In Death 07 - Holiday in Death

believe -- Hi, Nadine."
    "Is that you, Peabody?"
    Though Peabody struggled to maintain a casual air, her lips twitched up in a smile. "Yeah, I just had a little work done."
    "A little. You look fabulous. Is that one of Leonardo's designs? It's just absolutely mag." She was up, circling Peabody.
    "Yeah, it's one of his. It really works on me, doesn't it?"
    "Peabody, you rock." Laughing, Nadine stepped back. Then her smile began to sharpen; her eyes narrowed. "You let your aide play dress-up in the middle of a murder investigation?" Nadine began, turning to Eve. "I don't think so. I'd say what we have here is a very slick undercover scam. Trying the wonders of computer dating, Peabody?"
    "Close the door, Peabody." At Eve's flat command, Peabody inched in and shut the door at her back. "Nadine, if you leak this, I'll cut you off. I'll see to it that there isn't a cop here at Central who gives you the day of the week much less a story lead. Then I'll get nasty."
    Nadine's fox-sly smile faded. Her eyes went dark and dull. "You think I'd fuck with your investigation? You think I'd go on with data that could put Peabody in a jam? Go to hell, Dallas." She scooped up her bag and swung toward the door. But Eve was quicker.
    "I put her ass on the line." Furious with herself, Eve yanked the purse out of Nadine's hands and tossed it. "I made the call, and if anything goes wrong, it's on me,"
    "Dallas -- "
    "Shut up," she snapped at Peabody. "If it hurts your feelings to know just how far I'd go to protect her cover and this case, that's too damn bad."
    "Okay." Nadine took a deep breath and reeled in her own temper. It was a rare thing for her to detect even a shadow of fear in Eve's eyes. "Okay," she repeated. "But you should remember Peabody's a friend of mine. And so are you."
    She bent down to pick up her bag, shouldered it. "Nice hair, Peabody," she said before she opened the door and walked out.
    "Fuck" was all Eve could think to say. Turning, she stepped to the stingy window and stared out at miserable air traffic.
    "I can handle this, Dallas."
    Eve stared hard at an airbus that blatted fiercely at an advertising blimp in its airspace. "I wouldn't have put you on if I didn't think you could handle it. But the fact remains I'm the one who put you on. And you've got no undercover experience."
    "You're giving me a chance to get some. I want to make detective. I won't get the grade without undercover work on my record. You know that."
    "Yeah." Eve stuck her hands in her back pockets. "I know that."
    "Uh... I know my ass is a little bigger than it ought to be -- even though I'm working out -- but I know how to cover it."
    With a half laugh, Eve turned back. "Your ass is fine, Peabody. Why don't you sit on it and give me your report?"
    "It went great." Grinning now, Peabody dropped into a chair. "I mean frigid. They didn't have a clue I was a cop, that I'd been in there just a couple days ago. I got the royal treatment." She fluttered her newly darkened and lengthened lashes.
    Eve cocked her head. "If you've got that out of your system, Officer, I'd like your report."
    "Sir." Peabody straightened in the chair, sobered. "As ordered, I reported to the subject location, requested a consult. After a brief interview I was escorted to a lounge where Piper continued the interview personally. The data I offered was logged on her personal palm computer. I was offered refreshment." A quick flicker of amusement lighted in her eyes. "I accepted, believing this to be in character. Dallas, they have hot chocolate. I mean the genuine stuff, and sugar cookies. Christmas style. I ate three reindeer before I got ahold of myself."
    "Keep that up and you'll need a tarp to cover your ass."
    "Yeah." But Peabody sighed in memory. "I indicated that I wanted to proceed immediately. Gave her a line about not wanting to be alone during the holidays. She was very sympathetic, personable. I can see why people who go in there trust her to fix them up. She wanted to pass me off to a consultant, but I balked. Said how I was so comfortable with her, and that this process was somewhat embarrassing for me. I offered to pay more, if necessary, to have her stick with me."
    "Good thinking."
    "She was sweet about it. Patted my hand. She walked me through the video herself, even coached me a little. Rudy came into it toward the end because she had a meeting to go to. He didn't make me either. He flirted with me."
    "In what way?"
    "In an automatic way. It was just part