Portrait in Death Read Online Free PDF Page A

they were being taken."
    "He stalked her."
    "Could be. Now this. This is posed."
    She held up the last printout. Rachel was in a chair set against a white wall. Her legs were crossed, her hands neatly folded just above the knee. The lighting was soft, flattering. She wore the blue shirt and jeans she'd been found in. Her face was young and pretty, lips and cheeks rosy. And her eyes, that strong green, were empty.
    "She's dead, isn't she? In this picture, she's already dead."
    "Probably." Eve shifted the image aside, and read the text of the transmission.
    SHE WAS THE FIRST, AND HER LIGHT WAS PURE. IT WILL SHINE ON FOREVER. IT LIVES IN ME NOW. SHE LIVES IN ME. TO RETRIEVE THE RECEPTACLE, GO TO DELANCEY AND AVENUE D. TELL THE WORLD, THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. A BEGINNING FOR ALL.
    "I'm going to tag Feeney, have him send somebody from EDD to pick up your 'link. Since we're so full of respect here, I don't have to tell you that certain details, such as the contents of this transmission, need to be kept out of the story entirely or played down during the investigation."
    "You don't. And bulging with that respect, I don't have to ask you to keep me in the loop, or for the series of one-on-ones we'll conduct throughout this investigation,"
    "Guess not. Don't ask me for one now, Nadine. I've got to move on this."
    "A statement then. Something I can tag on that will show viewers the NYPSD is pushing forward."
    "You can say that the primary on this investigation is pursuing any and all possible leads, and that neither she, nor this department will stand by when a young woman is treated like garbage."
    Alone, she sat back down at her desk. She did need to get moving, and her first stop would be the ME. But right now she had another duty to perform.
    She called Roarke's private 'link, got the bland message he was unavailable at this location, and was bounced to his admin before she could cut the transmission.
    "Oh. Hi, Caro. I guess he's busy."
    "Hello, Lieutenant." The pleasant face smiled. "He was just finishing a meeting. Ah, he should be free now. Just let me transfer you."
    "I don't want to bother-damn." She was bouncing again. She shifted uncomfortably as she heard the quick series of beeps. Then it was Roarke's face on-screen. Though he, too, smiled, she could see he was distracted.
    "Lieutenant. You just caught me."
    "Sorry I didn't call in earlier. I haven't had much breathing room. Is he, um, doing okay?"
    "It's a bad break, and he's irritable. The shoulder and knee-and other assorted bumps and bruises-complicate it. He took a hard fall."
    "Yeah. Look, I'm sorry. Really."
    "Mmm. They'll keep him until tomorrow. If he's recovered enough to be released, I'm bringing him home. He won't be able to get around on his own initially, so he'll need care. I've arranged it."
    "Should I, you know, do something?"
    This time the smile seemed more at ease. "Such as?"
    "I have absolutely no idea. You okay?"
    "Shook me up, considerably. I tend to overreact when someone I care for is injured. Or so I'm told. He's almost as annoyed with me for dumping him in the hospital-as he called it-as you are under similar circumstances."
    "He'll get over it." She wanted to touch him, brush those lines of worry away that were haunting his eyes. "I mostly do."
    "He's been the only constant in my life, until you. Scared me brainless to see him hurt that way."
    "He's too mean to stay down for long. I've got to go. I don't know when I'll be home."
    "That makes two of us. Thanks for calling."
    She ended the transmission, and after one more pass, loaded the printouts in her bag. Heading out, she swung by Peabody's cube. "Peabody, we're moving."
    "I got the victim's class schedule." Peabody jogged to keep up with Eve's ground-eating stride. "And a list of her instructors. Also the names of her coworkers at the 24/7. I haven't started to run them yet."
    "Do it on the way to the morgue. Plug in photography and imaging. See if any of them have an interest."
    "I can