Holiday in Death (In Death #7)(22)

“Detective McNab, reporting for duty.”

Eve looked over and saw Ian McNab swagger into the room. He had a big, satisfied grin on his pretty face, a knee-length vest in eye-searing fuchsia over his Christmas-green jumpsuit, and a striped ribbon of both colors binding back his long sweep of glinting gold hair.

Feeling Peabody stiffen like a flagpole beside her, Eve nearly sighed.

“How’s it going, McNab?”

“It’s going good, Lieutenant. Hey there, Peabody.” He winked cockily then set a hip on the desk. “Captain Feeney said you could use me on this Santa case. I’m here to serve. Got anything to eat?”

“See what’s in the AutoChef.”

“Mag. Working for you, Dallas, has rocking benefits.” He wiggled his brows suggestively at Peabody then walked over to forage breakfast.

“If you were going to use that pinhead,” Peabody muttered under her breath, “why can’t he work out of EDD?”

“Because I wanted to irritate you, Peabody. It’s my main goal in life. Since you’re here, McNab,” Eve continued, “you can take over these searches. Peabody and I need to go out in the field.”

“Just line them up,” he said, taking a huge” bite of a blueberry Danish. “I’ll knock them back.”

“When you’ve finished stuffing your face,” Eve said mildly, “run the names in the Hawley file — all data.”

“Took care of the ex last night,” he said with his mouth full. “Can’t find any break in his alibi so far.”

“Okay.” She appreciated the fast return, but decided not to mention it and have Peabody pouting all day. “I’ll be sending you another list from the field — run those names, then do a cross-check between the lists. Take a good look at the Hoffman twins, Rudy and Piper. I want anything that pops. And run this.”

She turned back to her computer, called up the evidence file, and shot out a hologram of the second brooch. “I want to know who made this piece, how many were manufactured, where they were sold, how many were sold, and to whom. Cross-check that with the first pin found on Hawley’s body. You getting this, McNab?”

“Sir.” He swallowed hastily, then tapped a finger to his temple. “Every bit.”

“You get me a name that matches both lists and the bauble, and I’ll see to it you’ve got fresh Danishes every morning for the rest of your life.”

“That’s a hell of an incentive.” He wiggled his fingers. “Let me at it.”

“Let’s ride, Peabody.” Eve rose, grabbed her bag. “Don’t bother Roarke, McNab,” she warned and headed out.

“Looking good, She-body,” McNab called just as Peabody hit the doorway. She snarled, hissed, stomped out, and left him feeling gratified.

“EDD’s full of detectives with class, you know,” Peabody complained as they trooped downstairs. “How come we’re stuck with the one ass**le in the division?”

“Just lucky, I guess.” Eve snagged her jacket off the newel post, and swung it on as they walked outside. “Christ, it’s f**king freezing out here.”

“You really ought to have a warmer coat, Lieutenant.”

“I’m used to this one.” But she slid into the car quickly. “Heat, for God’s sake,” she ordered. “Seventy-five degrees.”

“I love this unit.” Peabody snuggled into the seat. “Everything works.”

“Yeah. But it lacks character.” Still Eve glanced down with pleasure as her ‘link signaled an incoming. “Catch this,” she told Peabody. “Screen incoming,” she ordered as she drove through the gates.

“Dallas? Dallas? Damn it.” The attractive and irritated face of ace screen reporter Nadine Furst came on screen. “I just missed you at home. Summerset said you’re on route somewhere. Answer the damn ‘link, will you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Hell, those city-issue units you cops drive never work.”

Peabody and Eve exchanged cheerful grins while Nadine continued to mutter. “I guess she got wind of the case.”

“Sure she did,” Eve confirmed. “Now she wants to hit me up for information for her mid-morning report, and she’ll hound me for a one-on-one for the noon edition.”

“Dallas, I need more data on these women who were killed. Are the cases linked? Come on, Dallas, be a pal. I need to bump up my mid-morning.”

“Told you,” Eve said complacently as she twisted through traffic.

“Get in touch, will you? We can set up a one-on-one. I’m on deadline here.”

“My heart bleeds.” Eve yawned as Nadine signed off.

“I like her,” Peabody commented.

“So do I. She’s fair, she’s accurate, and she’s good at what she does. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to take time out to give her ratings a goose. If I avoid her for a couple of days, she’ll be digging on her own. Let’s see what she can feed us for a change.”

“You’re sneaky, Lieutenant. I like that about you. But about McNab — “

“Live with it, Peabody,” Eve suggested and whipped up and into a second-level parking slot on the curb on Fifth.