Fantasy in Death (In Death, #30)

by J.D. Robb

“No one’s indispensable. Except you to me.” “Aww.” But she rolled her eyes with the sound and made him laugh a little.

“We’ll take him together to start,” Eve told Peabody. “I’m going hard. He expects it from me now.” “And you’d give him herbal tea and a fluffy pillow otherwise.”

“I’ll be the soul. If this guy was banging three marks, how’d he have time for anything else?” “Apparently, it’s just a matter of good time management.” “I wonder what supplements he takes, or if he has a special diet.”

“You know, you could easily rig a cam in here, and catch whoever’s lifting your stash in the act.” “One day I’ll catch the candy thief, but it’ll be by guile and wit, not technology. It’s a matter of pride and principle now.”

He arched his brows. “Well now, my heart swells with pride. Listen to the business acumen.” “Be a smartass, lose the candy.”

“DO YOU THINK THE PENIS EVER GETS TIRED?” As she drove, Eve turned her head toward Peabody, tipped down the shades she rarely remembered to wear. “Whose?” “Anybody’s. I mean anybody with one. Does the penis ever just think: For God’s sake, pal, give it a rest? Or is it all: Woo-hoo! Here we go again!” “Is this germane to the case, or have you lapsed into girl talk?”

“See now I’ve got this image of some cock sitting at a swim-up bar at a resort, wearing sunshades and drinking one of those stupid drinks full of fruit and paper umbrellas.”

“Try to look like Peabody.” “Sorry?” “Serious, official, yet approachable.” “You forgot adorable.” “Peabody is not adorable.” “She is from my perspective. Besides, I was talking about me.”

Is that what worries you, Eve, about starting one of our own? Not time yet,” he added, helplessly amused by the quick panic in those canny cop’s eyes. “But when it is, is that your worry? We’ll either raise cops, criminals, or the too trusting?” “I don’t have a clue. But just a for instance, who’ll remember to say, ‘No more fizzies’? What if I want one? Or no pizza for dinner again, when come on, why the hell not? It’s another endless set of rules to learn. I haven’t worked my way through the marriage rules yet.” “And yet, here we are.” He lowered his head to kiss her lightly. “I think there’s a lot of on-the-job training involved in raising children.”

Nadine plopped down in a chair. “Oh, make yourself the fuck at home. Can’t you see I’m working on a murder here?” “Can’t you see I’m having a breakdown here?” Nadine snapped back, and gave Eve pause.

Nadine blinked. “You’ve read the reviews?” “I maybe saw one or two, somewhere. The point is, you did a solid job. More than, if it matters what I think. You made it human and important, and you didn’t sentimentalize it—if that’s a word. You got it accurate, and that matters, but you made it real. And that’s probably just as important. So stop being a big baby about it.” “I knew I’d feel better if I came by here. You bitch.” She grabbed Eve’s hand. “I’d really like you to be there tomorrow night, even if you can’t stay long. I might need you to kick me in the ass again.”

“And isn’t this nice, our little family having breakfast together.” He plucked a fat blackberry from his own plate, popped it in her mouth. “You look rested. No more dreams?” “No. Something relaxed them right out of me.” She picked up a raspberry, popped it in his. “But I was thinking about it. Dreams are subconscious whacka-whacka.” “A little known psychological term.”

She spun around. “What? The Dark Knight.” “Batman, kid. Even you’ve heard of Batman.” “Yeah, yeah, vigilante with psychotic tendencies who dresses up in a weird bat costume. Rich playboy by day, right?”

Maybe I just didn’t want it to be Benny because he really loves her, and if I was wrong about that, it’d be depressing. Who wants to be depressed?” “Poets,” Eve decided. “You have to think they must.”

Peabody came over to join her. “I speak some basic geek, but I don’t understand a word they’re saying. I guess I’ll go back to Callendar’s first comment. It’s wicked freaky.” “It’s science. People have been using science to kill since some cave guy set some other poor bastard’s hair on fire.”

And when I push for another warrant, the security logs will show exactly that if so. Or we could just be interrupting an old couple’s quiet evening.” “Maybe they’re out doing the tango and drinking tequila shots.” He sent Eve a grin. “As we will be when we reach their age. After which we’ll come home and have mad sex.” “For God’s sake. This is on the record.” “Yes, I know.” He stepped off with her on Var’s floor. “I wanted those future plans to be official as well.”

“Shut up, just shut up.” She yanked out her communicator. “Officer needs assistance. Officer down. Officer down.” “I’m an officer now, am I? That’s insult to injury.” As she shouted out the address, he turned his head at the violent thumping at the door. “Ah, well, there’s the backup. Wipe your face, baby. You’d hate them to see the tears.”