In Death 15 - Purity in Death

another aide."
    Eve turned her head as an MT rushed in. "Do something," she ordered.
    Ignoring her, he ran a scanner over the point of entry, took Peabody's vital signs. "Okay, Officer. What's your name?"
    "Peabody. I'm Peabody. Would you get these goddamn scissors out of me?"
    "Sure. I'm going to give you a little something first."
    "Gimme lots. Dallas is the one who lives for pain."
    He smiled at her, set his pressure syringe.
    "She's losing blood," Eve snapped. "Are you just going to let her bleed out on the floor?"
    "Just keep the pressure on," he said mildly. "Too bad about that jacket. Looks like nice fabric. I'm going to pull out the invasive object. On three, Peabody, okay?"
    "One, two, three."
    The MT met Eve's eyes, and mouthed: Hold her down.
    Eve felt it in her gut, felt the sharp shock of the blades slicing out of Peabody's flesh. Felt it in the quick jerk of her aide's body against her restraining hands.
    Blood flowed over her fingers, warm and wet.
    Then she was nudged out of the way, while the MT worked on the wound.
    Twenty minutes later she was pacing the ER waiting room. She'd nearly decked the doctor who'd ordered her out of the treatment area. Had restrained herself only because she figured the medical had to be conscious to work on Peabody.
    McNab burst through the doors in a limping run, with Roarke right behind him.
    "Where is she? What are they doing for her? How bad is it?"
    "She's in treatment. They're patching her up. It's just like I told you, McNab. She's got a deep puncture in her shoulder, but it missed the major arteries. They don't think there's any muscle damage. They're going to clean it up, give her some blood and fluids, sew her up. Then they'll probably spring her."
    She saw him stare down at her hands. She hadn't taken time to wash the blood off. Cursing herself, she shoved them into her pockets.
    "Which treatment room?"
    "B. Around the corner to the left."
    He rushed off, and Eve scrubbed her hands over her face. "I can't stay in here," she muttered and hurried outside.
    "Is it more serious than you told McNab?" Roarke asked her.
    "I don't think so. The MT seemed solid. He said it was too serious to treat and release on-scene, but not major. She lost a lot of blood."
    She stared down at her hands.
    "You lost a bit yourself." He traced his fingers over her jaw where Geller's nails had swiped.
    "It's nothing. Goddamn it, it's nothing." She spun away from him, kicked the tire of an ambulance parked in the bay. "I took her in there."
    "Is she less a cop than you?"
    "That's not the point. That's not the fucking point." She whirled back. "I took her and six other cops in there. I made the call, I set the op. I dodged out of the way when Geller threw the scissors at me."
    Because her eyes were swimming, her voice beginning to hitch, he took her shoulders. "And Peabody didn't move as quickly. Is that your fault?"
    "It's not about fault. It's about reason. I took her in, took all of them in to secure and transport to medical a woman who's probably going to die anyway. I ordered those people to put their lives on the line for her. A woman who sells little girls. Boy, that's irony for you. I've got Peabody's blood on my hands because of a woman who sells children for sex."
    She gripped his shirt, fisted her hands. "For what?" she demanded. "What's the damn point?"
    "Lieutenant."
    She jerked at McNab's voice, turned quickly.
    He'd never seen her cry before. Hadn't known she could. "She's awake. You were right, they're going to spring her. They want to keep her about an hour first. She's still a little groggy. She asked if you were around."
    "I'll go in and see her."
    "Dallas." McNab moved into her path, took her by the arm. "If you ask her what the point is, she'd tell you. You haven't asked me, but I'll tell you anyway. Because when something has to be done, we're the ones who're supposed to do it. I didn't have to be there to know you went through the door first. So you already know what the point is."
    "Maybe I needed somebody to remind me."
    Roarke watched her walk back inside. "You're a good man, Ian." He laid a hand on McNab's shoulders. "Let's go buy Peabody some flowers."
    "I usually just steal them."
    "Let's make an exception for this one."

Chapter 21
    Whitney took Eve's report orally, in his office. She was in her shirtsleeves, and the shirt carried a small stain of dried blood.
    "Has Peabody been released from the health center?"
    "They were preparing to sign her out when I