Mafia in Death - an In Death series fanfic (J.D. Robb)

Chapter 10

As Eve strode inside her bullpen, she saw her partner Peabody chatting with Santiago and Charmichael about the rubber chicken.

“Peabody!”, she called her, “My office.”

When Peabody followed her behind, she said, “Lock the door.”

“Do we have a hot case?”

Eve sat at her swivelling chair. “Where’s my hot coffee?”

Peabody rolled her eyes as she fetched two mugs. “There was some trending news last night, a hot-pursuit incident about a mafia clan chasing a high-powered vehicle in Italy. It’s like one-versus-all according to the news reporter in one channel, comparing it to a James Bond movie. Carmichael downloaded the video footage, and it looks like one! Too bad the images were blurry. Do you think those couple were Feds or spies or something…”

“My father might be alive.”

A crash of ceramic mugs sounded as the coffee spilled on the floor.

“What the fuck did you – ”, Eve voiced out but stopped when she saw Peabody’s paled expression, with tears started to form in her eyes. She quivered.

Before Eve could stand, Peabody launched herself and hugged her. “Dallas, I…”

“Oh quit it, Peabody. I’m just speculating, okay?”, she said while rolling her eyes.

Then she relayed everything.

Peabody was dumbfounded as she listened to the events. “What did Roarke do?”

“Well, I convinced him I’m fine, and Mira supported me. I’m not supposed to act that way, but it gets into me, and it’s annoying how weakling I was.”

“You’re not weakling, Dallas. In fact, you’re the toughest person I have ever known. And I adore you for that.”

“That’s why I’m a bitch cop, remember?”

It made Peabody chuckled, and then wiped her tears. “We’re going to re-open McQueen’s case.”

“I would like to request that you do it personally, though I may sound so averse.”, Eve explained. “It’ll look like there’s an ulterior motive if I did it, especially if someone make a review on the case and see my connection to the Unsub.”

“I understand. You don’t want to be bias in our system, and at the same time, you wanted to prepare yourself on the impact of what we’re going to discover. I’m happy that you told me about your childhood, and also for letting me handle this case. You trusted me.”

“We’re partners, that’s why.”

When Peabody puckered again, Eve groaned. “Oh for the love of God, don’t make me slug you this time, and I swear I’m going to stun you if you jump on me again!”

“I love you, Dallas.”

Before Eve could reply, her communicator beeped:

Dispatch, Dallas, Lieutenant Eve. Unattended homicide at Hundred-Six East Side Street.

“Peabody, Detective Delia is tagged for assistance. Dallas out.”

When Eve slipped her communicator in her pocket, Peabody shrugged. “Geez, our day always starts with death.”

“If we don’t have dead people, we will lose our job. So be thankful.”, she commented, then stopped half-way. “Could you fix yourself first? You look horrible. If you go out in this office everybody might assume I slapped you.”

“Meaney.”

Eve and Peabody arrived at the scene a minute before the sweepers came. Two officers were already guarding the alley against the bystanders.