Just like when Feeney became Eve’s mentor, Eve saw the potential in a young officer named Delia Peabody. Eve brought Peabody into homicide as her aide and when Peabody finally earned her Detective shield, she made Peabody her partner. They make a perfect pair working off each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
The first time Eve and Peabody met:
“Who the hell is this?” she demanded.
“Victim’s been preliminary identified as Louise Kirski, editorial tech for Channel 75.” The uniform pulled a log out of the pocket of her slick black raincoat. “She was found at approximately eleven fifteen by C.J. Morse. He tossed his cookies just over there,” she went on with light disdain for civilian delicacy. “Went inside through this door, screaming his head off. Building security verified his story, such as it was, called it in. Dispatch logged the call at eleven twenty-two. I arrived on scene at eleven twenty-seven.”
“You made good time, Officer…”
“Peabody, Lieutenant. I was on the swing of Fifth Avenue. I verified homicide, secured the outer door, called for additional uniforms and a primary.”
– Glory in Death
Eve sat, picked up the goggles. VR goggles, she mused. Fitzhugh and Mathias had taken trips before death as well. “I’m going to see where she went and when. Ah, if I appear to have any suicidal urges after I’m done – or decide I can relax better without the confines of my clothes – you’re ordered to knock me cold.”
“Without hesitation, sir.”
Eve cocked a brow. “But you’re not expected to enjoy it.”
“I’ll hate every minute of it,” Peabody promised, and folded her hands.
(Moments later…)
Panting, she ripped the goggles off and found Peabody gaping at her.
“It wasn’t a walk on a quiet beach,” Eve managed.
“I could see that. What was it, exactly?”
“A couple of mostly naked guys and a big satin bed.” Eve blew out a breath, set the goggles down. “Who’d have thought she relaxed with sex fantasies?”
“Ah, Lieutenant. Sir. As your aide, I believe it’s my responsibility to test that unit. For evidence control.”
Eve tucked her tongue in her cheek. “Peabody, I couldn’t let you take that kind of risk.”
“I’m a cop, sir. Risk is my life.”
Eve rose, held out the goggles as Peabody’s eyes lit. “Bag it, Officer.”
Deflated, Peabody dumped the goggles into a seal. “Hell. Were they good looking?”
“Peabody, they were gods.”
– Rapture in Death
“NJPSD came through with—“ She broke off, scowled. “What do you want, McNab?”
“Multiple orgasms, but you guys copped that one out of the goodie bag.”
A laugh tried to bubble into her throat, but Peabody controlled it. “The lieutenant doesn’t have time for your pitiful jokes.”
“Actually, the lieutenant kind of liked that one,” Eve said, then rolled her eyes when Peabody glared at her. “Take off, McNab, play period’s over.”
– Loyalty in Death
“Why are you smiling all the time? It’s starting to make me nervous.”
“Am I?” Peabody kept on grinning. “I guess I had a really enjoyable wake-up call this morning. That’s a euphemism for –“
“I know what it’s a euphemism for. Christ.” Eve punched through the gap in traffic, then braked a breath away from the bumper of a Rapid Cab. “Just get your mind out of bed with the rest of you.”
“But it really likes it there. It’s all warm and soft and…” She trailed off at Eve’s fulminating look, and studied the roof of the vehicle. “Somebody didn’t get their enjoyable wake-up call this morning.”
“You know, Peabody, when you started to have regular sex, if such a term can be used to describe you and McNab, I figured you’d stop thinking and talking about sex all the damn time.”
“Isn’t it nice to be surprised? But since it’s making you grouchy, we’ll talk about something else. How’s Summerset doing?”
“I’m not grouchy,” Eve muttered. “Old men who hang out in the park and shake their fists at small children are grouchy. Summerset’s all right. Well enough to give Roarke a shitload of grief about being in the hospital in the first place.”
“Well, Roarke should be used to that.”
Eve sucked air through her nose. “The next person, the very next person, who says that is going to know my wrath.”
“I’m on a first-name basis with your wrath, sir. I guess this isn’t the best time to tell that McNab and I are thinking of cohabitating.”
