"Deceptive Reality" by Nora Roberts. Nora roberts - deceptive reality nora roberts eva dallas deceptive reality

Eve went through the information on the board again - data, connections, timelines, adding new ones to them.

From the Colluway to the Hubbards, from them to the Macmillons. I wonder how many twists, how many solutions, how many errors are there in this chain? And they all led to what happened.

How long has Collway harbored a grudge, how long hesitated to let off steam, waited for the right moment, planned? How long has it been for a typical representative of office plankton, whose task was to promote goods to the market, half of which, by and large, no one needs, hatched a murder plan?

And how long had he known that murder was part of his family's history? His eerie legacy.

Eve remembered her recent dreams. Murder and suffering - they could become her inheritance, it was enough to stretch out a hand, instead of one door to open another.

And now she was standing here, investigating a massacre. Studied the victims, the killer, all the how and why. A different path, a different choice. But her photo could well be on exactly the same board, and then someone else would gaze intently into her face and ask questions.

Mira was right, she decided, both in life and in dreams. The choice is everything.

She heard Peabody's heavy footsteps outside the door. Nostrils caught the aroma of coffee.

“Long night,” her assistant explained as she entered. “I worked with McNab, and we dug up everything we can find about Macy Snyder and Jenny Kerv. Plus we have data on five kidnapped children who later settled in New York.

Peabody closed her mouth and scanned the information on the board.

- I see you, too, did not waste your time.

- Have you read the data on Menzini that you sent?

- Twice. The scumbag is still the same. Chemist. Religious fanatic. The main suspect in two raids using a chemical that was found to have been used in our cases. Captured and rendered harmless.

“Collway is connected to him through his mother. She was also kidnapped at one time.

- Colway? Peabody narrowed her eyes, staring at the board. - I thought he was a complete insignificance. By the way, I don't remember any Audrey Hubbard on the list.

- Because she's not there. She was born under the name Carolyn Macmillon. Her mother is Gina McMillon, Tessa Hubbard's half-sister. Father is unknown. The Macmillons were reportedly killed in a raid on their home. Hubbard tracked down the girl, gave her a new name and even issued a new birth certificate, after which she moved with her husband to New York.

Eve took a sip of her coffee.

- Moreover, I want to pass the photo through a special program. You can do it right now, while I tell you what I dug up.

- I have two people working on it. Roarke dug under his mother - Gina McMillon. A lot of interesting things surfaced. But let Feeney do it.

- At first I was afraid that we would never go out on it. Too much data, too many versions. Peabody looked at the board with the pictures of the victims. - Last night I went to bed, thinking that from day to day another bar or another cafe awaits us. You yourself understand that you can't sleep well with such thoughts.

“We won't let him. There will be no other such board. This I promise you.

- So, today I can sleep peacefully. By the way, when are we going to take it? Already today?

- First I want to see what he does this morning, where will go... But you're right, we will certainly talk to him. I want to interrogate the Hubbards, but damn it, I hate to go to Arkansas! Hopefully Tisdale has enough connections to get the Hubbards to come here. Or even to get a home search warrant while they're gone.

- Yes, I think there is something there. - Eve stepped back from the board and, taking a sip of coffee, looked at her "creation". “I’m not going to say what they know, but the fact that they are a link between Callway and the cult of the Red Horse and Menzini is for sure. The connection is purely biological, and here we are unlikely to be able to prove that he knew who he was, or that he was concerned about it, or that he had information about the substance he was using.

“Maybe not, but we still have enough leads.

- And now we need a complete picture. You can't do without her. We have no motive. Did he have a specific target - for example, Cattery or Fisher - or did he want to kill as much as possible more people... If this is someone specific, then why Cattery and Fischer? We have a chance. Callway was at the bar. He works and lives just a stone's throw from the cafe. Lewis admitted to being a regular visitor.

With these words, Eve sat down on the edge of the table and once again scanned the demonstration board with her eyes.

“But we need more facts. We have to prove that he had access to the formula of the substance. We need a motive, no matter how vague or specific. In order to take this guy, any little thing will do.

“I think we already have enough evidence to take him by the soft spot,” Peabody said.

- And we'll take it, don't worry. But before I do that, I would like to have as much dirt as possible on him.

Meanwhile, the police began to gather in the conference room, and Eve went back to look at her notes. Suddenly she raised her head - a delicious smell of baked goods hit her nostrils, and the next moment the "wolf pack" took Feeney in a tight ring.

As if someone cares about it, Eve thought. She gave her hungry brothers a couple more minutes to tear apart the pie, while she finished her coffee.

“Everyone take their places,” she ordered. - And, for God's sake, wipe your faces, they are all in crumbs. If you still have at least a minimal interest in the investigation, we will assume that the briefing begins. We managed to establish a link between Callway and the cult of the Red Horse.

Eve waited a few more seconds for everyone to sit down, then nodded to Peabody.

