Leverage in Death (In Death, #47)

by J.D. Robb

“So, basically, they’re giving themselves a blow job?” For a couple of seconds, Peabody’s mouth worked silently. “I … I can’t possibly answer that without feeling really dirty and weirded.”

“He bought a farm,” Eve muttered. “He bought the farm? You’re mixing up your idioms again.” “A farm. An actual farm, somewhere in Nebraska, because I made some comment that turned into a challenge in his head. So he bought this shithole farm in Bumfuck, in my name.”

“I was going to, but the goddamn Candy Thief found my stash.” “Only in your world does candy qualify as actual food.”

“The heart wants what it wants, sees what it needs to see.” “The heart’s just a pulsing muscle without the head.

“I was going to say polka dots don’t change their spots, but sometimes they can. They do. You’re married to a cop, and I’m living in an urban castle.”

“Das,” she said. “Ork. Somshit. Gah-ad.” She tapped, then moved up. “Das Ork how.” “Sss,” Mavis prompted. “How-sss. Like cas…” She looked at Mavis. “Sil.” “Cas-sil.”

“The unrestricted love of a child is a precious gift.” “I get that.” “I thought you would tell him, was sure of it. I was wrong.” She didn’t have to ask what he meant. “I didn’t have proof,” she began, and he said nothing. “And what good would it have done, for him, if I’d told Roarke I suspected the man he thinks of as his father killed Patrick Roarke?” “I thought you would tell him,” Summerset said again, simply. “Due to—beyond our personal … friction—your duty to the law, and your loyalty to Roarke.” “Those are exactly the reasons I didn’t tell him.” “I don’t understand you.” “Guess not.” She started to continue up, stopped. “Okay, here it is, then it’s done. I believe absolutely in the law, the need for it, the rules of it, the need and rules of it that lead to justice. I’d be nothing without believing that. But that was a different time and place, and circumstances. You had no one in authority you could trust to serve and protect, to stand for you when a fucking monster threatened to rape, torture, and kill two children. He’d have followed through on that threat because there was no one to stop him. You did. Roarke’s here because you stopped Patrick Roarke, because you protected the child he was at that time, in that place, in those circumstances. That’s enough for me.” “There were no cops such as you in that time and place.” “Times change.” She continued up. “Put it away.” “Perhaps I can,” Summerset agreed. She stopped one more time. “You don’t get points for teachin...

I have to—” In the garage, Peabody threw her arms in the air, tossed back her head, and screamed. The sound echoed, ping-ponged, and made Eve’s ears vibrate.

Oscars

“Maybe I’ll marry her,” Baxter considered. “She’s too smart for that.” “I overcome female brains with my smooth charm and sexual prowess.” “He really does,” Trueheart agreed as he worked. “It’s a skill.”

She wondered if brains actually could spill out of the ears, and she sent Roarke another section. “Ah, well now, that could be useful,” he mumbled. “Pry this bleeding bitch open just a bit more. Aye, that’s clever, but not fecking clever enough, is it then?” She rose, turned to the friggie because she realized she’d finally hit a point she’d never believed possible to hit. She couldn’t handle more coffee. She got water for both of them. “And there, you shagging, cross-eyed whoremonger, I’ve got it.” Half-asleep, too used to his mutters to think anything of them—though whoremonger was new—she held out the water.

He didn’t bother to block video, so she got a good shot of his bare ass—not bad—as he scrambled out of bed.

Baxter again

“I checked on the kid, well, the whole family, but I wanted to make sure August was doing okay. He got on the ’link to thank me for taking him to his mom. And he said—I thought you’d like to know—a ninja woman saved him.” “‘Ninja woman.’” Eve let out a snorting laugh. It hurt her bruised chest a little, but it was worth it.

“Here.” Mira slid the jacket off. “We’ll get this done, no fuss, then you’ll finish your job.” She helped Eve out of her harness, her shirt. Then sighed. “Not that bad? Really, Eve, damn it! Did the MTs say ribs are broken?”

“Now … We gave you a shout-out, Dallas and Roarke, on the red carpet. Here’s another. You’re the reason, both of you. But, Dallas, as much as you’re going to hate this—being Dallas—this is as much yours as mine. I’m putting it in my place, but it’s yours, too. I’m sharing this amazing award with the smartest, bravest, most dedicated cop and frustrating person I know. Thanks. Holy crap! Thanks!”

The Icove Agenda took five Oscars, including best adapted screenplay, best director, best cinematography, best actress, and the big guns. Best picture.