“Oh my God. My eye.” Desperate, Eve pressed her fist to the twitch. “Not while I’m driving.”
– Portrait in Death
“And how does my aide come by this information before I do?”
“Well, you know…pillow talk. See, sex—in this case—is an advantage to you. McNab said they’d get through faster, but at data clubs like that, the units are totally clogged. But he’s on it and it’s his top priority.”
She cleared her throat when Eve made no comment. “Should I still contact Captain Feeney?”
“Oh, Feeney and I appear to be superfluous at this point. You and McPecker can fill us in whenever you feel it’s appropriate.”
“McPecker.” Peabody snorted. “That’s a good one. I’m going to use it on him.”
“Happy to help.” She shot Peabody a deceptively friendly look. “Perhaps I’m wasting my time going to the lab. Have you and Dickie also had a liaison?”
“Eeeuw.”
“My faith in you is, at least, partially restored.”
– Portrait in Death
When she tracked Eve down in her office, her lieutenant was back in street clothes, at her desk, hunched over paperwork.
“Sir. You got out of there so fast.”
“I had things to do.”
“You were wearing your uniform.”
“Why does everybody say that like it’s cause for a national holiday? Listen, congratulations. I mean it. I’m proud of you, and glad for you. But fun time’s over, and I’ve got a shit-pile of paperwork.”
“Well, I’m going to take time to thank you, and that’s that. I wouldn’t have this if it wasn’t for you.” She kept the shield cupped in her hand as if it were the finest crystal. “Because you believed in me, you pushed me, and you taught me, I’ve got it.”
“That’s not entirely untrue.” Eve tipped the chair back, put the heel of one boot on the desk. “But if you hadn’t believed in yourself, pushed yourself, and learned, I wouldn’t have done you a damn bit of good. So you’re welcome, for what part I played in it. You’re a good cop, Peabody, and you’ll be a better one as time goes by. Now, the paperwork.”
Peabody’s vision was blurry, but she blinked back the tears. “I’ll get right on it, sir.”
“That’s not your job.”
“As your aide—“
“You’re no longer my aide. You’re a detective, and part of this paperwork I’m slogging through is your new assignment.”
The tears dried up, and the flush of excitement and joy had put her cheeks drained away. “I don’t understand.”
“Detectives can’t be wasted as aides.” Eve spoke briskly. “You’ll be reassigned. I assume you’d prefer to stay in Homicide.”
“But…but God! Dallas, I never considered that I couldn’t stay—that we wouldn’t work together. I’d never have taken the damn exam if I’d known you’d have to boot me.”
“That’s a ridiculous thing to say, and shows a lack of respect for your shield. I can give you a short list of choices for your reassignment.” Eve flicked a key on the desk unit and had a spreadsheet coming up. “Or if you’re just going to whine about it, I’ll make the choice for you.”
“I wasn’t thinking, wasn’t expecting.” And now her stomach hurt all over again. “I can’t take it in. Couldn’t I at least take a few days to adjust? Continue as your aide until you make other arrangements? I could clear up the pending—“
“Peabody, I don’t need an aide. I never needed an aide, and got along fine without one before I took you on. Now it’s time for you to move along.”
Eve turned back to her desk in a gesture of dismissal. With her lips pressed tightly together, Peabody nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Don’t need a damn aide,” Eve repeated. “Could use a partner, though.”
That stopped Peabody in her tracks. “Sir?” she managed in a croak.
“If you’re interested, that is. And as the ranking officer, I’d still dump most of the shitwork on you. That’s the part I really like.”
“Partner? Your partner.” Peabody’s lips trembled, and the tears won.
“Oh for God’s sake! Close the door if you’re going to blubber. Do you think I want the bullpen to hear crying in here? They might think it’s me.”
She sprang up, slammed the door herself, and then found herself caught in another of Peabody’s bear hugs.
“I take this as a yes.”
“This is the best day of my life.” Peabody stepped back, rubbed the tears off her cheeks. “The ult. I’m going to make you a hell of a partner.”
“I bet you will.”
“And I won’t do the hug and blubber thing except in extreme circumstances.”
“Good to know.”
– Imitation in Death
