Death's Daughter by Kathleen Collins Page B

have anyone telling you what to do, can you?”
    “I’m sorry. Did I give you the impression you were allowed to speak? Sit down.” The opportunities she had to put Phipps in his place were rare enough. She took full advantage when she had the chance. “We’re going to go ahead with your task force because I value the work your men have put in to this point and the assistance they can offer in the future. But do not mistake the fact that I am in charge from this point forward.
    “There will be no more press conferences without my permission. There will be no interviews, no leaks and no hints to the press about our cooperation. Taft is your lead on this, so he’s now teamed up with me for the duration. He does nothing else. Pull his caseload and give it to someone else.”
    “Actually, Gifford is the lead,” Taft piped up, a smile playing at the edges of his lips.
    “Who’s Gifford?” she snapped.
    A short, balding man to Phipps’s right raised his hand.
    “What’s the total number of victims?”
    “Excuse me?” the man asked, a tremor in his voice. If she said “boo,” he’d probably pee his pants.
    “I suppose if that one’s too much, ages or names are out of the question.” The man looked at her blankly. She glanced at Taft. He didn’t say a word, but she knew he had all that information and more stored in his brain, just as she did. But he had more. He knew about thirteen kids she didn’t.
    “I’ll take Taft. Leo will assist with any and all interrogations,” she ordered. “If any of the rest of you need anything, talk to Jeremiah. Phipps, do what you do best and sit in your office and stay the hell out of my way. You pop up on my radar and you’re going to regret it.”
    “I’m the police commissioner, Norris.” Phipps’s voice was low, lethal. “You can’t just tell me what to do.”
    “Actually, I can. And I’m pretty sure I just did.” She leaned on the table. “You want to complain to someone about it, you make sure you mention that you’ve known this was ours for two days and didn’t report it. See how that goes over.”
    She held his gaze for a long moment making sure he was the first to look away. When she was sure he was done, she turned to Jeremiah. “Have everything delivered in my name to the Roma.”
    “The Roma?”
    She grinned. “Thomas is out of town. He’s got more room than I do.”

Chapter Five
    “You’re sure he’s in there?” Thomas asked his second, Michael Bishop. Their eyes stayed fixed on the ground floor windows of the building across the street from their hotel. If you could call it that. The place was dilapidated enough that Thomas was reluctant to touch anything. It was more like a dirt hole that they had to pay to stay in.
    “He went in about four this morning. No one’s seen him come out. I’ve got men on every exit.” His voice conveyed his irritation at having to wait for Thomas. As competent as Michael was, Raoul DeSoto had managed to slip away from him too many times. It wasn’t going to happen this time. Thomas was going to make certain of it himself.
    “And you’re positive it’s him?” Ever since Thomas had put a rather large bounty on Raoul’s head, they’d been getting reports from all over the world. Most of them worthless.
    Michael nodded. “Saw him with my own eyes this time. The side of his face was melted, just as Juliana said. I wonder what the hell happened to him. Not that I care, the bastard deserves it. I just hope it hurt. A lot.”
    Thomas grunted in agreement. Although it didn’t matter. Any pain the man had previously experienced in his life would pale in comparison to what Thomas would mete out.
    “Does she know what you’re up to?” his second asked.
    Thomas clenched his teeth and worked the muscles in his jaw. His bride had enough to deal with right now without knowing about his current task. “No. I considered telling her, but she’s needed where she’s at. And she’s handled this long enough on