Eve hated media, with or without Nadine. But since she's a brass, moreover the Primary, she must learn about social politics. As she walked towards the podium, several cameras flashed on her faces.
"The NYPSD Homicide team, under my lead as the Primary, will do our best to catch the culprit that killed Armir Howe and Mathilde Kenwood.", she said as several questions flew, "Everything will be explained briefly by my partner Detective Peabody, Delia."
Peabody gave her a long accusatory look before walking to the podium and faced the den of the reporters.
"You're pretty brute with her, kid.", Feeney commented when Eve returned her post behind the stage while observing her rattled partner. "Very, very brute."
"Nah, she'll live.", she replied, only spared a glance to the nervous Peabody. "If we maintain this type of routine of Peabody handling the exposure in my place, there won't be some doubts on outside parties in case I disappeared for a while."
"I understand that but then, nobody could par your impact to the press. You're always news Dallas, believe it or not, and though you don't have any lifestyle routines, anybody would try to sniff it out."
"That's why I'm covering all the bases.", she muttered.
When she returned to her office, Nadine was sitting on her visitor's chair with a box of brownies.
"Why do you have a wrecked chair for visitors? Anybody won't stay with it for a while."
"That's the reason of its purpose. Why are you here, Nadine? There's a press conference outside.", Eve said as she sat on her chair.
"I'm training an apprentice today, name's Bobby. He'll handle it well.", Nadine replied as she pushed the box towards Eve. "No cops even dared to look at it when I mentioned your name. You know how to discipline them towards your fix?"
"Even I was not aware doing that. Maybe it's the bug of Paper Epidemic.", she snickered, "You've didn't answer my question. Why are you here?"
"And back to your question, why are you here? Don't give me a shit that this is your office, because Lt. Eve Dallas won't abandon her comrade on that pit of reporters for no apparent reasons."
Eve raised her brow. Nadine was the only reporter that gained her respect due to her dedication to work, feisty and quite good that she could read tactics.
But not that good enough to match her so well.
"Okay. Off record."
"C'mon Dallas, we're friends.", Nadine laughed.
"I don't care that bullshit. Off record."
"Hey, I even brought you an offering."
"Don't make me pull that recorder tucked between your breast, or your two backups on your bag and on your wrist. Off record."
"Damn you and your evil eyes. Okay, off record.", Nadine waved her hand in resignation. "Now, what's the concoction you're brewing Lieutenant Good Witch?"
"Har-har Nadine, trying to be funny.", Eve inserted as she stood up to fetch some coffee. "You better be happy after I tell you a story of a princess in a faraway land who escaped from a wrath of her destiny."
After she shared some salient of the case, Nadine fanned her face with her hand. "Holy shit, Dallas. I think I just had an orgasm. Damn, this is the biggest scandal of the century. From an immortalized version of Beauty and the Beast, now we're into the soap opera of a secret love affair – like our Romeo and Juliet. And shit, you're the primary in this case, so this will be like a great Tempest!"
"And as a trade-off, you'll play some parts in the media world for us."
"Fuck me sideways!"
"No thanks.", Eve laughed on her comment.
A Code Five case means no media involvement, but after convincing Whitney about getting a reporter as a civilian consultant, he reluctantly agreed. Eve doesn't want to do it either, but she was left without any choices, even forcing herself to accept the offer of an exclusive interview. Information leaks would be sniffed easily by media, and having a mole within that circle could tamper it.
"And I bet you already have your suspect?", Nadine probed as she took a brownie and eat it.
"I can't tell you yet, as we're only into speculations."
"You're looking into Levinski, aren't you?"
Eve reclined her back to her seat while holding her mug. "What makes you think that?"
"Crime of passion, baby.", Nadine shook her shoulders. "So, is he a suspect?"
"Can't speculate for that. But since we're talking about Levinski, what can you tell me about him?"
Nadine crossed her legs and inspected her well-manicured nails. "Ah, a spoiled brat with an ugly personality inside and out. He's been considered as the bad boy in business society – well, way different from Roarke as the dangerous, dark knight in money wars – and make enemies more than friends."
"You're not the only person I know who hates Levinski.", Eve commented and thought about Roarke. "If he's that egoistic, then why is he marrying one? More, it's a royalty?"
"It taken us aback, surprised, when an upstart nation Harmin announced him being the future royal consort. Unbelievable really, not because he's well...not that attractive enough, same with his egoistic attitude...but then, he seems to be happy."
That raised an attention to Eve. "Happy? Why's that?"
"He's happy when he showed himself to the media, declaring his love to the princess he haven't even seen her face. I mean happy – like, he changed. Just like Roarke."
