In Death 13 - Seduction in Death

leaper."
    "Evidence is pointing to the contrary." She strode into the lobby. It was small and quiet, and security cameras swept the area.
    "I want the discs from security," she told Peabody. "Lobby level, and twelfth floor to start."
    There was a long pause as they stepped into the elevator and Eve called for the twelfth floor. Then Peabody shifted her weight, trying for casual. "So... are you going to bring in EDD?"
    Eve stuck her hands in her pockets, scowled at the blank, brushed metal doors of the elevator. Peabody's romantic liaison with Ian McNab, Electronics Detective Division had recently detonated. Which, if anyone had listened to me, Eve thought bitterly, wouldn't be in many ugly pieces because it never would have existed in the first place.
    "Suck it in, Peabody."
    "It's a reasonable question on procedure, and has nothing whatsoever to do with anything else."
    Peabody's tone was stiff enough to communicate insult, hurt feelings, and annoyance. She was, Eve thought, good at it. "If during the course of this investigation, I, as primary investigator, deem EDD is needed for consult, I will so order."
    "You could also request someone other than he who shall not be named," Peabody muttered.
    "Feeney runs EDD. I don't tell Feeney which of his people to assign. And damn it, Peabody, this case or another, you're going to end up working with McNab, which is why you should never have let him bang you in the first place."
    "I can work with him. It doesn't bother me a bit." So saying, she stomped off the elevator onto the twelfth floor. "I'm a professional, unlike some others who are always cracking wise and coming to work in weird getups and showing off."
    At the door of Bankhead's apartment, Eve lifted her eyebrows. "You calling me unprofessional, Officer?"
    "No, sir! I was..." Her stiff shoulders loosened, and humor slid back into her eyes. "I'd never call your getups weird, Dallas, even though I'm pretty sure you're wearing a guy's shirt."
    "If you're finished with your snit, we'll go back on record. Using master to gain entrance to victim's apartment," Eve continued, and coded through the locks. She opened the door, examined it. "Interior chain and snap bolt were not in use. Living area lights are on dim. What do you smell, Peabody?"
    "Ah... candles, maybe perfume."
    "What do you see?"
    "Living area, nicely decorated and organized. The mood screen's on. Looks like a spring meadow pattern. There are two wineglasses and an open bottle of red wine on the sofa table, indicating the victim had company at some point in the evening."
    "Okay." Though she'd hoped Peabody would take it a little further, Eve nodded. "What do you hear?"
    "Music. Audio system's playing. Violins and piano. I don't recognize the tune."
    "Not the tune, the tone," Eve said. "Romance. Take another look around. Everything's in place. Neat, tidy, and as noted, organized. But she left a bottle of wine sitting open, and used glasses sitting out? Why?"
    "She didn't have a chance to put them away."
    "Or turn off the lights, the audio, the mood screen." She stepped through, glanced into the adjoining kitchen. The counters were clean, and empty but for the corkscrew, the wine cork. "Who opened the wine, Peabody?"
    "The most likely conclusion would be her date. If she'd opened it, she would have, giving the indication of the apartment, put the corkscrew away, dumped the cork in her recycler."
    "Mmm. Living area balcony doors closed and secured from inside. If this was self-termination or an accidental fall, it wasn't from this point. Let's check the bedroom."
    "You don't think it was self-termination or an accident."
    "I don't think anything yet. What I know is the victim was a single woman who kept a very neat apartment and that evidence indicates she spent at least a portion of this evening at home with company."
    Eve turned into the bedroom. The audio played here as well, dreamy, fluid notes that seemed to drift on the breeze fluttering through the open balcony doors. The bed was unmade, and the disordered sheets were strewn with pink rose petals. A black dress, black undergarments, and black evening shoes were piled beside the bed.
    Candles, guttering fragrantly in their own wax, were set around the room.
    "Read the scene," Eve ordered.
    "It appears as if the victim engaged in or was about to engage in sexual intercourse prior to her death. There are no signs of struggle here or in the living area, which indicates the sex, or plans for the sex, were