Page 103 of Passions in Death
Stroking her baby belly, she crossed the hall to a smaller space done in a rich, saturated blue.
“I think more like a den or whatever because the sofa I got for here says take a nap, and you can close the room off with the pocket doors.”
“The lighting’s really good,” Peabody observed. “It’s all coordinated but not matchy. It’s modern, but it slides into the old with just the right tension.”
“I had a lot of help. You, Leonardo, Roarke.”
“It looks good,” Eve said. “Really good. It looks like the three of you.”
“Anybody home?” McNab’s voice came through a speaker somewhere.
“They made it work!” Baby belly jiggled and swayed as Mavis bounced. She dashed over to a switch on the wall. “We’re here! You fixed it! Big slooch!”
“Hi, hi, hi,” Bella shouted. “Hi, Nab.”
“Hey, Bellamini. Be right over.”
Still bouncing, Mavis turned back. “McNab wanted to add that feature. The house-to-house dealie.” She patted her mountain of belly. “He said they want to be on alert when Number Two decides it’s time.”
“Then for sure,” Peabody agreed, and scooped Bella up. “And down the road, it’s just convenience.”
“Added security.” Mavis rolled her eyes, but smiled. “I know you guys.”
When Roarke and McNab came in, Bella deserted Peabody to launch at him.
“There’s that pretty girl.”
“Ork pretty,” she said, and batted her eyes.
He laughed with her, then looked up. “Lights look just right, and I’ll say the same about what I saw installed at your place, Peabody. Well done, all.”
“Well done, all,” Bella echoed, and batted her lashes again.
“Agreed, but we’ve got to go.”
“Thanks for the lift,” Peabody said. “Mega thanks.”
“No problem.”
“Come back.” Mavis sandwiched again, fiercely. “When you’ve got real time. There’s a lot more done, both sides, and too totally awesome. I want the Dallas seal of approval.”
“You’ve already got it, but yeah, when I’ve got real time. And you rocked the lemonade,” she said, and handed the glass back to her.
“I really did! Tell Summerset!”
“Somebody will.”
“Here now, Bella, go to your da. We’ll see you again soon.”
“Bye, bye, bye. Bye-bye, Ork, bye-bye Das.” She blew kisses from Leonardo’s hip as they started out.
“There now.” Roarke got behind the wheel. “That didn’t take much time.”
“Not much.”
She glanced back. The whole group stood on the porch. Like family. Friends. All those connections crisscrossing.
“They’re going to be stupid happy. They already are, but even more stupid happy. The house-to-house? Good idea.”
