar goals." Satisfied that she had Eve's attention, she smiled. When her lips curved, her face turned into a tidy triangle, dominated by those upslanted green eyes. "I'm not going to pull out the old public's right to know."
"You'd be wasting your time."
"What I am going to say is we've got two women dead in a week. My information, and my gut, tells me they were both murdered. I don't figure you're going to confirm that."
"You figure right."
"What I want's a deal. You let me know if I'm on the right track, and I hold off going out with anything that undermines your investigation. When you've got something solid and you're ready to move on it, you call me. I get an exclusive on the arrest – live."
Almost amused, Dallas leaned against her car. "What are you going to give me for that, Nadine? A handshake and a smile?"
"For that I'm going to give you everything my source has passed to me. Everything."
Now she was interested. "Including the source?"
"I couldn't do that if I had to. Point is, I don't. What I do have, Dallas, is a disc, delivered to me at the studio. On the disc are copies of police reports, including autopsies on both victims, and a couple of nasty little videos of two dead women."
"Fuck that. If you had half of what you're telling me, you'd have been on air in a heartbeat."
"I thought about it," Nadine admitted. "But this is bigger than ratings. Hell of a lot bigger. I want a story, Dallas, one that's going to cop me the Pulitzer, the International News Award, and a few other major prizes."
Her eyes changed, darkened. She wasn't smiling anymore. "But I saw what someone did to those woman. Maybe the story comes first with me, but it's not all. I pushed Simpson today, and I pushed you. I liked the way you pushed back. You can deal with me, or I can go out on my own. Your choice."
Eve waited. A fleet of taxis cruised by, and a maxibus with its humming electric motor. "We deal." Before Furst's eyes could light in triumph, Eve turned on her. "You cross me on this, Nadine, you cross me by so much as an inch, and I'll bury you."
"Fair enough."
"The Blue Squirrel, twenty minutes."
The afternoon crowd at the club was too bored to do much more than huddle over their drinks. Eve found a corner table, ordered a Pepsi Classic and the veggie pasta. Nadine slid in across from her. She chose the chicken plate with no-oil fries. An indication, Eve thought glumly, of the wide difference between a cop's salary and a reporter's.