“It doesn’t explain how he got the DB out of the bathroom.”
“No.”
“Well, if it wasn’t a prank, maybe it’s a vortex.”
Eve shifted her gaze up, gave Peabody a five-second pitiable stare.
“Free-A ger here, remember. I grew up on vortexes. It’s a better theory than abracadabra.” On a sigh, Peabody studied the bright, tropical fish swimming behind the glass of an enormous aquarium.
“He didn’t toss the body overboard, then dive in and swim away,” Peabody pointed out. “Like a fish.” Noting Eve’s considering expression, Peabody threw up her hands. “Come on, Dallas. There’s no way out of the bathroom, not without walking in front of dozens and dozens of people.”
“In back mostly, since they’d be looking out at the water. If the blood currently being rushed to the lab proves to have come from a warm body—one we hope to identify through DNA matching—there has to be a way out and a way off, because he used it.”
“Parallel universe. There are some scientific theories that support the possibility.”
“The same ones, I bet, that support sparkly winged fairies skipping around the woods.”
“A mocker.” Peabody wagged a finger. “That’s what you are, Dallas. A mocker.”
“In my world, we call it sane.”
Jake joined them. “We’re about halfway through. Maybe a little more.”
“Find any vortexes, parallel universes or sparkly winged fairies?” Eve asked him.
“Mocker,” Peabody repeated.
“Ah . . . not so far.” He offered them both a go-cup of coffee. “No weapons, no blood, no dead body either, and so far everyone who’s gone through the ticker and the interview station is alive.”
“I’m going back on board,” Eve told him. “If we get a hit—any kind of hit—contact me. Peabody, with me.”
“Hey.” Jake tapped Peabody’s arm when she started to move off with Eve. “We’re probably going to put in a long one here. Maybe we could get a drink after we’re clear. You know, decompress.”
Flustered, she felt heat rise to her cheeks that was a giddy mix of pleasure and embarrassment. “Oh, well. Um. That’s nice—it’s nice, I mean, to ask and all that. I live with somebody. A guy. An e-guy. We’re . . . you know. Together.”
“Lucky him,” Jake said, and had her blush deepening. “Maybe, sometime, we can grab a brew, just on the friendly side.”
“Sure. Maybe. Ah . . .” She flashed a smile, then shot off after Eve.
“Did you forget what ‘with’ means?”
“No. In fact, I remembered exactly, in that I’m with McNab. I remembered even when Jake hit on me.”
“Oh, that’s different.” Eve shot out a sunny smile that had Peabody’s stomach curdling. “Let me apologize for interrupting. Maybe the two of you want to take a break, go get a drink, get to know each other better. We can always puzzle out whether or not we have a missing DB and killer later. We wouldn’t want a potential murder investigation to get in the way of a potential romance, would we?”
“I speak sarcasm fluently. He did ask me out for a drink though.”
“Should I note that in my memo book, on today’s date?”
“Jeez.” Sulk warred with smug as Peabody boarded the ferry with Eve. “I’m just saying. Plus I get double credits. First I get the satisfaction credit of being hit on by the sexy DOT inspector, and second I get loyal and true credit for turning him down because I have my personal sexy nerd. I hardly ever get hit on, unless you count McNab—which really doesn’t since we cohab—so it is noteworthy.”
“Fine, so noted. Can we move on?”
“I should get at least five minutes of woo. Okay,” she mumbled under Eve’s withering stare. “I’ll put the rest of the woo time on my account.”
With a shake of her head, Eve crossed the deck, now empty but for cops and sweepers, to speak to a crime scene investigator.
“Schuman, what’ve you got?”