Memory in Death Read Free Page A

go-ahead wave. "Why don't you just run it through for me, save us all time."
    "Well, okay. An individual has filed a complaint, stating that illegals were purchased from you, by him."
    "What? He complain I overcharge? If I did sell illegals, which I don't, why does he go to the cops? Better Business Bureau, maybe."
    Peabody returned his grin, though she made hers a little forced.
    "The situation is, this individual injured another individual while under the influence of the illegals allegedly purchased through you."
    Zero rolled his eyes to the ceiling, a gesture of impatient disgust. "So he gets himself juiced, then he wants to push the fact he was an asshole onto the guy who sold him the juice. What a world."
    "That's nutshelling it, I guess."
    "Not saying I had any juice to sell, but a guy can't go whining about the vendor, get me?"
    "Mr. Lawrence claims—"
    "How'm I supposed to know some guy named Lawrence? You know how many people I see every day?"
    "Well, they call him Tubbs, but—"
    "Tubbs? Tubbs went narc on me? That fat son of a bitch?"
    *  *  *
    Eve wound her way back, figuring she'd confused things enough that the lawyer would be hunting for them for a good twenty minutes. Rather than go into Interview, she slipped into Observation. The first thing she heard was Zero's curse as he came halfway out of his chair.
    It made her smile.
    Peabody looked both alarmed and embarrassed, Eve noted. Good touch—the right touch.
    "Please, Mr. Gant—"
    "I want to talk to that bastard. I want him to look me in the face."
    "We really can't arrange that right now. But—"
    "That tub of shit in trouble?"
    "Well, you could say that. Yes, you could say... um."
    "Good. And you can tell him for me, he'd better not come back to my place." Zero stabbed a finger on her, setting his trio of rings glittering angrily. "I don't want to see him or those asshole suits he runs with in my place again. He'll get another kick for buying and possession, right?"
    "Actually, he didn't have any illegals on his person at the time of the incident. We're doing a tox screen, so we can get him for use."
    "He tries to fuck with me, I'll fuck with him." Secure in his world, Zero sat back, folded his arms. "Say I happened to pass some juice— personal use, not for resale. We're talking the usual fine, community service.
    "That's the norm, yes, sir."
    "Why don't you bring Piers in here. I've worked with Piers before."
    "Oh, I think Detective Piers is off duty."
    "You bring him in on this. He'll take care of the details."
    "Absolutely."
    "Dumbass comes into my place. He solicits illegals from me. Fat slob's always nickel-and-diming me, you get it? Mostly Push—and not worth my time. But I'm going to do him a favor since he and his buddies are regulars. Just a favor for a customer. He wants a party pack, so I go out of my way to do him this favor—at cost! No profit. That keeps the fine down," he reminded her.
    "Yes, sir."
    "Even gave him a separate stash, customized just for him."
    "Customized?"
    "Holiday gift. Didn't charge him for it. No exchange of funds. I ought to be able to sue him. I ought to be able to sue that rat bastard for my time and emotional distress. I'm going to ask my lawyer about that."
    "You can ask your lawyer, Mr. Gant, but it's going to be tough to sue Mr. Lawrence, seeing as he's dead."
    "What do you mean, dead?"
    "Apparently the customized juice didn't agree with him." The harried and uncertain Peabody was gone, and in her place was a stone-cold cop. "He's dead, and he took an innocent bystander with him."
    "What the hell is this?"
    "This is me—oh, and I'm Homicide, by the way, not Illegals— arresting you. Martin Gant, you're under arrest for the murder of Max Lawrence and Leo Jacobs. For trafficking in illegal substances, for owning and operating an entertainment venue that distributes illegal substances."
    She turned as Eve opened the door. "All done here?" Eve said brightly. "I have these two nice officers ready to escort