J. Robb - Celebrity in Death

With frustration and some regret, she studied murder. It lay in the quiet room on a sofa the color of good merlot, with heart blood staining a pale gray shirt beneath the silver bolt of a scalpel. Her eyes, flat and grim, tracked the body, the room, the tray of artfully arranged fruit and cheese on the low table.

In close again. Her voice, like her eyes, was all cop as she straightened her long, lean frame. Hes lying down. Hes deactivated the droid, leaving it and the house security programmed for DO NOT DISTURB. But hes lying here and he doesnt worry about somebody coming in, leaning over him. Tranqs maybe. Well check the tox screen but I dont think so. He knew her. He didnt fear for his life when she came into the room.

She stepped to the door. In the corridor outside the pretty blonde sat on the floor, head in her hands with the sturdily built, newly minted detective smirking beside her.

And she stood, framed in the doorway with murder at her back.

And cut! Thats the money shot.

At the directors signal, the areadressed as the late Wilford B. Icove Juniors home officebecame a hive of sound and movement.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas, whod once stood in that home office over a body that did notas this one didsit up and scratch his ass, felt the weird sense of dj vu shatter.

Is this iced or what? Beside her, Peabody did a restrained little dance by lifting and lowering the heels of her pink cowboy boots. Were on an actual vid set watching ourselves. And we look good.

Its weird.

And weirder yet, Eve thought, to watch herselfor a reasonable facsimilecoming toward her with a big, happy smile.

She didnt smile like that, did she? That would be yet another weird.

Lieutenant Dallas. Its so great you made it on set. Ive been dying to meet you. The actress held out a hand.

Eve had seen Marlo Durn before, but as a sun-kissed blonde with dark green eyes. The short, choppy brown hair, the brown eyes, even the shallow dent in the chin that matched her own gave Eve a little bit of the wigs.

And Detective Peabody. Marlo passed the long leather coat shed worn for the scenea twin of the one Eves husband had given her during the Icove investigationto a wardrobe person.

Im a huge fan, Ms. Durn. Ive seen everything youve been in.

Marlo, she told Peabody. Were partners, after all. Well, what do you think? She gestured at the set, and a twin of the wedding ring on Eves finger flashed on Marlos. Are we close?

It looks good, Eve said. Like a freaking crime scene still with people tromping around.

Roundtreethe directorwants authentic. Marlo nodded toward the burly man hunched over a monitor. And what he wants, he gets. Its just one of the reasons he insisted we shoot everything in New York. I hope youve had time to look around, really get a sense of things. I wanted this part the minute I heard about the project, even before I read Nadine Fursts book. And you, both of you, lived it. Now Im babbling.

She let out a quick, easy laugh. Talk about a huge fan. Ive steeped myself in all things Eve Dallas for months now. I even did a few ride-alongs with a couple of detectives when even Roundtree couldnt budge you or your commander to let me and K.T. ride with the two of you. And, she continued before Eve could respond, having steeped myself, I completely understand why you put up the block.

Okay.

And babbling again. K.T.! Come over and meet the real Detective Peabody.

The actress, deep in discussion with Roundtree, glanced over. Annoyance showed in her eyes before she put on what Eve assumed was her meet-the-public smile.

What a treat. K.T. shook hands, gave Peabody the once-over. Youre letting your hair grow.

Yeah. Kind of. I just saw you in Teardrop. You were totally mag.

Im going to steal Dallas for a few minutes. Marlo hooked an arm through Eves. Lets grab some coffee, she said, drawing Eve out of the crime scene set and through the mock-up of the Icove homes second story. The producers arranged for me to have the brand you drink, and now Im hooked. I asked my assistant to set us up in my trailer.

Arent you working?

A lot of the work is waiting. I guess thats a similarity to police work. Moving quickly in boots and rough trousers, her prop weaponEve assumedin a shoulder harness, Marlo led the way through the studio, past sets, equipment, huddles of people.

Eve stopped at the reproduction of her own bullpen. Desksclutteredthe case board that took her back to the previous fall, the cubes, the scuffed floor.

The only thing missing was the copsand the smell of processed sugar, bad coffee, and sweat.

Is it right?

Yeahsome bigger, I guess.

It wont look it on-screen. They reproduced your office, in the same layout, so they can shoot me or one of the others going through this area and in, or out. Would you like to see it?

They walked through, past the false wall and an open area Eve assumed wouldnt show on-screen either, and into a near-perfect model of her office at Cop Central, right down to the narrow window. Though this one looked out on the studio instead of New York.

Theyll CGI in the viewbuildings, air traffic, Marlo said when Eve walked over to look out. Ive already shot some scenes in here, and we did the conference room scene where you lay out the conspiracyIcove, Unilab, Brookhollow Academy. That was intense. The dialogue was straight from the book, which were told stuck very close to the actual record. Nadine did a brilliant job of merging the reality with a page-turning story line. Though I guess the reality was page-turning. I admire you so much.

Surprised, mildly uncomfortable, Eve turned.

What you do, every day, Marlo continued, is so important. Im good at my work. Im damn good at it, and I feel strongly what I do is important. Its not uncovering-a-global-cloning-ring important, but without art, stories, and the people who bring those stories to life, the world would be a sadder, smaller place.

Sure it would.

When I started researching this part, I realized Ive never had another role I wanted so much to do justice to. Not just because of the Oscar potentialthough the shiny gold man would look great on my mantelbut because its important. I know you only watched the one scene, but I hope if there was anything that didnt ring true, didnt feel right to you, youll tell me.

It seemed right to me. Eve shrugged. The thing is, its strange, I guess a little disorienting, to watch somebody being you doing what you did, saying what you said. So since it felt strange and disorienting, it must be right.

Marlos smile exploded. And no, Eve thought, she absolutely did not smile that way.

Thats good then.

And this. Eve did a turn around the office set. I feel like I need to sit down and knock out some paperwork.

Carmandy would be thrilled to hear that. Shes the head set designer. Lets get that coffee. Theyll need me back on set soon.

Marlo gestured as they went out into the sun-blasted October of 2060. If we go this way, youll see some of the Roarke/Dallas house set. Its spectacular. Preston, our AD, told you they were going to want some publicity shots while you and Peabody are on set? Valerie Xaviar, thats the publicist, is handling it. Shes on top of everything.

It was mentioned.

Marlo smiled again, gave Eves arm a quick, light rub. I know its not something youd choose to do, but itll be great publicity for the vidand itll make the cast and crew happy. Youre going to make the dinner tonight, I hope. You and Roarke.