The Candy Thief

There is a candy thief who takes candy from Eve's office at Cop Central. Eve keeps trying to figure out who is taking her candy that she hides. (All page numbers given in paperback unless otherwise stated.)

The J.D. Robb FAQ states that “Nora knows the identity of the Candy Thief, but she’s not sure when that person will be unmasked in the books.”

Immortal in Death

“She reached down, favoring her injured arm and chose a Galaxy bar that hadn't been flattened by the wrestling match. 'I'm going home.'” - Immortal in Death, p. 92

Holiday in Death

“She dragged open a drawer, pawing through and ignoring the vague headache behind her eyes. 'Where the goddamn hell is my candy bar?'
'I didn't take it.' Feeney jostled his bag of nuts. 'McNab was in here. He's a known candy thief.'” - Holiday in Death, p. 153

“But she wasn't when she walked into her office and found McNab rifling through her desk.
'I don't keep my candy stash there anymore, ace...'” - Holiday in Death, p. 217

Conspiracy in Death

“'Somebody's been stealing my candy again,' she complained...” - Conspiracy in Death, p. 89

Witness in Death

“The door was open, and the sounds of riffling came clearly into the hall. Eve pressed her back to the wall, danced her fingers over her weapon. The sneaking candy thief's ass was hers at last. 'Gotcha!'” - Witness in Death, p. 97

Judgment in Death

“She'd missed dinner and wasn't pleased to discover the candy thief who'd targeted her as patsy had found her newest stash... She had to settle for an apple someone had foolishly left in the squad's friggie.” - Judgment in Death, p. 91

Betrayal in Death

“They stole my candy again. I taped it on the back of my AutoChef. Two bars of the real stuff, not this chemi-mix crapola. They tagged it. I'm going to catch them sooner or later and peel the skin off their face. Slowly.” - Betrayal in Death, p. 226

Seduction in Death

McNab: “Hey, there's a candy bar taped to the back of the passenger's seat.”
Eve: “It's an emergency supply, which the sneaking candy thief who keeps raiding my office hasn't found yet.” - Seduction in Death, p. 271

Reunion in Death

Eve: “With a little yelp of distress, she leaped to the file cabinet, yanked open a drawer. 'Goddamn sneaking candy thief found my cache.'”
Peabody: “You had candy in a file cabinet. Under M?”
Eve: “M for mine, damn it.” - Reunion in Death, p. 8

Portrait in Death

“She climbed on to her desk, stretched up and worked one of the ceiling tiles out of its slot. Playing her fingers over the back of its neighbor, she reached her goal, and laughed softly, almost evilly as she pulled down the candy. 'I have beaten you, Candy Thief. You sneaking bastard.'” - Portrait in Death, p. 96

Divided in Death

“Eve went straight into her own office. She locked the door, then climbed onto her desk to reach the ceiling panel, behind which she was currently secreting her personal stash of candy. She needed a hit. Genuine chocolate, real coffee. All would be right with the world during the ten minutes she took for this personal, and well deserved indulgence. But instead of her cache of candy, there was a single, empty wrapper.” - Divided in Death, p. 144

After that Detective Peabody walked into Eve's office and caught her trying to get forensics off of the candy wrapper and ceiling tile, but, alas, the “bastard sealed up.”

Visions in Death

“The thought of cookies made her hungry. With a glance at the door, she reached behind the AutoChef, under the slight lip, and tugged off the candy bar she'd tapped there.
It was an obvious hiding place in her mind, but it had foiled the insidious candy thief who plagued her.” - Visions in Death, p. 101

Survivor in Death

Eve: “You help yourself to anything else while you were there? Such as candy?”
Feeney: “What candy? You got candy in there? What kind?”
Eve: “That's for me to know, and you to keep your hands off. I'll get back to you.” - Survivor in Death, p. 49

Origin in Death

“Personal items? Well, there was her current candy stashed where it had - to date - gone undetected by the nefarious candy thief who plagued her.” - Origin in Death, p. 27

Memory in Death

“Rising, she went to her window, shoved it up. Cold and wet spilled in as she leaned out and tore free the evidence bag she'd fixed to the outside wall. In it were four unopened candy bars.” - Memory in Death, p. 38

Feeney: “Got a couple of doughnuts in here. Logged 'em in as pee soup so the boys don't get wise.”
Eve: 'Smart.' She thought of her travails with the candy thief who continually unearthed her office stash. She might give Feeney's method a shot.” - Memory in Death, p. 291

Innocent in Death

“She opened the back of her computer, reached in to where she’d taped a candy bar to the inside of the case.
And it was gone.
'This is fucked up.' She could see a trace of the tape where it had stuck when the candy had been yanked out. The insidious candy thief had struck again.” - Innocent in Death, p. 135

Strangers in Death

“Eve grabbed her coat and considered the crullers. If she left them there [her office], out in the open, even the box would be devoured when she got back. She could hide it, but the vultures would sniff it out, which could lead them to the candy she'd stashed where - so far - the Candy Thief hadn't discovered it.
She snatched up the box on the way out. Better safe than crullerless.” - Strangers in Death, p. 149

