The in Death Collection Books 11-15 - J. D. Robb [402]
“Boobs feel funny. Heavy.”
“That’s because you have some now. I know a guy who can do that permanent for you—at cost.”
“I’ll keep my own, thanks just the same.”
“Up to you. Hold still. This needs a minute to set.”
“Why is it taking so long? I can’t believe those assholes spent hours a day prepping for these dates.”
“Probably not. Change your appearance that way in under an hour if you know what you’re doing. But we’re not just changing yours. We’re replicating as close as we can somebody else’s image.” Trina snapped the kiwi-scented gum she was chewing. “It’s lots trickier.”
“It’s really working, too.” In a smock of dizzying neon swirls of blue and yellow, Mavis stood in as first assistant. “The whole shape of your face is different, Dallas. You’ve lost the chin dent, the edge of your cheekbones. You look softer. Wanna see?”
“No. Not till it’s done. How much longer? I’ve got to get in the field.”
“Final inning’s coming up. I’ve gotta blend this color, do the surface enhancements.” Trina rubbed a bit of color into the back of Eve’s hand, pursed her lips, studied the computer image of Stefanie Finch. “What do you think?” she asked Mavis.
“Need to pink it up just a little.”
“Yeah.” She added a dab to a testing bowl, blended. “Yeah, yeah, this is it. I’m a fucking genius. Mav, better call Leonardo and tell him to hustle it with the outfit. I need to know how much of her to cover with this.”
“As little as possible.” Eve begged.
“Relax your face. I’m going to start there. This is a nice face,” she added as she went to work. “Pretty and all. Yours is actually the more interesting of the two, though.”
“Golly, Trina, I’m all atingle.”
“If you took basic care of it, it would last you another fifty–sixty years without serious sculpting. ’Cause you got good bones.”
Across the room, Mavis was cooing into the house ’link. It seemed to Eve she and Leonardo couldn’t have a conversation with each other without cooing.
“White skinsuit, red swish,” Mavis announced. “Elbow sleeves, scooped neck to midboobs. He’ll have it down in five.”
“What the hell’s a swish?” Eve wanted to know.
“No talking till I finish the lip area. Very sexy,” Trina said to Mavis. “Good choice with this coloring. Can you do the extremities?”
“Frigid! I just love playing with the goop. I have to take your wedding ring, Dallas. I’ll give it to Roarke.”
Instinctively, Eve curled her fingers in protest, a gesture that made Mavis’s romantic heart sigh. “Don’t worry.” She gave Eve’s hand a part. “I remember when he put this on you the first time. Almost a year ago. It was the best wedding.”
Eve relaxed again, listened to Mavis’s chatter with half an ear.
She knew Leonardo came in by Mavis’s purr of greeting. Then there was cooing and kissy sounds.
“Wonderful job, Trina.” His rich voice sounded very close to Eve’s head, which told her he’d bent down to study the work. “I wouldn’t have recognized her. Did you decide on the silitrex or the plastisinal base?”
“Silitrex. More pliable, and she doesn’t need it to last that long.”
Eve opened one eye when a finger poked at her cheek. And saw Leonardo’s wide, golden face looming in front of hers. “Am I done yet?” she asked him.
He smiled, eyes warming, teeth flashing white and gold. “Almost. You’re going to be pleased. What about the eyes?” he asked Trina.
“Temp gels. We’ll get them close. She’ll wear some amber sunshades, too.” She peered at something over Eve’s shoulder. “Great outfit. I’ve got a lip dye that matches that red, and we’ll use crisp tones on the cheeks and eyes. Can you guys handle doing her nails?”
“I don’t need my nails done.”
“Woman goes on a hot date, she does her nails. Fingers and toes,” Trina added. “Fifteen more minutes,” she promised.
It took nearly twice that, and Eve was considering making a break for it. But since she was surrounded, she stayed put and nearly wept with relief when Trina fixed on the wig she’d dyed and