"That's not fair." The cool look edged into a pout. "We're partners. You're supposed to tell me."

"You're a detective. You're supposed to figure it out."

"Fine. Fine. Okay, I get the whole half of the whole, off-balance, how could two of them turn on their old pal. But I think it had to be two. Not just because of Mira's profile, which plays out for me, but because logistically it's more solid. One to slip out and do the job, the other to hang back and cover."

"You're right. I t's more solid."

"And you still think it's just one of them?"

"Yeah, I do. They're a tight circle-square, whatever. A closely knit and tied group. One of them veers off on this. That individual could disguise the resentment, envy, hate, ambition. Whatever of those served as driving force or excuse. Bad mood, overwork, distracted. Now make the individual a pair, which first means the spearhead in this has to take on a partner, has to trust."

Off-balance, she thought again. Too much weight-or hate-on one side of the whole.

"Now you have two people trying to hide murderous intent," Eve continued, "and by and large people aren't that good at strapping down their more passionate feelings. And after the deed's done, both those people have to project shock and grief, not only to us but to the last remaining member of the group."

"I f all three of them conspired?"

"Then Bart Minnock would have to have been completely oblivious to what was going on in his circle of close friends and partners. That's not how I read him, certainly not how I read him after this last interview with the girlfriend. He had a sensitivity, a read on his people. And at the base, there's just no motive, no sense in the three of them plotting to kill him. They'd be the majority. I f they all wanted something from him, from the business, wanted a change or were just fucking sick of him, they vote him out or off, or push as a unit."

The murder and the method equaled more than business, Eve thought. More than a bigger share of the pie.

"In the legal sense, the partnership agreement, they went with majority rule. And he didn't have any more authority or power than any of the others.

They gave him the authority and power, a tacit sort of deal. They let him run the show because he was best suited for it, and it was working."

"Okay, you're talking me into it," Peabody said. "And one of them didn't want him to run the show anymore, but that meant it was three against one, so, take him out and it's no longer a problem."

"That's part of it. I t has to be deeper, but the method of murder says raging ego to me, and serious loathing. The loathing may have built over time.

Bart got the majority of the media attention, and he was the go-to guy at U-Play. He said no, or let's go this way, they tended to go along."

"Now there's a void. And voids need to be filled."

"That's correct, Detective."

"Given their backgrounds, skills, and personalities, any one of them could fill it."

"I 'm not convinced on the personalities." She pulled into the lot. "For now, let's go in and screw up their day."

The warehouse was busier than the day before. Machines beeped and buzzed, shapes and colors filled screens. People went about their business with black bands around bare arms or the sleeves of colorful tees.

Eve spotted Cill riding up a level in one of the glass-walled elevators. The long fall of black hair had been tamed into a single neat braid. She wore a black suit, and black dress shoes with short, squat heels.

Respectful, Eve mused. Sensible-and unless she missed her guess, new.

Out of curiosity, Eve tapped one of the techs. "Where can I find Cill?"

"Um. Her office? She's been in there all morning."

"Uh-huh. Thanks."

She glanced at Peabody, then jerked a head toward the stairs. "Most of these people are in their own bubble, or in a bubble with whoever they're working with. They don't pop it unless they're told to or need something. The alibis aren't going to hold."They didn't find Cill in her office, but in the break room where she sat alone, rubbing her left temple and staring into a power drink. Her head snapped up, and her knuckles whitened on the tube.

"You're back. Does that mean-"

"No. Not yet."

Her body slumped. "I don't know why it matters so much. When you find out who killed Bart, he'll still be dead. I don't know why it matters."

"Don't you want to know who killed him?"

"Yeah. Yes. But... right now, it just doesn't seem to matter. Sorry." She waved a hand. "I 'm just bottomed, I guess. Do you have more questions?"

"Actually, we're here to notify you that we've obtained search warrants for your residence, and those of Benny and Var. They'll be carried out this morning."

"I don't understand. You're going to search my apartment?"

"That's correct."

"But why? For what?"

Eve watched her face change, those sharp green eyes fire, her cheeks flush with furious color. "You think I did this to Bart? T o Bart? What the hell is wrong with you? You're supposed to be ace-high at what you do, and you think I killed Bart?"

"No one's accusing you. I t's necessary to explore all avenues."

"That's just bullshit. You're getting nowhere so you start hassling us. You waste time with us while whoever killed him gets away with it." T ears sparkled in her eyes for a moment, but the heat of temper burned them off.

"I thought it didn't matter, finding Bart's killer."

"Don't you even say his name to me." Her voice spiked up; her fists clenched. "I don't want you pawing through my things."

"We have a warrant to search, and that warrant will be executed. I t's your right to be present during the search, and to have legal counsel or representation present."

"You're a stone bitch. I loved him. He was my family. We-Jesus God-we're having his memorial service this afternoon. His parents are coming.

I 've been dealing with all the details, and now you come at us with this? You think I can just leave and go watch you get your rocks off poking into my private space?"

"Your presence is a right, not an obligation."

"What's going on?" Var rushed in with Benny right behind him. "Cilly, we could hear you on Mars. What's going on?"

"Contact Felicity. We need to contact her right now. This excuse for a cop thinks we killed Bart."

"What? Come on. No, she doesn't."

Var reached her first, squeezed her arm. Once again, Benny followed.

They flanked her. The three points of the triangle, Eve thought.

"What's going on, Lieutenant?" Var asked.

"She's going to search our apartments. This morning."

"What for?" Benny stared at Eve as his arm went around Cill's shaking shoulders.

"Is that legal?" Var looked from Eve to Peabody and back again. "I mean, don't you have to ask or get a warrant? Something?"