Fantasy in Death

“She hated to admit it, but she felt some relief when Roarke walked in. Then he shut the door.
'Uh-oh.'
'I simply prefer not to broadcast my business.'
'Your business crosses with Synch?'
'Not at the moment. Where’s your candy?What candy?'
He gave her a look. 'I know very well you hide candy in here. I need a boost. Give it over.'
Her frown deepened, and she tracked her gaze toward the door. 'Don’t let anybody come in. It’s a damn good hiding place.'
'You know, you could easily rig a cam in here, and catch whoever’s lifting your stash in the act.'
'One day I’ll catch the candy thief, but it’ll be by guile and wit, not technology. It’s a matter of pride and principle now.'
She took a tool from her desk, then squatted in front of her recycler. After a few twists, she removed the facing and pulled an evidence bag from the back.
'Your guile and wit contest causes you to keep candy in the recycler, with the trash?'
'It’s sealed.' She broke the seal with a little pop and whoosh to prove it, then took out one of three chocolate bars. She tossed it to him, then bagged the remaining two with a fresh seal before hiding them again. She glanced back to see him studying the candy.
'If you’re going to be so dainty give it back.'
'There was a time I rooted through alley garbage for food, without a thought. Things change.' He unwrapped the candy, took a bite. 'But apparently not that much.'
She replaced the tool, then stood, hands on hips, studying the recycler for any signs of tampering. 'Okay. Still good.'
'And a demonstration of true love if I ever saw one.' He brushed a hand over her tousled cap of brown hair, then tapped a finger on the dent of her chin before touching his lips to hers. 'Better than chocolate.'” - Fantasy in Death, p. 58

Treachery in Death

“She took a tool from her desk and hunkered down beside her recycler. But when she removed the panel, no sealed evidence bag of chocolate waited for her.
'Damn it! This blows. This seriously blows.'
Sulking, mourning the loss, she stared at what she'd considered a brilliant hiding place. Her mistake, she admitted, had been leaving her stash in place while she'd gone on vacation.
She'd given the despicable Candy Thief too much time and opportunity to search and consume.” - Treachery in Death, p. 330

Celebrity in Death

“As she began, she had a low-level urge for that egg cream, which made her think of chocolate, and the candy she’d successfully hidden—again—from the greedy hands of the nefarious Candy Thief.
She glanced toward her rickety visitor’s chair where the candy sat snugly inside—she hoped—the bottom of the seat she’d carefully removed and replaced.” - Celebrity in Death, p. 104

Delusion in Death

“He’d (Sanchez) only been assigned to her for a few months, but he’d slipped right into the rhythm. She considered, angled her head.
'I bet you know who’s stealing my candy.'
He gave her a blank cop’s stare. 'What candy?'
'Yeah, that’s what I thought you’d say.'” - Delusion in Death, p. 257

Thankless in Death

“She started to get out, hesitated, then put her seat back. Reaching under, she tugged, then pulled out a candy bar with sticky tape crossed over the wrapper.
'Clever girl.'
'That damn candy thief can’t get into a shielded vehicle, so I keep emergency candy.' She broke it in half, handed him a share. 'It is love,' she confirmed, then climbed out.
Amused, and since he knew her feelings about candy, touched, he unwrapped it while he began the work.” - Thankless in Death, p. 263

Devoted in Death

“She went to the AutoChef, programmed a vitamin smoothie. And was shocked when that’s exactly what she got.
It has worked for Feeney, she thought, bitterly, disguising his real coffee for a spinach smoothie in his office machine. But did she get the candy bar she’d disguised in there?
No, she did not. 'Goddamn Candy Thief. I should’ve known he’d steal me blind while I was on leave.'
'You have candy in there? What kind of—'
'Not anymore.' In disgust, Eve went back to her desk, yanked out a drawer. 'Bastard leaves the dumbass power bars, takes the really good chocolate.'
'Chocolate!'
'Gone.' In penance for her own failure, Eve took a glug from the smoothie—which could have been worse—unwrapped the power bar.” - Devoted in Death, Chapter 5

Secrets in Death

“She closed and locked her door. She walked to the AutoChef, rolled her shoulders, lifted it high enough to see the bottom, where she’d used black tape to affix her secret candy bar. She’d tried hiding it in the AC, programming it as something healthy and unappealing. That hadn’t fooled the infamous Candy Thief.
But so far, her secret stash remained. Satisfied, she set the machine down again, and rolled her shoulders one more time. The ancient AC weighed a freaking ton. Which might be why the Candy Thief had yet to find her newest hiding place.
Score one for Dallas, she thought, and programmed coffee.” - Secrets in Death, p. 325

Leverage in Death

“Because the swallow of rat soup still sat uneasy, she locked her door before stepping over to her AutoChef. She programmed an alfalfa power smoothie, her latest hiding place for her candy stash.
'Son of a bitch!' She pulled out an actual alfalfa power smoothie. 'Son of candy-stealing bitch of a bastard!'
Not only had the nefarious Candy Thief snatched her chocolate, he/she had taken the time and trouble to replace it with the actual item on the freaking menu.
She had to respect that.
When she caught the son of a bitching bastard—and she would, oh, she would—she’d hang the thief out her window by the heels. Naked.
But she’d do so with respect.” - Leverage in Death, p. 62