“Gina McMillon,” she began as a photo appeared on the screen. - Biological grandmother Colluway. In this photo, she is twenty-three years old. Here is an identity card issued to her, according to all documents, before she left her husband and joined the sect. During her stay there, she gave birth to a girl. In the birth certificate, the father of the child appears to be Gina's husband, but it itself was issued six months after the appearance of a daughter, who was named Carlene McMillon. At the age of one and a half, Karlin was kidnapped, after which her trace was lost. They never found her. Nevertheless…

A new picture appeared on the screen.

- This is a computer reconstruction of Karlene's appearance at the age of twenty-one. And this is a photo from Audrey Hubbard Collway's ID at the same age. Audrey Hubbard's birth certificate is a fake given to Gina's half-sister, Tessa, and her husband Edward, who left England when the child was about four years old. In America, they settled in Johnstown, Ohio. Audrey Hubbard later married Russell Colluway. They had a son, Lewis.

“Here's the thread you need,” Baxter muttered.

- And several at once. William McMillon filed for divorce and gave an affidavit. The reasons given are the departure of his wife from the family, the sect and, which is indicative, Menzini. Unless McMillon is lying, the date of the testimony and the date on the birth certificate exclude the possibility that he was the biological father of the child.

“He took his wife back,” Baxter concluded, “with the child. Who is he, saint or crazy?

- You can find out. I give you and Trukhart the task to do this. Find those who knew him and his wife personally. Macmillon is listed as killed along with his wife during an attack on their home. The child was also kidnapped at the same time. I want the dirty details of this marriage. Friends, as a rule, are aware of such things, remember them well.

- Reinecke, Jenkinson, the same, but only for the Hubbards. Why did they change the child's name? Where did the fake birth certificate come from? Why did they move?

- Maybe they were threatened by the biological father of the girl? - suggested Reinecke. - And they decided to take her away from sin? Or did you just want to start over?

- Personally, I tend to the first version. It is possible that they adopted her legally or applied for guardianship. I can’t find anything that would suggest that they went this way. But why not? Hubbard was a retired military captain. His wife is the girl's closest blood relative, not counting her grandfather and grandmother - Gina's father and mother. By the way, my grandmother is still alive and lives in England. Get me their story.

“I think Detective Callender and I have something,” Tisdale said, and looked at her colleague. She nodded back. - We have collected a variety of data on the cult of the Red Horse. However, most of them are from the category of urban folklore. We focused our main attention on Menzini and were able to find several reports on him and a photo. They all relate to the period preceding his arrest.

“This data is with me, and I can display it on an additional screen,” added Callender.

- Get busy. And while she prepares them for us, I will continue my report. Further investigation revealed Colluay's habit of visiting his parents, who now live in Arkansas, on average once a year. This was the case until recently. Because this year he went there several times. In addition, we reviewed the financial documents from his place of work. So, for their recent a joint project Cattery received a more generous award than Collway, although he was the initiator of this project. Cattery just finished it. In addition, he was first in line for promotion. Money and position are quite a plausible motive.

“Done, Lieutenant,” Callender reported.

"Turn on the picture," Eve ordered.

- Images are grainy, indistinct. I had to clean them up. If necessary, I can again. Here is a photo from the blog of the London Daily Mail. It shows Menzini preaching to a group of people after a fire in East London. The woman to his right is apparently his follower. Nothing else is known about her.

- Enlarge the picture! - asked Eve and stepped closer to the screen. - Hair dyed red, but noticeably longer. Everything matches. This is Gina McMillon.

- There is one more photo. Callender displayed a new image on the screen. - Then she leaves some kind of party. Something tells me she's pregnant.

- And again with her next to Menzini. Compare this photo with the photo from the ID card.

- There are very few photographs of Menzini from the period of the City Wars. And what is remarkable, in two photos next to him, this woman.

“I think he will turn out to be Audrey Hubbard's biological father.

“I agree,” Tisdale replied with a blissful smile.

- The data on his DNA must have been preserved somewhere. BVB definitely has them.

- I'll try to get them.

“The girl’s mother and her half-sister are dead, but there’s no doubt about their DNA.” Grandma is still alive. It remains only to find the data on Menzini. So start looking for them, Tisdale. In the meantime, while you're at it, I want the suspect's parents to be brought to New York for questioning.

- I think it's possible.

- I also entrust it to you.

With that, Eve pulled out her communicator and read out a text message:

- The subject of observation leaves the house. In a business suit, with a "diplomat" in his hand. We will continue to follow him. But before we arrest him, I would like to speak to his parents.

“In that case, I'll deal with it right now.

“I also want their house to be ransacked while they are flying to New York.

Tisdale raised an eyebrow questioningly.

- I hope you understand that, despite the data we have collected, there is nothing criminal in them. Who will issue you a warrant to search the home of law-abiding citizens only on the basis of unsubstantiated statements? Agree that we have no direct connection with the cult of the Red Horse, and even more so with the crimes committed. So getting a warrant won't be easy.