When Eve continued to look at her, she sighed, "Roarke was an ultimate man of secrets, but it was no secret to anybody how he changed since he got married. He's cold and very domineering, even until now, but he got mellowed. Love can transform anybody."
"But love has different faces.", Eve mused. "When did it all started?"
"The two met during the funeral of the late 20th Prince of Harmin, who happens to be a direct brother of Princess Petun. There were some speculations that the prince has been murdered and witnessed by his sister. A year later, the two were engaged."
That's interesting, Eve thought.
She mentally noted to ask Petun again to reconfirm if Levinski haven't seen her image before, and also her first impression when she met him. It was cynical for Eve to believe that their first meeting coincides with the funeral of the murdered prince.
And why the wedding must be held in New York.
"My opinion – this will be the Wedding of the Year, like what you and Roarke did years ago.", Nadine said, which baffled Eve.
"Just how competitive does this Levinski to Roarke that even I did not know he existed until now?"
"Roarke didn't tell you?"
"Tell what?"
Nadine stared at her blankly for a few seconds, blinked, and then sighed. "I guess Roarke did not bother because it's a gossip thingy, dumb comment really, purely lies. Nothing to worry about."
"No matter how small or big that dumb scoop is, I need to know what happened.", Eve said, trying to control the building nausea on her throat.
"It's not that important, Dallas, don't worry. It happened several years ago, before you and Roarke even met. I could see why he did not tell you about that because...", Nadine trailed off when she noticed Eve's expression.
"Just continue, Nadine. I'm okay."
Feeling obliged, she told her everything.
Arriving late for five minutes would immediately earn Eve a disapproving scowl from Summerset, in which she enjoyed. And to add some fuel to it, she parked her DLE in front of the foyer, and then threw her jacket to the newel post.
As if on cue, Summerset appeared, with Galahad ribboning on his leg.
"You're still imprudent as ever, Lieutenant."
"Oh, bite me you scarecrow.", she said. "So where's the mongo man who purchased his beauty from the gods?"
Summerset's mouth thinned, trying to hide the smile.
"It seems that you knew the story already."
"Nadine told me. And what I've heard, it happened here. That means you witnessed it."
"From the beginning till the end.", he scoffed.
"I even wondered where the hell did Levinski got all those deformities in his face.", she grinned.
That's how Roarke found the two on the door, talking like they were sharing a joke. He coughed as he descended the stairs.
"Is the world going to collapse tomorrow? Is this the great sign of the Great Fall?"
Summerset reverted to his stoic face and looked at Eve with aversion.
"I reckon both of you must be at the Consul's party at 9 o'clock. I shall retreat to my quarters now."
When Summerset left, Roarke looked at her wife and asked, "You two looked amused a while ago. What were you talking about?"
"You.", she replied, pecking a kiss on his lips.
"Me?"
"We just discussed a topic about one auction party that happened here several years ago, back when you were single and swabbing with a ramp model, who happened to be an eye-candy of our dear Levinski."
She knew Roarke so well that his short pause when they climbed upstairs meant he's guilty.
"That was long time ago."
This made Eve broke a short laugh. "My source said that you started to date the girls that Levinski liked to piss him off. As a payback."
"And who might be this gossiper?"
He whirled her to the corner of the room and crushed her lips to his. It was a deep, passionate kiss that almost lost their breath.
"If somebody would say that you're gay, I'm gonna skin them to death.", she said.
This time, Roarke gave a short laugh.
After they made a shower – with a short interlude of sex – Roarke wore on his tuxedo while Eve on a red column dress with a long slit on her side.
Roarke observed her as she don some make-up on her face, slipped her foot on a three-inch stilts, and wore the rubies he already laid on the bed. It fascinated him how she transformed herself from a tough homicide cop into a corporate wife.
"Darling,", he said as he helped her hooked the necklace behind, "We're going to a party, not a battlefield. So be relaxed and let's enjoy the night."
"How can I fathom to enjoy it when I'm going to meet a suspect whom you want to grill on?", she said as she slapped a wrist unit glittered with rubies.
"Won't do that now, especially knowing that after this case, I'll have all the joy to kick his arse."
"Just by calling you a gay.", she mused.
She picked up her small stunner and communicator, and placed it on her small velvet bag.
"What's with you men and why do you have weird insecurities about yourself? Baxter wanted to fry Levinski's balls because he called him a bald guy."
"The same question goes to females as well", he replied, added "If that happens, then I am willing to hold Baxter's coat and enjoy the view."
They went downstairs, and on the foyer a black limousine was waiting for them.
"We'll impress everybody in the party.", she smirked.
"Darling, that's the original plan."