Royalty in Death - an In Death series fanfic (J.D. Robb)

Chapter 11

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!"