Imitation in Death (In Death #17)(20)

"I bet there were jelly-filled. I bet there were," Peabody muttered as they muscled onto an elevator.

"Some of them had those little colored sprinkle things on top. Like edible confetti."

Peabody's square and sturdy jaw wobbled with emotion.

"All I had time for this morning was reconstituted banana slices on a stale bagel."

"You're breaking my heart." At garage level, Eve strolled off the elevator. "Carmichael's first stop. We're catching him between his. morning aqua therapy and daily skin treatment."

"You could've saved me one. One little doughnut."

"I could have," Eve agreed as they climbed in her vehicle. "I could have done that. In fact..." She rummaged around in her pocket, pulled out an evidence bag. Inside was a jelly doughnut "I believe I did."

"For me?" Overjoyed, Peabody snatched it, sniffed through the bag. "You. saved me a doughnut. You're so good to me. I take back everything-I was thinking-you know, how you're a cold, selfish, doughnut-hogging bitch and all that. Thanks, Dallas."

"Don't mention it."

"I really shouldn't eat it though." Peabody caught her bottom lip between her teeth, stroking the bag as Eve backed out of the slot. "I really shouldn't. I'm on a diet. I've just got to lose some of the square footage of my ass, so I-"

"Oh, for Christ's sake. Give it back they"

But when Eve reached out, Peabody cringed back, doughnut bag clutched at her br**sts, face screwed into dangerous lines 'Mine."

"Peabody, you continue to be a fascination to me."

"Thanks." Slowly, savoring the moment, Peabody unsealed the bag. "Anyway, I deserve it. I'm using up lots of calories studying for the detective's exam, and stressing about it. Stress sucks up calories like a vacuum. That's why you're so thin."

"I'm not thin, I'm not stressed."

"If you've got an excess ounce of body fat, I'll eat it. Respectfully, sir," Peabody added with a mouthful of jelly doughnut. "But I've really been hitting the discs and the simulators. McNab's helping me out. He's hardly even being an ass**le right now."

"Wonder of wonders."

"It's coming up really soon. I was wondering if you could tell me where you think my weak areas are so I could work on them."

"You question yourself. Even when your gut tells you you're right, you don't trust it enough. You've got good instincts, but you tend to be afraid to go with them without confirmation from a superior. You often question your own competence, and when you question yours, you're questioning mine."

She glanced over,, unsurprised to see Peabody keying her comments into her notebook between bites of doughnut. "You're writing this down."

"It helps to see it, you know. Then to do these affirmations in the mirror. I'm a confident, competent officer of the law, and like that." She flushed a little. "It's just a method."

"Whatever."

Eve nosed into a narrow space at the ,curb. "Let's confidently and competently see where Carmichael Smith was night before last."

"Yes, sir, but I also have to stress and obsess about having eaten that jelly doughnut. That'll work off the calories and even it out. It'll be like I never ate it at all."

`Then you might want to wipe the jelly off your lip."

Eve stepped out of the car, studied the building. It had been, she supposed, a small three-level apartment building at one time.

Now it was a single residence on a tony street. Private security again, two entrances in the front.

At least one in the back, she assumed.

Not so far from an alley in Chinatown geographically, but worlds away in every other form. No LCs on the stroll here, no glide-carts on the corners. High maintenance and low crime.

She circled around the walk and up to the main entrance on the second level

Security panel, palm plate, and a retinal scan. A very careful man. She engaged the panel and frowned at the music that soared out. A lot' of strings and keyboard around, a creamy male voice.

"'Love Lights the World,"' Peabody identified. "It's sort of his signature song."

"It's got more calories than your doughnut." WELCOME, the computer said in polite, female tones. WE HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A WONDERFUL DAY. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR BUSINESS.

"Dallas, Lieutenant Eve." She lifted her badge. for a scan.

"Police business. I've got an appointment with Mr. Smith this morning."

ONE MOMENT, PLEASE... THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT. MR. SMITH IS EXPECTING YOU. YOU'RE CLEARED.

Almost immediately the door was opened by a dark-skinned woman in snowy white. There was more music here, quietly dripping its sweetness in the air.

"Good morning. Thank you for being prompt. Please come in, make yourself at home in the living area. Carmichael will be right with you."

She glided, Eve thought, like a woman on rollers instead of feet, as she ushered them into a large room with blond walls. There was a mood screen taking up one of those walls, with an image of a white boat drifting on a blue sea as calm as a plate of glass.

Thick gel cushions were spread over the floor in lieu of actual. furniture, and all were in pastels.