- Surely there must be a reason that forced him to go there several times over the past months.

- Agree. But the house in question belongs to an elderly couple of law-abiding citizens. Nevertheless, I will do everything in my power to convince the authorities and the judge that it is about the safety of citizens.

- Fine. Feeney, everything Roarke dug up on Gina McMillon is on disc. He didn't have enough time for more.

“Okay, I'll start where he left off. Surely there is something else.

- This applies to all those present. I need to know everything about our actors including even things like shoe size. I specify by twelve o'clock. So get on with it.

- Stone, what are our substances?

“I have discovered a new source of Zeus, which will surely please you. But, alas, there is no connection with our case. Nothing on LSD, but I keep trying. I also inquired about Christopher Lester. No official cases of the acquisition of substances necessary for the manufacture of the mixture have been recorded in his laboratory. At least in the last two years that I got access to.

- Got it, keep going in the same direction.

- Lieutenant, I think he has a legal source, laboratory or distributor. How else could he get the substance if LSD was not bought on the street? He probably has connections.

Stone paused and looked questioningly at Eve.

- Colway? But he's not a street kid. He's a solid jack. There is nothing behind him to indicate his connection with the street. Some fraer wants to buy drugs, for himself or for other purposes? Why, it would immediately come out. He would have been forced to look for secret channels, including outside the country. Why are there planets! But have we heard about this? Nothing.

“I agree,” Tisdale interjected. - Add to this that he has no experience in chemistry. Even if you follow the formula scrupulously, you still need someone to tell you how to do it, what equipment you need, how to handle the ingredients. These are not school experiments for you, and I strongly doubt that without professional guidance he would have been able to obtain the substance.

“Which sends us back to the chemist. Stone, have another chat with Christopher Lester. Suddenly he has thoughts about where Collway could get hold of the ingredients. Find out what laboratories are nearby, because it was obviously purchased in New York. There must be some kind of connection. Find her.

- Yes.

- Russell Collway is a medic by profession, although he is currently a farmer. Perhaps he has sources or experience in this area. Farms use chemicals. Callender, try to find something interesting. What if Collway has acquired any strange chemicals in recent months?

- Understood.

- Doctor Mira, I want to talk to you. Peabody, I'm instructing you to dig deeper into Colluway's finances. Check if they received packages from their grandmother in England, if they made strange purchases from distributors of chemicals.

After handing out the errands, Eve waited until the conference room was empty.

“There are solid ifs in this case,” she said to Dr. Mira. “And I would like you to look at them. Let's start with whether Audrey Hubbard knew who she really was, who her real parents were. Did you share your story with your son, is there something in his behavior that gave reason to suspect that he was aware of his mother's past?

- It all depends on how the information was presented. Based on the available data, Lewis Collaway had a generally normal childhood, although as a teenager he was forced to get used to a new environment, as the family often moved from place to place. He is a loner by nature. Add to this that in the years when the personality is being formed, you are several times pulled out of the familiar environment, depriving you of the opportunity to make friends, to learn what friendship is. On the other hand, he does not have any gross violations of discipline, not to mention illegal acts.

- In fact of the matter. An ordinary teenager, an ordinary family. But why all this moving from place to place? Was it because your father's butt itched and he couldn't sit still, or was there something wrong with the guy?

- Not okay? - Mira clarified.

- Well, yes. He behaved strangely, aroused suspicion. And the parents had no choice but to leave their place and go somewhere else. The Hubbards did it too - albeit only once. They took off, moved, started life from scratch. It is interesting to know your opinion.

With these words, she walked over to the blackboard and tapped on Colluway's photograph.

“He didn’t know anything, because his mother didn’t know either, or she chose to keep him in the dark. Suddenly he knows something. He stumbles upon some information, or someone finds him and says something that raises new questions for him. He returns, tries to find answers to them.

Eve tapped the pictures of Gina McMillon and Menzini in turn.

- A loner by nature, having neither friends nor a constant girlfriend, who is constantly overtaken in the career ladder, which is why he himself seems to be stuck for a long time on its lower steps - how do you think he would have done in a similar situation?

- Do you think he found out that Menzini was his grandfather and that prompted him to murder? Has it become a kind of excuse?

- Yes, in order to use the method tested by my grandfather to declare myself, to take revenge on the offenders, both voluntary and involuntary. To rise by shifting the dirty work onto the shoulders of others. For he himself is above this. At the same time, he got rid of two colleagues, who, in his opinion, were blocking his way up. Aggression, which had previously been carefully suppressed, finally found a way out. Moreover, she received an excuse. That's who I am, that's who my ancestor is! Finally I know it.

“From what we know, his parents are worthy people.

- We do not know for sure. Bye. Today we have a father who is a couple of decades older than his mother and is accustomed to the fact that his word is law. A mother who has lived her whole life caring for others - first about the parents, then about the child. He could easily perceive it as a weakness.