"We have warrants. As a courtesy, I 'm notifying you that these searches will take place this morning. None of you is being accused. We're simply pursuing all avenues in the investigation."

"You could've just asked." Benny drew Cill closer, angled his long, skinny frame toward her. "We'd tell you anything you want to know. We have. I t's not right what you're doing. I t's not right that you'd upset Cill like this, today of all days."

"I t's Bart's memorial." Var pressed his lips together. "Couldn't you just wait, one day? One day. His parents will be here. I f they hear about this it's only going to make it harder on them. God, isn't it hard enough?" He turned away, stepped over to brace his hands on the counter. "We're trying to do what's right for Bart. What he'd want."

"Yeah," Eve said, "me, too.""He wouldn't want you upsetting Cill," Benny cut in. "He wouldn't want you making us feel like suspects."

"I 'm not responsible for how you feel," Eve said, deliberately harsh. "I 'm responsible for the investigation. I t's within your rights to be present during the search, and to have a legal representative present."

"I want Felicity," Cill insisted.

"I 'll take care of it. I will," Benny told her. "Don't worry. We can't all go, all be there." He glanced over to Var. "We can't all leave, especially today. You can go, Cill, if you'd feel better."

"I can't. I still have things to do for the memorial. I haven't put it all together yet."

"I can take care of that."

"No." She tipped her head to Benny's chest briefly. "I need to stay and finish it."

"You go, Benny." Var turned back, sighed. "One of us should. Cill and I can handle things here. I t's just what they do, the police, I guess. Just what they have to do."

"So, what, it's not personal?" Cill snapped, then immediately closed her eyes. "Sorry. I 'm sorry, Var."

"I t's okay." Weariness more than anger reflected on his pleasant face. "We're all upset. Let's just get it over with. Benny, maybe you could check at each of our places."

"I can do that. I can do that, sure. I 'll go to your place first," he told Cill. "I 'll be there when they start. Don't worry about it."

"My place is a mess."

He smiled at her. "What else is new?"

"I t doesn't matter, does it?" She reached out, took Var's hand so they were once again united.

"I t's just what they have to do," Var said. "But I 'll get in touch with Felicity. You're right, Cill, she should know."

"Okay, that's the plan." Cill lifted her chin. "I f that's all, Lieutenant, we'd like you to go. We don't want you here."

"Your attorney can contact me directly if she wants to see a copy of the warrants." She started out, giving a quick shake of her head in case Peabody spoke before they were clear of the building.

"Impressions?" Eve asked when they were in the vehicle.

"Well, Cill's got a temper. A lot of heat there."

"Passionate, territorial."

"Yeah. Benny's protective. He was pissed, too, but he pulled it back, tried to smooth it over with Cill."

"He's stuck on her."

"Oh yeah, he is." Peabody nodded. "Which makes him-since there's no sign there's anything going on there-controlled, maybe repressed. Var seemed rocked back on his heels initially, but he recovered. Pretty seriously pissed, too. He had to take a minute to pull himself together. Insulted.

They all were. A lot of people react that way to search warrants. Each of them took a role. Nobody stepped forward and said okay, you do this, you do that, I 'll take care of the other thing. Nobody's established a clear leadership role yet."

"I t's subtle, but it's there." Eve shrugged. "Then again, maybe I 'm looking for it, projecting it."

"Something else. Insulted and pissed, yeah, but none of them seemed especially worried about what we might find."

"Tracks covered. Detail-oriented. But people never cover their tracks as well as they think. We're not going to walk in and find the murder weapon in the closet, or an e-diary of the plot. But I think it's going to be interesting, whatever we do find. We'll start at Cill's."

She pulled up at the nondescript three-story building. "You know, they all live within easy walking distance of work and each other. Bart, he goes for a little jazz. Doorman, penthouse, multilevel. Not so fancy inside, but the foundation is. Cill goes for the loft. A little more bohemian. Not as many people living inside the building."

"Good building security though," Peabody pointed out.

"Yeah. I bet she had a hand in that. Who's on this one?"

"I put Jenkinson and Reineke-they're pretty clear after closing a case this morning. I 've got McNab with them. I 'll check on their ETA."

"Do that," Eve said as her own 'link signaled. She lifted her brows as she scanned the readout. "That was quick," she commented. "I t's the lawyer.

Dallas," she said.She did the dance, then signaled for Peabody to go ahead inside when the team arrived. Before she'd finished with the lawyer, Benny came down the sidewalk at a steady jog.

Changed his shoes, she noted. He'd been wearing dress shoes with his memorial suit, as had his partners. Now he bolted up the short steps to the entrance in black-and-white running shoes that showed some wear.

She slid her 'link back in her pocket as he keyed himself in.

He'd never even noticed her, she mused. Too focused on the mission at hand.

She went in, and up an elevator designed to resemble an old cage type. But its guts were fully 2060. She ordered Cill's third-floor loft, and obeyed the computer's request for her name, her business, then a badge scan.

The team had already begun their work when she stepped into a wide and open living area. Benny stood, hands in his pockets. Fists, she corrected. Seriously pissed.

"She's very private with outsiders," he said to Eve. "This has really spun her out. She's already down, and now this."

"We all do what we have to do. A lot of space," she added, glancing around at the bright, cheerful colors, the framed comp art, the triple screens, the cushy chairs.

"So what? I t's not a crime to like space."

"Never said it was. You'll want to chill, Benny. I t's going to be a long day."

She wandered through, glanced at the kitchen, which appeared to actually be used to cook. A few dishes scattered the counter, the sink.