Royalty in Death - an In Death series fanfic (J.D. Robb)

Chapter 18

“You’re the newest first-line heir. I bet you’ve got your best share.”

“And I lasted for almost a year now carrying that damned title.”

“Have you ever thought why?”

“Because I have a longer life than my older brothers? That was a lame excuse.”, he said with a raised brow. “No, I have no idea.”

“I am a Homicide for more than a decade now, and I always see any forms and patterns of deaths more than a normal human being. When I studied the history of your family, it was easy to distinguish the murderers and their motives – but since our country has a different system than yours, I don’t have the right to conduct an arrest to those people.”, she shrugged, continued. “Rule of the thumb says that premeditated murders like yours study their subject, and that means murderers have studied you.”

She crossed her arms and looked straight at his amber-colored eyes. “They knew that out of all male heirs of King of Harmin, you’re the most sensible and the most sensitive towards the family, which made you less threatening compare to your other aggressive brothers. So as an advice, watch your back.”

“Thanks for that heads-up, Lieutenant.”, he answered with a smile.

He stood up and patted the back of his trousers. “Before I forgot to tell you Lieutenant, the jammer I have here did not disabled this bug, but also all the communication devices in this room.”

“Disabling the communications? You mean – ”

“Surveillance cameras, ‘links and recorders. That includes yours, and probably my perpetrator too – which I find it favourable. Anybody can rule this as a system failure.”

Eve immediately remembered her communicator on the small cabinet, and the spycams they planted for the purpose of tracking the killer. She also knew that Roarke was constantly monitoring her, and if she failed to transmit or activate her tracker, there would be ruckus.

“It was a gift from Roarke during my visitation in his company here six years ago. That time, he had this prototype – a half-inch jammer, plus scanner that could block system communications for large scale. Even though I’m not a tech-savvy, this gadget piqued my interest, so he gave it to me. Too bad I don’t know how to regulate this one.”, Lamook said before she could asked about it.

Eve only shook her head. What would be that man’s reaction if his current e-toys were defeated by his own old e-toy?

Lamook slipped his jammer to his pocket. “I believe he’s part of your team, probably observing us from afar. I won’t be removing this bug to avoid flagging, so if Roarke ever traced where this bug came from, I wanted to know who stuck this thing to me. May it an enemy or not.”

“That’s if we’re given another chance to talk privately.” Eve answered. “And I hope not during our pee breaks.”

Lamook reached the doorknob. “Please say hi to Roarke for me, Lieutenant, and tell him I enjoyed the company of his wife, inside and outside of a closed room.”

Eve chuckled. “Don’t tease Roarke like that, because you’ll never know what kind of retribution he could give to you when he’s jealous.”

“The word insecurity never exists on Roarke’s dictionary, especially towards his women.”, he replied with a smile, and left.

When Peabody saw a tall, lanky man with a brunette hair went outside the toilet and left together with some armed guards, she immediately rushed inside.

“Dallas!”

Relief flooded when she saw her Lieutenant’s scowling mouth as she adjusted her head veil, with pissed eyes glaring towards her.

“Are you alright? Did Prince Lamook harassed you or something – ”

“He didn’t, and if he dared, he won’t be walking outside alive.”, Eve interrupted, showing her clutch piece strapped on her thigh. “Why are you here?”

“There was a system shutdown in all of our surveillance cams from an unknown jammer located at this area. It didn’t jam our devices but also everyone’s, including the media’s transmission. It’s a large-scale block, and it timed when you left the banquet table, so we got worried.”

“How’s the situation outside?”

“Well controlled. Good thing nobody asked about your short disappearance.”

Eve clipped her ruby earrings-transmitter as she listened to Peabody’s report, but before she could utter a word after activating it, a pissed Irish tone boomed through.

“Why in the bloody world did you turned this off?”, Roarke spat.

“Cut me some slack here, Ace.”, Eve responded in her transmitter. “I deserve to have some private moments, okay? No harm done. Peabody can affirm that.”

“She’s okay.”, Peabody responded while nodding.

“The one who jammed all the devices in the hall was with you, and both of you were locked inside a small space for twenty bloody minutes.”

Whenever Roarke was angry, his Irish accent thickened.

“I know, and Prince Lamook didn’t know how to operate the jammer you gave to him several years ago. He also said hi.”

“Did he touched you?”

“Do you think he can use his two legs again if he did?”, Eve chortled, and received a low grumble. “Are we having a marital fight here, Roarke?”

When he did not answer, Eve rolled her eyes. “Is there anybody here, besides my husband, who’s listening to this transmission? Because my foot is ready here to haul somebody’s asses. Now.”

Everyone – including Whitney and Tibble – turned off their communicators immediately.

“You’re sick, Darling Eve.”, Roarke finally spoke, hinting her that they have their own privacy. “I could sense your anxieties and migraines behind those thick veils. Even in surveillance cameras.”

“I’m fine.”

“Liar.”

She was about to say something, but Roarke cut her. “I’ve known you intimately for years now, Lieutenant, and I know your bullshits.”

“Look, pal.”, she sighed, resigned that she couldn’t tell him the doctor’s diagnosis yet, “If you know me well, then you know I will never cut myself out this op because I have an upset stomach and I’m booting.”

“Upset stomach, Darling?”

“They’ve been purging me with vegetables, and fucking God knows what kind of brewed concoction! And can you imagine they don’t even allow me to drink coffee?”, she grunted, frowned. “I know you too well, pal, and I know you’re grinning right now.”

“And my grin widens.”

He knew it was an ill-timing to press some matters about Eve’s condition, and if she wouldn’t say anything about it, he’ll find some ways to discover it.

“Just a quick question: did you detect any bugs inside the building, besides the one you guys have implanted?”, she asked.

She’s back to the business, Roarke mused.

“We scanned some, Lieutenant, and we did not interfere its transmission per advised of our ol’ Captain Feeney. I think you’ll approve our decision.”

“Did you find a bug in Prince Lamook?”

“Gosh, how did you know that?”

“Don’t get cute with me, Ace.” she said, noticing Afef and Baxter’s reflection from the mirror. She went outside in full-veil. “I need to brief everyone and discuss the developments from your ends to mine. Around…shit.”

She trailed off. Seeing Afef’s hand gestures reminded her about the schedules she must comply, and the pitiful look from Peabody did not helped either.

“Pass the message to everybody that the team’s briefing will be at 1900. That’s before my fucking dance lessons.”