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“Well, it gives us a ” Peabody glanced up froht the coldly narrowed stare Eve aimed at her “What? What did I say?”

“Next person says that, I’oddamn ” She started the car “Peabody, am I an ass-kicker?”

“Are you asking to see my scars, or is that a trick question?”

“Shut up, Peabody,” Eve suggested, and headed back to Central

“Quiame” Peabody’s smile was thin and self-satisfied “McNab just relayed the data A hundred’s his top bet Odd he’d place a bet a few hours before offing hiot the name and address of his bookie here Oh, but I’m supposed to shut up Sorry, sir”

“You want more scars?”

“I really don’t Now that I have a sex life, they’re eot a hole in the West Village”

• • •

Peabody loved the West Village She loved the way it ran from bohemian chic to pinstriped drones anted to be bohemian chic She liked to watch the street traffic stroll by in ankle dusters or buttoned-up jules ofthe sidewalk artists pretend they were too cool to worry about selling their work

Even the street thieves had a veneer of polish

The glide-cart operators sold veggie kabobs plucked fresh from the fields of Greenpeace Park

She thought longingly of dinner

Eve pulled up in front of a tidy, rehabbed warehouse, double-parked, and turned on her On Duty sign

“One of these days, I’d like to live in one of these lofts All that space and a view of the street” Peabody scanned the area as she climbed from the car “Look, there’s a nice, clean deli on the corner there, and a 24/7 market on the other”

“You look for living quarters due to the proximity of food?”