Visions in Death (In Death, #19)

by J.D. Robb

‘No, not the shoe god. These are the product of a man, a devious flesh and blood man, who secretly hates all women. By designing shoes like this, he can torture them for profit.’

‘You know, darling, if caffeine ever makes it to the illegals list, you’re going to have to register as an addict.’ ‘They try to make coffee an illegal, I’ll kill them all, and it won’t be an issue. How do I rate coffee in bed?’ ‘I love you.’ ‘Yeah, you do.’ She took another gulp, grinned. ‘Sucker.’ ‘That’s no way to persuade me to get you a second cup.’ ‘I love you back?’ ‘That would probably work.’

You know, I hear your friends say your cop is scary, mean, and relentless. What do you say about that?’ ‘Lieutenant, your friends say the same. Give my best to Peabody,’ he added as he walked out. ‘I’ll keep your best,’ she called out, ‘and give her what’s left over.’

‘Overcoming and getting over are two very different things.’ Mira spoke briskly now because she wanted to get up, to go over, to draw Eve into a hug that wouldn’t be appropriate, or understood. ‘Yes, you should strive to overcome. To survive, have a life, to be happy, to be productive. You’ve done all that, and a great deal more. But no, you’re not required to get over it. To get over being beaten and abused and raped and tortured. You ask more of yourself, Eve, than you ask of anyone else in the world.’

And he had on a tie. A tie. The closest she could come to describing the color was what you might get if you electrocuted grass.

‘How come the detectives and uniforms in this division have better equipment than I do? I’m the boss.’ ‘You know, there’s a theory that some people have a kind of mechanical . . .’ The term deficiency sprang to Peabody’s mind, but she was too concerned with her own health and safety to speak it. ‘Like an infection or something. And it affects the machines they operate.’ ‘That’s bullshit. I don’t have any trouble with my home equipment.’ ‘Just a theory,’ Peabody said, and hunched her shoulders. ‘Do you have to lurk there while this is running?’ ‘I have to lurk somewhere.’

McNab and I have a packing date tonight.’ ‘A packing date?’ ‘Yeah, we’ve got to get some serious packing done at my place. We’ll be moving into our place in a few days. Our place.’ She patted her belly. ‘Still gives me a little bit of the jitters.’ ‘You can’t imagine what it gives me,’ Eve said, and walked away when Peabody snorted.

‘So what do you think they want for, like, a housewarming?’ ‘Don’t they have regulation temp control?’ ‘Jeez, Dallas.’ With a giggle, Mavis popped something else in her mouth. ‘Housewarming. You know, where people move into a new place and you get them a gift.’ ‘Hold on. You have to give them a gift for moving?’ ‘Uh-huh. Plus they’re shacking, so it should be a couple thing.’ She ate another canape, fed one to Leonardo. ‘Why does there have to be a gift for every damn thing?’ Eve complained. ‘Retail conspiracy.’ Roarke patted her knee. ‘I bet it is,’ Eve said darkly. ‘I just bet it is.’

‘Me?’ Eve licked her thumb and decided to steal another loaded cracker from Mavis’s plate. ‘Uh-huh. We want you to be my backup coach.’ ‘You’re taking up baseball?’ Eve bit into the salmon thingy with the stuff, and decided it wasn’t half bad. ‘Shouldn’t you wait until you get the kid out of there?’ ‘No. Labor and delivery coach. You’d back up Leonardo when I have the baby.’ Eve choked on the canape and turned white. ‘Take a drink, darling,’ Roarke said with a laugh in his voice. ‘Put your head between your knees if you feel dizzy.’

‘We want Roarke there, too.’ Mavis sniffed into her cloth. ‘Me? There?’ Eve turned her head, and saw – with pleasure – the rare sight of utter panic on his face. ‘Not so damn funny now, is it, ace?’

When she went to her desk, she was delighted to see he’d brought out a burger and fries – even though there were a few little broccoli trees alongside them. She could ditch the broccoli – how would he know? But then she’d feel guilty. Since she was more ambivalent toward broccoli than guilt, she ate it first, to get it out of the way,

‘You should’ve been a cop.’ He shifted his gaze from the screen to her face. ‘Don’t I have enough horror in my head with potential midwifery without you heaping more in there?’

Alone, Eve stared at the ’link, and recited a little mantra in her head. Let the commander answer and not his wife, let the commander answer and not his wife. In the name of all that’s holy, let the commander answer and not his wife. Then, sucking it up, she sat down and made the call. She nearly let out a cheer when Whitney’s tired face popped on screen.

‘It did. Because it didn’t have all these people in it.’ ‘If you need to shove somebody out, you know, to simplify? Could you give Roarke the push? See, McNab and I have this understanding. If Roarke’s clear, I get to take my shot at him. McNab gets one at you.’ When Eve choked on the last swallow from the tube, Peabody gave her a helpful thump on the back. ‘Joking. Just sort of joking.’ ‘You and McNab have a sick, sick relationship.’ ‘We do.’ Peabody beamed. ‘It makes us very happy.’

‘Peabody.’ ‘Sir!’ Eve could see her white face, her startled eyes in the dim light of the crib. ‘On your feet, soldier. Media conference in fifteen. One Police Plaza.’ ‘Got it. Just let me slap myself around and wake up. I’m on my way.’ ‘Get there now. I’ll slap you around.’ ‘You sweet-talker.’

Let a smile be your umbrella and you’re gonna get your dumb ass wet.’

He pumped shampoo and began to lather it into her hair. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘Saving you time. What have you done here?’ She hunched her shoulders. ‘Nothing.’ ‘You have. You’ve been whacking at your hair again.’ ‘It was in my eyes.’ ‘Back here?’ He tugged. ‘Fascinating. Does the NYPSD know they have a cop with eyes in the back of her head? Has the CIA been notified?’ ‘I can do this myself.’ She pulled back, scrubbed vigorously at her hair while glaring at him. ‘Don’t tell Trina.’

‘You are a dick,’ she said, but with a sloppy grin. ‘Now I forgive you for thinking I was bouncing back and forth between you and Charles like some sex bunny.’ ‘She-body, you’re my little sex bunny.’ ‘Aw.’ She flung her arms around him to exchange the sloppy grin for a big, sloppy kiss. The elevator doors opened behind them. ‘Oh God! There goes my appetite.’ ‘Dallas.’ Peabody sent a dreamy look over McNab’s shoulder. ‘We’re making up.’ ‘Next time make up in a dark, locked room. McNab, your hands are in violation of several civil codes.’

‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, whatever the hell, I won’t make that transition in the bloody dirt. I’ll take the fire, quick and clean.’ ‘Maybe you can bribe God and live forever. You’ve got more money than He does.’