Reunion in Death

«Thank you. I worry about her. She's a grown woman, but she's my little girl. She always will be. That's motherhood. But I'll worry less after what you've told me. I don't suppose you'd tell me what you think of Ian McNab.»

Something like panic tickled Eve's throat. «He's a good cop.»

Phoebe tipped back her head and laughed until the rich, rollicking sound of it filled the room. «How did I know you'd say that? Don't worry, Eve, I like him very much, more so since he's so goofily in love with my little girl.»

«Goofy covers it,» Eve muttered.

«Now, I know you need to get to work, but I have a gift for you.»

«You gave us a gift already.»

«That was from my man and me to you and your man. This is from me to you.» She bent to pick up a box she'd set on the floor, then put it in Eve's lap. «Gifts shouldn't unnerve you. They're just tokens, of appreciation or affection. In this case both. I brought it with me before I was completely sure we'd come all the way to New York. Before I was completely sure I'd give it to you. I had to meet you first. Please, open it.»

With no way out, Eve took off the lid. Inside was a statue of a woman, perhaps eight inches high, carved from some nearly transparent crystal. Her head was tipped back so that her hair rained down almost to her feet. Her eyes were closed, her mouth bowed up in a quiet smile. She held her arms out to her sides, palms up.

«She's the goddess,» Phoebe explained. «Carved in alabaster. She represents the strength, courage, the wisdom, the compassion that is uniquely female.»

«She's terrific.» Holding it up, Eve watched the light streaming through the windows shimmer on the carved figure. «She looks old, in a good way,» she added quickly and made Phoebe laugh again.

«Yes, she is old, in a good way. She was my great-great grandmother's. It's been passed down, from female to female until it came to me. And now you.»

«She's beautiful. Really. But I can't take her. This is something you need to keep in your family.»

Phoebe reached over, laid a hand over Eve's so that they both held the statue. «I am keeping it in my family.»

Her office at Central was too small for a meeting where more than two people were involved. Her call in to book a conference room resulted in a short, bitter argument and no satisfaction.

With her options narrowed, she realigned and scheduled the briefing in her home office.

«Problem, Lieutenant?» Roarke asked as he stepped from his office into hers.

«No conference rooms available until fourteen hundred? That's just bullshit.»

«So I heard you say, rather viciously, into the 'link. I've a meeting myself in midtown.» He crossed to her, skimmed his fingertip along the shallow dent in her chin. «Anything I can do for you before I leave?»

«I'm set.»

He laid his lips on hers, lingered over them. «I shouldn't be late.» He stepped back, then spotted the statue on her desk. «What's this?»

«Phoebe gave it to me.»

«Alabaster,» he said as he lifted it. «She's lovely. A goddess of some sort. She suits you.»

«Yeah, that's me. Goddess cop.» She stared at the cool, serene face of the statue, remembered being trapped in the cool, serene face of Phoebe Peabody. «She had me saying stuff. I think it's the eyes. If you want to keep your thoughts to yourself, never look directly into her eyes.»

He laughed and set the statue down again. «I imagine a number of people say exactly the same thing about you.»

She'd have given that some thought, but she had work to do. She called up files, slotted data on various screens, then dived back into Julianna Dunne.

She was well into a second page of fresh notes when Peabody and McNab came in. «Raid the AutoChef now,» she ordered without looking up. «I want you settled when Feeney gets here.»

«You got a new lead?» Peabody asked.

«I'll brief everyone at one time. I need more coffee here.»

«Yes, sir.» As Peabody reached for Eve's empty cup, she saw the statue. «She gave you the goddess.»

She looked up now, and to her terror, saw tears swim into Peabody's eyes. McNab must have seen them, too. He muttered, «Girl thing,» and hightailed it into the adjoining kitchen.

«Listen, Peabody, about that-«

«And you put it on your desk.»

«Yeah, well… I figure this is supposed to come to you, so-«

«No, sir.» Her voice was thick as she lifted those drenched eyes to Eve's. And smiled. «She gave it to you, and that means she trusts you. She accepts. You're family. And you put it there, right there on your desk, and that means you accept. It's a real moment for me,» she added and dug out a handkerchief. «I love you, Dallas.»

«Oh jeez. If you try to kiss me, I'll deck you.»

Peabody gave a watery laugh and blew her nose. «I wasn't sure you'd be speaking to me this morning. Dad called and said how they were staying here.»

«Your mother put the whammy on Roarke. That takes some doing.»

«Yeah, I had to figure. You're not pissed off?»

«Sam made croissants this morning. Your mother brought me one, with coffee.»

The grin lit Peabody's face. «So it's okay then.»