We gotta have a toast.’ Rocky on her pins, Peabody used the table for balance. She managed to raise her glass without spilling more than half its contents on Eve’s head. ‘To the best fucking cop in the whole stinking city, who’s gonna marry the sexiest sumbitch I, personally, have ever laid eyes on, and who, because she’s so goddamn smart, has seen to it that I’m perman’ly attached to Homicide. Which is where any half-blind asshole could tell you I belong. So there.’ She downed the rest of her drink, fell backward into her chair, and grinned foolishly.
‘Peabody,’ Eve said and flicked a finger under her eyes. ‘I’ve never been more touched.’
‘I’m shit faced, Dallas.’
‘The evidence points to it. Can we get any food in here that doesn’t promise ptomaine? I’m starved.’
‘The bride to be wants to eat.’ Still sober as a nun, Mavis bolted to her feet. ‘I’ll take care of it. Don’t get up.’
‘Oh, and Mavis.’ Eve jerked her down, murmured in her ear. ‘Get me something nonlethal to drink.’
‘But, Dallas, it’s a party.’
‘And I’m going to enjoy it. I really am, but I want to be clear-headed tomorrow. It’s important to me.’
‘That’s so sweet.’ Weeping again, Mavis lowered her face to Eve’s shoulder.
‘Yeah, I’m a regular sugar substitute.’ On impulse she jerked Mavis around and kissed her square on the mouth. ‘Thanks. Nobody else would have thought of this.’
‘Roarke did.’ Mavis mopped at her eyes with the glittering fringe swinging from her sleeve. ‘We worked it out together.’
‘He would, wouldn’t he?’ Smiling a little, Eve took another dubious look at the naked bodies gyrating on stage. ‘Hey, Nadine.’ She topped off the reporter’s glass. ‘The guy up there with the red tail feathers has his eye on you.’
‘Oh, yeah?’ Nadine looked blearily around.
‘Dare you.’
‘Dare me what? To get up there? Shit, that’s nothing.’
‘Then do it.’ Eve leaned over, grinned in her face. ‘Let’s see some action.’
‘You think I won’t.’ Rising, Nadine teetered, righted herself. ‘Hey, hot stuff,’ she shouted to the closest dancer. ‘Give me a hand up.’
The crowd loved her, Eve decided. Especially when Nadine got into the spirit and stripped down to purple underwear. Eve sighed into her mineral water. She sure knew how to pick her friends. ‘How’s it going, Trina?’
‘I’m having an out of body experience. I think I’m in Tibet.’
‘Uh-huh.’ Eve cast a look at Dr. Mira. The way the woman was cheering, Eve was afraid she’d leap up onstage herself. She didn’t think either one of them wanted that vision in their memory logs. ‘Peabody.’ She had to jab her fingers into Peabody’s arm to get even a vague reaction. ‘Let’s get some more food here.’
Peabody grunted. ‘I could do that.’
Following her gaze, Eve watched Nadine in a crotch grind with a seven-foot black in body paint. ‘Sure you could, pal. You’d bring the house down.’
‘It’s just that I’ve got this little pouch.’ She staggered, and Eve caught her neatly by the arm. ‘Jake called it my jelly belly. I’m saving up to have it sucked.’
‘Just do some more abs. Don’t go for the vacuum.’
‘It’s heditary.’
‘Hereditary.’
‘Right.’ She swayed and bobbled as Eve steered her through the crowd. ‘Everybody in my family’s got one. Jake likes ’em skinny. Like you.’
‘Screw him, then.’
‘Did.’ Peabody giggled, then leaned heavily on a serving bar. ‘Screwed our brains out. That’s not what does it, though, you know that, Evie.’
Eve sighed. ‘Peabody, I don’t want to punch a fellow officer when she’s impaired. So don’t call me Evie.’