- I perceive it as a choice - such that I personally would never have made, but still a choice. Unless she was forced, which is what I want to find out. Just don’t think that when I look at Colluway, I see myself in him. God forbid! Bad blood? She is in me. But this is not yet a reason to spoil your life. And even less a reason to kill. I agree that aggression lives in me, but I know how to channel it into a peaceful channel. Usually, ”she added, and shrugged. “I have to neutralize him before he tries again. I have to put him behind bars, because as soon as the villain is out of sight, he will immediately take up the old. He will definitely find a way! And so I need to understand him in order to know where to look and prevent tragedy.

“Until you talked to his mother — by the way, I would like to do that too — we can only speculate.

“I’m afraid I don’t have time to wait for what his mother will say, and your assumptions are the only things I can start from.

Dr. Mira sighed, looked at the pictures of Colluway and Audrey, then turned her gaze to the photograph of Menzini.

- In that case, he knows. How it became known to him is difficult to say. But it seems to me that this fact did not push him away, did not upset him, did not instill anxiety. On the contrary, he inspired, gave strength and confidence.

“Great,” Eve nodded. - It is already possible to work with this.

“He’s not at all like you.

- I would like to hope.

Mira turned away from the blackboard and stared at Eve:

- Well, how did you manage to achieve a certain level of ... peace of mind?

- Hard to say. And in general, I'm not up to it now. I have to catch the killer. And until I catch it, I will not calm down.

And it is, Eve thought. She felt energized, ready for action.

- But in general, everything is fine. Short version: I had a dream about this ... about Stella. You were there too, in a supporting role. I ended up punching her in the face. Apparently, my aggressive nature affected. But what a thrill! I seemed to have put an end to it. Once and for all. Do I see myself in him?

Eve looked at Colluway's photo again.

- Yes, I understand. I could have taken a completely different path. But I didn't go. I like the one that I chose better. And I'm happy with who I am. I think that's enough already.

- It's fine.

“I punched her in the face,” Eve repeated. - Stella. What do you say about this?

“I think we can congratulate you,” replied Doctor Mira and laughed.

- Is that something like "bravo"?

- Yes, but not something like, namely "bravo".

“That's what Roarke thought,” Eve muttered. - Be that as it may, I must put a fat point in this story. And for that, I'll tell Peabody what happened in Dallas. Previously, I avoided talking on this topic, I was not ready to pour out my heart. Now I can. Because all this is already in the past. At least I try to keep it there.

“If you need my help, do not hesitate.

- I know. I can’t manage without you alone. Even now it is not easy for me to talk about it, it is difficult for me to think about it. But it's already much easier for me than before.

- That's good. In the meantime, I will not bother you. When Agent Tisdale brings the Colluays here, and she will certainly do so, I would like to be present during the conversation. Or at least observe from the side.

- We will definitely invite you.

Eve went straight to her office, where she checked her incoming messages. Most of them were requests from reporters who tried not to wash, so by crook to get hold of scandalous information. She, accompanied by brief comments, redirected them to Kiungu.

But the new data reminded her of how many dead bodies are in Morris's morgue, how many are on the dissecting table, how many technicians bent over the eyepieces of microscopes.

However, she did not find anything fundamentally new, she just carefully added data on each identified and studied body to the folders.

Then I checked how the observation was being conducted. Callway was in his office. Unless he was going to make a massacre in his own department, in this moment he posed no danger.

Eve grabbed her coat from the hook and went to her assistants.

“I still haven't found anything about finance,” Peabody complained. - The Colluays live within their means. The income, albeit small, but stable. Per last year no large sums, but also no big expenses. Not to mention the purchase of some chemicals. They only use organic matter.

“Well, that's enough for today. I want to talk to Cattery's wife. Feel her. If we have time, we will do this with regard to Fischer, we will talk to her flatmate.

“I'm ready now,” Peabody said. - I have the feeling that I am being carried somewhere by a stream of new data, but just where? By the way, I spoke to Mavis, ”she added, donning her coat as they walked toward the exit. “She couldn't get through to you last night, so she decided to call me.

“We spoke to her this morning.

- They teach Belle to swim.

- I've heard about it.

“I also spoke to my parents,” Peabody added, following Eve into the elevator. - They are terribly worried. You yourself understand what kind of nonsense they hear from the screens. I did my best to calm them down. Otherwise they would have jumped into their "caravan" and rolled to New York. At one time they had seen enough of the City Wars.

- I somehow did not think about it.

- It is clear that they were young and had just entered life when it all began. Just a couple of romantic volunteers. They sewed clothes, grew food for those who needed it. But they were not really in "hot spots".

- They were very lucky.

- According to his father, at that time he had not heard of any Red Horse. He learned about this sect only later, from notes in a history book. Few have heard of her. But now everyone knows about her.

Eve stopped for a moment before entering the elevator to the garage.

