Origin in Death (In Death 21)
Page 6
"You'll be more beautiful than ever," he assured her.
"Maybe." She brushed carefully at the tear. "But I'll never be the same. Have you ever killed someone?" she asked Eve. "Have you ever killed someone and not been sorry?"
"Yes."
"Then you know. You're never the same."
When they were finished, Lawyer Charlie followed them into the hall.
"Lieutenant-"
"Reverse your thrusters, Charlie," Eve said wearily. "We're not charging her. Her statement is consistent with the evidence and other statements we've documented. She was physically assaulted, in fear of her life, and defended herself."
He nodded, and looked slightly disappointed that he wouldn't be required to jump on his expensive white horse and ride to his client's rescue. "I'd like to see the official statement before it's released to the media."
Eve made a sound that might have passed for a laugh as she turned and walked away. "Bet you would."
"You okay?" Peabody asked as they headed for the elevators.
"Don't I look okay?"
"Yeah, you look fine. And speaking of looks, if you were going to go for Dr. Icove's services, what would you pick?"
"I'd pick a good psychiatrist to help me figure out why I'd let somebody carve on my face and/or body."
The security to get down was as stringent as it had been to get up. They were scanned to ensure they'd taken no souvenirs, and most important, any images of patients who were promised absolute confidentiality.
As the scans were completed, Eve watched Icove rush by, then key into what she saw was a private elevator camouflaged in the rosy wall.
"In a hurry," Eve noted. "Somebody must need emergency fat sucking."
"Okay." Peabody exited the scanner. "Back on topic. I mean, if you could change anything about your face, what would it be?"
"Why would I change anything? I'm not looking at it most of the time anyway."
"I'd like more lips."
"Two aren't enough for you?"
"No, jeez, Dallas, I mean plumper, sexier lips." She pursed them as they got on the elevator. "Maybe
a thinner nose." Peabody ran her thumb and forefinger down it, measuring. "Do you think my nose is fat?"
"Yes, especially when you're poking it into my business."
"See hers." Peabody tapped a finger on one of the automated posters lining the elevator walls. Perfect faces, perfect bodies, modeled for passengers
"I could get that one. It's chiseled. Yours is chiseled."
"It's a nose. It sits on your face and allows you to get air through two
handy holes."
"Yeah, easy for you to say, Chiseled Nose."
"You're right. In fact, I'm starting to agree with you. You need plumper lips." Eve balled a hand into a fist. "Let me help you with that”
Peabody only grinned and watched the posters. "This place is like the palace of physical perfection. I may come back and go for one of their free morphing programs, just to see how I'd look with more lips, or a skinny nose. I think I'm going to talk to Trina about a hair change."