In Death 30 - Fantasy in Death

whatever you took really bad. If you insulted me you’d piss me off and I’d insult you back. If you made fun of me you’d hurt my feelings and I’d tell you to knock it off.”
    “So the only reason you’d stick a knife in me—”
    “Or a really sharp nail file. Maybe a kebab skewer. That would be, like, inventive. See, you were doing the steamy with my cuddle-up in the kitchen, so I just grabbed what was there. Murder by kebab skewer, and I’d get off on the temporary whacked.”
    Fixing rage on her face, Mavis demonstrated by pumping a fist toward Eve’s heart.
    “It’s a good one. Anyway, the only reason you’d plunge that kebab skewer in me is the blind passion of the moment?”
    “Yeah, so remember that if you ever get ideas about my baby doll, ’cause I’d kebab your ass.”
    “So warned.”
    Mavis grinned her sparkling grin. “Speaking of babies. You’ve got to see this mini vid of Bellamia.” Mavis opened a tiny bag the same pink as her hair and the shape of a tulip.
    Eve laid a hand on hers. “You wouldn’t do it even then. You might want to, even think it, and you’d hate me, but you wouldn’t kill me.”
    “I’d really want to, but no. But you’d never go after my man because you’d never hurt me that way, ever, much less cheat on Roarke. Real friends, real lovers don’t do that shit to each other. Not the reals.”
    “Exactly. You’re exactly right. Okay. Let’s see the vid.”

17
     
     
     
    E ve didn’t know if Bella was the baby girl of all baby girls as she didn’t have much experience with babies of either variety. But the kid was ridiculously pretty, especially if you overlooked the drool.
    Still, she was happy to be spared watching Bella clap her hands, blow kisses, and babble a second time as the men came back with drinks. She cornered McNab while Roarke was treated to Bella’s goos and giggles and baby-spit kisses.
    “What’s the status on the journal?”
    “She’s tricky. I got through the first level, but she put another layer on. Paranoid—and really good.”
    “I could probably get a court order for her to open it.”
    “And suck out my fun? Give me a couple more hours.”
    “If you don’t have it by eleven hundred, I’m going to see what Reo can do. A woman who lives alone in a secured apartment who keeps a journal with that kind of protection has something to hide.”
    “Everything in her place is locked down double, even her house ’link. Again, can you say paranoid? Callendar and Feeney said the other two were overcovered, but this one? It’s like Global Security.”
    “We’ll brief at eleven hundred,” Eve decided. “That gives you and the rest of EDD time to comb through what we have while Peabody and I go over what the rest of the team brought in.”
    “Then we’d better party now, because we’re going to kick it early tomorrow. There’s Baxter. Looking tight.”
    “Baxter?” Glancing around, she spotted Baxter and a scatter of other cop faces. “What, did Nadine invite the entire NYPSD?”
    “Looks like it. I spotted Tibble over at the bar. I guess you got to do the invite to the commissioner. He looked like he was in a good mood.”
    “Let’s close this case and keep him that way.”
    “Cop talk? This is a party.” Nadine hooked arms around McNab’s and Eve’s waists. “With all my favorite people.”
    “From the looks of it,” Eve observed, “you have a lot of favorites. And a good chunk of them are cops.”
    “You work the crime beat, you make friends with cops—or you don’t work it long.”
    “It’s a total bash,” McNab told her. “The music slays. I’m going to get Peabody out there and show them how it’s done. Cha.”
    “He’s a cutie.” Nadine beamed after McNab. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a man in an orange tux.”
    “It’s the glow-in-the-dark bow tie that makes it.”
    “It does add a flare. Well, look at him go!” Nadine added with a laugh. “He’s got some moves. They look so happy.” She sighed. “I’m so happy. All those nerves are gone now. I guess it takes a party, and a few hundred of my closest friends, to flip them over to happy.”
    “Congratulations.” Roarke stepped over, gave Nadine a kiss. “It’s a wonderful party, and the centerpiece is stunning.”
    “Thank you. Both of you. I’m just so . . .”
    “Happy,” Eve finished. “She’s very happy.”
    “Perilously close to giddy.” After lifting her glass in toast, Nadine drank deep. “And