- That's the whole point. In theory, it was a terrible thing, but not only was it over. She was buried. They turned it into a footnote in a book for historians, and for the rest - a silence. As they say, sewn-covered. But now everyone knows about her.

“Do you think this is what he wanted?

“I think this is a narcissistic bastard and a coward. But this is also a factor. His grandfather, if the general public knew about him, could go down in history as the second Hitler. Because that is also glory. And so they took it away from him.

- Blimey! Does anyone want to be Hitler's grandson?

- Those who believe that everything is allowed to whites, to those who are crazy, narcissistic bastards who do not want to vegetate in obscurity.

- Well, surely there are some, and yet ...

“The romantic volunteer speaks in you, Peabody. Most people are far from being a gift. Moreover, they are proud of it.

They got into the car. Eve entered Cattery's address into the on-board computer, and she thought to herself: Shall I tell Peabody now?

- It will be useful for you to know what happened in Dallas.

- With McQueen?

- With his accomplice. - With these words, Eve drove out of the garage. Yes, it will probably be easier for her to pour out her soul, carefully following the road. - She, too, was far from a gift and was terribly proud of it.

- That is, she was the same scumbag as he was. If not worse.

“That’s for sure,” Eve agreed, feeling the words shrink inside her. Okay, we'll get through somehow. “When we were looking for his accomplice, we went through a long list of women who visited him in prison. One of them was listed as Susan's sister. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar to me. I then thought, probably, I once arrested or interrogated her. The same applied to her other guises. All of them awakened in me some vague feeling, but I, for the life of me, could not understand what was the matter.

Curious, Peabody moved closer to her.

“You arrested her.

- Probably, it was just a familiar type. That happens.

- I also thought so then. But no. That was not the point. You read the reports. And you know that we surrounded her house from all sides. We were already waiting for her when she went outside to meet with McQueen. Bad luck prevented. A kid on a bike, a dog on the sidewalk, out of nowhere a car. In general, she tried to leave us.

- Eh, it's a pity that I was not there. I can imagine you rushing at full speed after her van! Did you bump into her then?

- It's nothing, it's okay. A bit of blood and bruises, Eve thought. It was terrible later. - She got much worse than mine. There were no airbags in her old rattletrap. She, sitting behind the wheel, did not even think to buckle up.

- Serves her right. Seriously. Deserved.

“I was angry as hell,” Eve continued. “And she was afraid that during the chase she would be able to contact McQueen. Damn it, that would mean that we will miss the chance to take him by the soft spot and thereby save Melanie and the baby. I was ready to strangle her.

Eve remembered the fury of that time, gushing like blood from an open wound. And then…

- I pulled her out of the car - I don't care if I get dirty in her blood - and sharply turned her to face me. Stupid rose-colored glasses, crookedly sitting on the nose. I tore them off and looked into her face, looked into her eyes. And then she recognized her.

A chill ran down Peabody's spine at her tone.

“That wasn’t in your report,” she said carefully.

- That's right, it was not. Because it has absolutely nothing to do with this case. It's personal. She was once called Stella. She changed her eyes, dyed her hair, did plastic surgery, but I still recognized her. I recognized Stella. She was my mother.

- Mother of God! Gasped Peabody and covered Eve's hand with her hand. Such a slight movement, although her fingers were trembling. - Are you sure? For some reason it seemed to me that she had been dead for a long time.

“There was blood on me. Her, mine. Just in case, I asked Roarke to conduct DNA tests, although I already knew everything myself. I don't remember much about her, she left me with Troy when I was four years old. Maybe five. I do not remember exactly. But what I remember is enough.

- I think yes. But she didn't give a damn.

- But…

“Understand, Peabody. I have no feelings for her. Yes, she didn't give a damn about me. For her, I was a commodity, an investment, from which there is no benefit, but only a headache. It didn’t suit her. Something like this.

The nausea receded, and anger and disgust took its place.

- Did she recognize you?

- No. What did she care about me? In her eyes, I was just a cop. I stopped him and McQueen from doing another little business. Through my fault, she ended up in the hospital. I wanted to put her behind bars. I guess I should have put a couple of guards on her.

“Dallas, I've read the reports. You did everything right: put on the handcuffs, put the guards. When she escaped from the hospital, there were police officers on duty.

“She refused to tell me McQueen's whereabouts. Neither good nor bad. I was forced to click on it. I guess I went too far.

- Stop it! Peabody cut her off. - You did everything right. If you weren't sure you could split it, you would probably ask someone to do it for you. But you did it yourself.

Peabody's words were very helpful. Eve walked countless times over her every step, every decision, and it seemed to her that she had done everything she could.

- I decided that I would not just leave her, that I would try to corner her again. I waited a while, gave her a chance to think, and then try again. But she managed to escape, went to McQueen, and he killed her.

