J. Robb - Purity in Death

"And they will turn," Roarke agree.

"Yeah they will." She frowned. "Politics," she said softly. "Hell of a game."

She glanced over at Roarke. "I'm going to check out a couple things, then head in to start picking him apart. I want a good chunk of time with him before I pass him to Feeney and move onto Peachtree."

"You're doing Peachtree at Central?"

"His house. His involvement remains Code Five until he's formally charged."

"I want to observe the interviews." He looked over from where he sat on the bedroom sofa, monitoring the stock reports on the mini-unit and the morning media report on the wall screen.

"What's the point?"

"The point is closure. I gave way on the bust last night. I want this."

"What's the matter with you, Ace? You're sprung. Job done, game over. You can spike the ball. You can go back to work and buy… Alaska or something."

"I've as much acreage and interest in Alaska as I need for the moment. But if your heart's set on a glacier just send me a memo. You can arrange it, Lieutenant. It's a reasonable enough request."

"For Dukes, yeah, but Peachtree-"

"He's had my support, financially. You're not the only one who's pissed-off by this situation. I want to be there for the end of it."

"Okay. Okay, I'll work it out. But I'm leaving in ten, so you'll have to-"

"Hold on a minute." His gaze narrowed on the wall screen as Nadine Furst came on with a flash bulletin.

"This just in. Forty-three people suspected of being part of the group known as The Purity Seekers were taken into custody last night at the Church of The Savior on Franklin Street. This NYPSD operation was headed by Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Police sources identify some of the suspects arrested as Judge Lincoln, a criminal court judge in this city, Michael and Hester Stanski…"

"Where did she get the names!" Eve exploded and barely resisted punching a fist at the screen. "We're not releasing names yet."

"Listen to the rest," Roarke told her. "This can't be it. There's no point in this kind of leak."

"Donald Dukes," Nadine continued, "a former marine sergeant and a computer scientist, was arrested at a private home in Albany and has been taken into custody. Several charges have been brought against Dukes, including conspiracy to commit murder, in regard to the Purity killings over the past week."

There was a slight pause, then Nadine continued. "But the most disturbing development in the Purity matter is the allegations levied against Mayor Steven Peachtree. Official sources confirm that the Mayor of New York is a prime suspect in the crimes attributed to The Purity Seekers and will be formally questioned this morning. Evidence linking Mayor Peachtree to Purity includes a video of alleged sexual misconduct, which was recovered from the residence of Nick Greene during the investigation of Greene's death. It is suspected that the video was used as part of a blackmail scheme. The mayor could not be reached for comment, nor has his office issued a statement regarding the allegations."

"Son of a bitch." Even as Eve swore, her communicator beeped, as did the bedside 'link, her pocket 'link. She imagined the communication centers in her office, here and at Central, were lit up like Christmas.

"You're in the media storm now, Lieutenant," Roarke told her. "You're going to have to ride it."

Ignoring the 'links, she yanked out her communicator.

"Lieutenant," was all Whitney had to say.

"Yes, sir. I saw it. I don't know where she got it, but I'll find out what I can."

"Fast. Peachtree's lawyers are already out for blood."

"Leak or no leak, Commander, I'm making an arrest today. And it'll stick."

"No media statements," he ordered. "Neither confirm nor deny until I clear it. Take Dukes first, and break him, Dallas. I'll let you know when and where for Peachtree."

"Don't answer the 'links," she told Roarke as she jammed the communicator back in her pocket. "Tell Summerset to screen all transmissions, and to keep Jamie here and under wraps. I don't want him talking to anyone about anything. Not even his mother."

"You think the boy leaked this? Eve-"

"No, he didn't leak it. He's too good a cop already. I know where the leak came from." She snagged a jacket. "This may not be my game, but I know how to play it when I have to. I know how to win it. If you're with me," she added. "You've got five minutes."

She let him drive and spent the entire time on the 'link, covering the situation with her team, coordinating them and arranging for extra bodies at Central to hold back the media who would certainly be swarming into a pack outside the doors.

Then she tagged Nadine.

"Listen, before you jump on me, I was given that bulletin thirty seconds before air. There wasn't even time to polish the copy. I couldn't have flipped it to you if I'd wanted to."

"Who gave it to you?"

"You're asking me to reveal a source, and you know I won't. But as it happens it was given to me by my producer. I don't know his source. Sources," she amended. "He's never gotten this hot with less than two. All I know is someone high up leaked to him with the stipulation I read the story-he confirmed, and we aired."

"You specifically?"

"That's right."

"Smart," Eve decided.

"Things are popping around here, Dallas. You're going to want to give me a statement ASAP. What evidence do you have linking Mayor Peachtree to the activities of The Purity Seekers?"

"No comment, Nadine."

"The shit hitting the fan isn't all going to land on Peachtree's face. A lot of it's going to fly into yours." As she spoke, Nadine angled her chair, brought up data manually on her computer screen. "He had a fifty-three percent popularity rating before this. And many of the voters included in that percentage are very vocal, very staunch, and very monied supporters. On the other side's the faction who'll want to lynch him politically, and will use you as the rope."

"No comment. Curious. Which side do you bet on? Supporters or lynching party?"

It was a good angle, she mused, and one it wouldn't hurt her to get a jump on. "He'll resign. No way out of it. Without the dirty details of this sexual misconduct, I can't project. He'll take hits for cheating on his wife, and for any connection with Greene."

"Off the record, Nadine?"

Eve could see Nadine strain against the bonds. "Okay, damn it, off the record."

"If it's a little juicier than cheating? If it involved some sexual kinks?"

"Oh God, you're killing me. If it's good and juicy, he's probably cooked, at least short term. Convicting him of murder, unless you've got him with fresh blood on his hands, is another matter. Public support will swing both ways, which puts him center ring. People have short memories, and selective ones. They won't necessarily remember if he's guilty or innocent, but they'll remember he did something big. If he doesn't do hard time, if he can slither on the sex, he could run again in a few years. And he'd probably win."

"That's politics," Eve stated. "Later."

"Dallas-"

But Eve cut her off.

"You're pulling on a string, Lieutenant," Roarke said. "I'm beginning to see the shape of the ball it comes from."

"Yeah, let's see how it unravels. Head straight to garage level. Oh, and if you run over any reporters, I give you extra points."

Inside she moved fast. She had Dukes and his team of lawyers in Interview within fifteen minutes. She teamed with Peabody, deliberately choosing to piss Dukes off by having two females go at him.

She turned on the recorder, input the salient data, then sat back. "Let's get started."

"Lieutenant Dallas." The head of the legal team, a broad-shouldered, square-jawed man named Snyder, interrupted. "Mr. Dukes has opted to have all questions and comments directed through and answered by me or one of my associates. As is his right. He prefers not to speak to or be spoken to by you directly."