5
cool, the only disappointment is the translation. The usual spelling of surnames and first names jarps. Yes, sometimes speech is attributed to the wrong one. Suddenly Roarke will start talking about how he was tortured by Troy. Pleases both the appearance of old acquaintances, not so old (Strong), and new ones (lieutenant of special forces, and suddenly Nadine will come in handy) Fusya 4
I read with interest new book about Eve Dallas. True, for my taste, the author went a little too far with cruelty. There are massacres, a sect that abducts and tortures children, and, of course, Eve's dreams. In which she again and again encounters her biological parents. It was hard to read such moments. Lots of blood and loss.
It was interesting to read about the investigation. A group of detectives, led by Dallas, did Good work on the capture of the criminal. But I didn’t even think about this person. We were very pleased with the moments with Gallahad and Roarke. It is a pity that there were few of them. Nafisa 5
For the first time, not happy with the book. Maybe the translation let us down. The annotation says that the suspicion falls on Roark, I personally did not see this in a single phrase. The action unfolds rapidly and very quickly (in two days) the culprit is identified. I liked the ending of the book, the exposure and arrest of the terrorist's grandmother. An interesting denouement. moira 5
The translation spoiled the whole impression; I had to act as a proofreader. Confusion with names, Commander Whitney (horror! Was a major all the time), Nadine Furst (kapets!), Somerset became Summerset, etc. etc. It seems like little things, but the eye hurts badly, annoys, distracts, and in general there is a certain disrespect for loyal readers in this. One feels that the translation was entrusted to a person who is not at all familiar with this series. And in general, the translator is not brilliant, there were several more significant blunders. For book 5, for translation 3. butskiy 5
Well, finally, I got to the long-awaited novelty. Which is not very new anymore.

What can I say - I knew what a link was without a book, but why Eva started calling Dr. Miru by "you", I was very surprised. Then there were Commander Whitney, instead of the Major, and Nadine Furst, along with Furst. Reo finished me off. And so on the little things. The translator is just darling ...
On the one hand, I was sorry that the culprit had been identified in the middle of the book, but on the other hand, it was very interesting to read how they dig under him, methodically looking for all the evidence. And for me it was very interesting why the criminal was already in the cell, and a decent chunk of the book still had to be read. But the author turned the plot quite unexpectedly, it was not boring and this is a fact.
But on the love front, everything is quite calm and very interesting how Roarke and Eve practically shake over Sommerset. Which, by the way, is Samerset here. metelkavedmi 4
It is good to meet with already beloved heroes, but for some reason this book did not hook me strongly. Passed away somehow imperceptibly. elllenca 2
I understand that starting with this book, you should not count on a good translation. Big minus to the publishing house. I will not even think to buy this and subsequent books. Anya beauty 5
A worthy continuation. The only negative is that the culprit was identified almost immediately. riorita 5
I read it with pleasure. There is intrigue in the novel. An interesting plot move - the end of the investigation and suddenly a continuation. The translation is not encouraging. Elka 5
Purposefully I continue to read the series "In Death".
This time, Eva Dallas's department has to investigate a very brutal crime. In a popular white-collar bar, something incredible happens, with over 80 fatalities. A sea of blood, many terrible wounds and mutilations in people, a complete rout in the cafe. And it turns out that people inflicted all these wounds on each other themselves!
The first version, of course, was the suspicion of the presence of some kind of hallucinogenic drug in food or drinks. But what about the service staff? So the poison was in the air.
The bar, it turns out, belongs to Roarke. Annotation shamelessly lies that "Suspicion falls on Roarke". How can this be printed !?
One of the versions was the assumption that someone could take revenge on Roarke! But this theory was quickly abandoned.
But who then could have committed such a horrible, brutal murder of eighty-nine people!
All forces were thrown into the disclosure. Even the Bureau sent their agent. Eve, considering that it is possible to extract "classified" information from the Bureau, accepted the agent into her group. Moreover, it turned out that such crimes with mass murder occurred during the City Wars. I remembered this and told Eve with Roarke Somerset.
The dynamics of the investigation does not let our attention go until the very end, Eve is collected as never before. After all, such a crime can occur at any time and in any place.
At the same time, in this novel, she was able to conquer her nightmarish fears from meeting in dreams with her so-called parents. Of course, Dr. Mira helped her in this.
I liked the book "5".

Nora Roberts

Deceiving reality

And the spirit of Caesar will exclaim: "Your doom has come!" - and go to war.

W. Shakespeare. "Julius Caesar"

And I looked, and, behold, a pale horse, and on it a rider, whose name is "Death".

"The Revelation of St. John the Divine"

Delusion in death

After a killer day at work, nothing warms your soul more than happy hour at a drinking establishment. White-collar workers were the main patrons of the Whiskey and Soda Bar on the Lower West Side. Clerks of all stripes regularly visited here because of cheap booze and questionable rice balls, which they consumed complained to each other about their bosses or washed bones with colleagues.

By the way, the bosses have also been here - they ran for a glass or two before returning to their pretentious suburbs.

From half past four to six along the bar, on high and low stools, middling chiefs, "administrators", assistants and secretaries were sitting, who flocked here from their tiny offices. Some were swept into the bar like a powerful tidal wave after a shipwreck. Others went ashore themselves to listen latest gossip... Still others did not need anything at all - the main thing is, alone, on a tiny square of personal space, to muffle glass after glass.

By five o'clock the bar was buzzing like a beehive. The bartenders at the counter and the waitresses in the hall barely had time to serve those for whom the working day had already ended. The second half-price glass seemed to improve the mood significantly. Against the background of the roar reigning in the institution, bursts of laughter, friendly chatter and ritual exclamations preceding mating were heard every now and then.

Folders with documents, reports, missed calls and letters - everything instantly receded into the background, as soon as you step into this kingdom of warm, tender, golden light, the clink of glasses and nuts for beer at the expense of the establishment.

From time to time the door swung open, admitting another visitor who was lucky enough to survive another day of New York office routine. Cool autumn air and street noise rushed in with the entry. Then it became warm again, the hall was filled with rumble and bright light again.

Somewhere in the middle of "happy hour" (an hour and a half at "bar" time), many were in a hurry to get out. Business, family, upcoming date - all this pushed visitors out the door, to the metro, buses, trains, taxis. Those who stayed with friends and colleagues usually passed another glass, basking in the golden light of the drinking establishment, before stepping under the blinding lanterns or, conversely, into the darkness.

Maisie Snyder sat at a tall table just over a plate. She was not alone. Her boyfriend Travis, with whom she had been dating for three months and twelve days, her work friend Chi-Chi and Travis's friend named Bren, settled down here, huddled closely to each other. For several weeks now, Maisie has literally gone out of her way to bring Chi-Chi and Bren together. It would be great to be friends in pairs. There is someone to have fun with, there is someone to chat with. Even now it was a cheerful, noisy company, and Maisie among them, perhaps, looked the happiest.

Looks like Chi-Chi and Bren liked each other. Macy saw it in their eyes, in their gestures. And since Chi-Chi sent her two text messages secretly typed under the table, her version was confirmed.

By the time they ordered drinks for the second round, plans had already begun to be born, not whether to continue the evening. For example, have dinner together somewhere else.

Having given the prearranged signal to Chi-Chi, Macy grabbed her purse.

"We'll be back," she said, and rose from her seat.

Maneuvering between the tables, she walked across the hall, cursing under her breath whenever someone got up from behind the bar and bumped her shoulder.

- Hurry up! - She shouted cheerfully and took Chi-Chi by the hand. Together they ran down the narrow steps and joined the rather short line that led to the toilet.

- What did I tell you! Macy yelled.

- I know. You said that he was just a darling, and even showed him a photo. But in life he is even prettier. And so funny. Blind dates are usually such a bummer, but it's a poet's dream.

- Listen to what we're going to do now. Let's talk them into going to Nino. We will have supper there together, and then we will disperse each in his own direction. Then Bren can walk you home, and you can invite him to your place.

- Well I do not know. Chi-Chi bit her lower lip thoughtfully. She was always a terrible bore when it came to dating. No wonder she hasn't had a boyfriend for three months and twelve days. - I would not like to rush.

- You might think someone makes you sleep with him. Macy rolled her eyes theatrically. - Offer him coffee or a glass for the coming sleep. You can hug him a little.

With these words, she rushed into the vacant booth. Damn, it won't take long to describe it.

- When he leaves, send me a text message and tell me how it was. In great detail.

Meanwhile, the second booth was vacated. Chi-Chi stepped up to her and peed out of solidarity with her friend.

- May be. It all depends on how the dinner goes. What if he doesn't want to walk me home?

- Conducts. Where will he go? After all, you yourself said that he was just a darling. Would I take you with some fool? - Macy went to the sink, sniffed, sucking in the peach scent of liquid soap, and when Chi-Chi joined her, everything brightened:

- If everything works out, can you imagine how great it will be? Then we can go on dates together!

- No, no, don't think, I like him. It's just that when a guy is nice to me, I start to get nervous.

- He liked you too.

- Are you sure?

- One hundred percent, - Macy reassured her friend, combing her short blonde hair in front of the mirror. Chi-Chi, meanwhile, tinted her lips with lipstick. Damn, Macy thought, suddenly angry. Would she really have to stroke everyone's fur and coo to nice things all evening?

“You’re pretty, smart and funny,” she said, and added to herself: “I don’t mess with idiots.” “No wonder he liked you. Lord, Chi-Chi, relax. How long can you build a hysterical virgin out of yourself?

- Tell me honestly, do you want to have sex or not? - snapped Macy. Chi-Chi goggled at her friend. - I, one might say, went out of my way to organize this meeting, and now you are going to spoil everything mediocre.

- I just ...

- Heck! Macy rubbed her temples. - I think I have a headache.

And, probably, strongly, Chi-Chi thought. Macy never said nasty things. And she really makes herself a hysterical virgin. Even if just a little.

- Bren has such a wonderful smile. - Chi-Chi met Macy's eyes in the mirror. Her eyes were bright green against the dark skin. - If he takes me home, I will, so be it, invite him to my place.

- Yeah, you finally spoke.

They returned to the hall. Lord, how noisy it is here! - thought Macy with irritation. The rumble of voices, the clinking of glasses and plates, the scratching of chairs on the floor did not alleviate her suffering, rather the opposite.

Maybe you shouldn't drink more?

As they walked past the bar, someone blocked her path for a moment. Macy turned around irritably and wanted to shove the impudent one, but the stranger had already muttered an apology and headed for the exit.

“Idiot,” she hissed after him for lack of a better one. Before stepping out the door, he turned around and smiled at her.

- Something is wrong?

- Trivia. I was just pushed by one idiot.

- By the way, how are you? If my head hurts badly, I can give a pill. I always carry it with me just in case.

“That's all of you,” Macy muttered, taking a deep breath. Good friends she reminded herself. Pleasant evening.

She sat down at the table again. Travis immediately took her hand and winked.

“We would like to have dinner with Nino,” announced Macy.

“We were just talking about going to the Tortilla Flats. You need to book a table with Nino in advance, ”Travis reminded her.

“I don’t want to eat any Mexican nasty stuff.” If you go, then to some decent place. And if it is imperative to order drinks, then everyone will pay for themselves.

Travis frowned, leaving a deep crease between his brows. This happened every time she said something stupid. She hated it when he did that.

“Nino’s establishment is only twelve blocks away. And a Mexican restaurant is practically around the corner.

Angry to the point that her hands were already beginning to shake, Macy brought her face close to his.

Nora Roberts is a world famous writer whose books have been translated into several foreign languages... Many readers from all over the world are familiar with the work of the writer, who, after reading the first work, become fans of the writer and look forward to the release of the new book.
The work "Deceptive Reality" was published in 2012 and since then the book has been sold out in all countries. The novel became popular thanks to an unusual twisted plot, in the foreground of which is the same brave girl named Eva Dallas.

What is the work about?

The book "Deceptive Reality" tells us about the new adventures of Eva Dallas. Now she and her colleague Peabody must investigate a modern and unusual crime. The young woman has a husband named Roarke who owns her own bar. Everything is fine in their relationship, they do not have any problems, but soon an unusual crime occurs in the husband's bar, which forces the investigator to take up the case and start the investigation immediately.

The fact is that there is a massacre in the bar, 80 people die at the same time and no one can clearly explain what happened and how to describe what the survivors managed to see. Eva Dallas first of all interviews those who saw everything and survived, the victims describe that at the time of the death of everyone else, they felt apathy, hopelessness and fear, leading to paranoia.

Soon, the girl learns that the cocktails that the visitors drank were mixed chemical substances, which affected the nervous system and provoked cardiac arrest. Those who survived were lucky purely by accident, as they had a stronger immune system to the chemicals that were mixed in. Eve does not understand who needed to poison clients and bring them to death.
Young Eva begins to suspect her husband of what happened and does not understand what to do now, is there any point in continuing the investigation, or is it possible to declare suspicions? What should the girl do now, will he be able to cope with his own feelings? Will she be able to find the real killer and at the same time maintain her relationship?

The work "Deceptive Reality" by Nora Roberts shows readers the work of the investigation, which it really is. The author devotes the reader to how investigators actually work, what they pay attention to, and what, in their opinion, is completely unimportant. The writer also managed to beautifully convey the inner struggle of the main character, who believes that her husband is guilty, but still cannot end the investigation and put him behind bars. She, as a woman, tries to justify her beloved and hopes that she will succeed. These are the realities of our life, the mind can say one thing and it seems that all the evidence speaks against one particular person, but the heart is against and desperately clings to the possibility that the person is innocent.

Current page: 1 (total of the book has 24 pages) [available passage for reading: 6 pages]

Nora Roberts
Deceiving reality

And the spirit of Caesar will exclaim: "Your doom has come!" - and go to war.

W. Shakespeare. "Julius Caesar"

And I looked, and, behold, a pale horse, and on it a rider, whose name is "Death".

"The Revelation of St. John the Divine"

Delusion in death

© Nora Roberts, 2012. This edition published by arrangement with Writers House LLC and Synopsis Literary Agency

© Bushueva T., translation into Russian, 2015

© Edition in Russian, design. LLC "Publishing house" E ", 2015

1

By the way, the bosses have also been here - they ran for a glass or two before returning to their pretentious suburbs.

From half past four to six along the bar, on high and low stools, middling chiefs, "administrators", assistants and secretaries were sitting, who flocked here from their tiny offices. Some were swept into the bar like a powerful tidal wave after a shipwreck. Others went ashore themselves to hear the latest gossip. Still others did not need anything at all - the main thing is, alone, on a tiny square of personal space, to muffle glass after glass.