“Eve went back into her office, locked the door. The trouble with working in a small space, she thought as she glanced around, was the limited hidey holes. But for this project, she'd use that to her advantage.
She got out the candy bar she'd brought from home, stood on her desk to attach it to the inside of a ceiling tile. An easy find, oh yeah, but...
She fastened a button alarm, carefully, so carefully, to the joint of the tile. Lift that sucker a fraction, and the shrieking whistle should scare the unholy crap out of the thief even as its blue dye exploded all over the fucker's face.
Satisfied, looking forward to retribution, she jumped down, unlocked her door.” - Leverage in Death, Chapter 13

Connections in Death

“She grabbed pants. Brown. Not Feeney’s shit brown, but a chocolate brown that reminded her to check the ceiling tile in her office, make sure the candy bar she’d booby-trapped was still there.” - Connections in Death, p. 90

“'That’s a very busy rest of the day,' Roarke commented. 'I hope to join some of it. I have about an hour now, then some things to see to. If I don’t see you before, let me know when you start out.'
So saying, he pulled a candy bar out of his pocket, broke it in half. 'So the two of you keep your energy up.'
'Loose pants or chocolate? Chocolate!' Peabody took the candy.
Eve eyed it narrowly. 'Did you get that from my office?'
'I didn’t, no. I brought it with me on the suspicion my cop—or cops in this case—hadn’t eaten since breakfast.'” - Connections in Death, p. 244

Vendetta in Death

“She locked her door, dug the remote out of her desk to turn off the blue dye trap she’d laid for the infamous Candy Thief. After climbing on the desk, she carefully eased up the ceiling tile. And stared at the empty space. 'Come on!' She dragged a mini light out of her pocket, shined it inside. Nothing. 'Son of a fucking sneaky bitch!'
Not a sign of the dye—and there should’ve been. So the Candy Thief used a remote, too. Probably a scanner first, which warned of the trap.
She jumped down, scowled up at the tile. Then jammed her hands in her pockets.
She had to admit—hated to, but had to—it was pretty damn impressive.
She unlocked her door, stalked out to the bullpen. Jenkinson and his tie were back—and dear God, this one sported rainbows obviously generated in a nuclear reactor. So were Reineke and his socks, but she thanked the patron saint of vision she couldn’t currently see them.
Santiago and his hat had rolled over to Carmichael’s desk, where they held an intense conversation. Eve figured it involved an active case or another stupid bet.
Since Baxter and Trueheart were missing, she assumed they’d caught one.
Peabody looked busy with a report.
'This isn’t over,' Eve announced. Activity stopped, heads turned. 'Believe me, it’s not over.'
After stalking back to her office, she gave the ceiling tile another scowl. She’d think of something else. Oh yeah, she would.” - Vendetta in Death, pp. 288-289

Faithless in Death

“She went with brown pants that made her think of chocolate, and that made her think of checking on her hidden stash in her office at Central. And made her think, unkindly, of the elusive Candy Thief.” - Faithless in Death, p. 134

Forgotten in Death

“Marvinia Kincade -- one of the three daughters and heirs of the Kincade fortune. Candy makers, founders of Sweet Treats. Damn good candy, she thought, and reminded herself to check her office stash to make sure it remained hidden from the nefarious Candy Thief.” - Forgotten in Death, Chapter 6

Encore in Death

“She grabbed brown trousers -- not Feeney-dung brown but a color that made her think of the candy bar hidden in her office. Which made her think of the Candy Thief, and that put a scowl on her face as she pulled out a white T-shirt, nearly pulled out a brown jacket before she settled on khaki.'” - Encore in Death, Chapter 13

“She shut her door, locked it. She got down on the floor, took out her penknife to work the thin line of tape from the bottom of her visitor's chair. Under the lining of the ass-biting cushion, she'd slid in a candy bar, then carefully taped the frayed lining back in place. But when she reached in for the chocolate, all she got was the empty wrapper. She sat there, staring at it. And said, 'Son of a bitch!' Deprived of chocolate, thanks to the nefarious Candy Thief, Eve tracked down the primary on Rose Bernstein's OD and probed old memories.” - Encore in Death, Chapters 14-15

“[McNab] sent a longing glance toward her AutoChef, added a winsome smile that went big when she jerked her head in permission. She watched him, the very clever e-man with his shiny tail of hair, the baggies in screaming red, the black, yellow, red circus-striped shirt over his skinny frame. 'Might as well have my coffee to wash down the chocolate.' He looked back as he programmed his coffee. 'You got chocolate up for grabs?' 'Apparently, I did.' She imagined hauling his bony ass into the box and grilling him over a candy bar. It brought a rush of satisfaction before she reminded herself. Priorities.” - Encore in Death, Chapter 17

Passions in Death

Eve: “How do you know my AC stocks pasta salad?”
Peabody: “Due to my wise attitude toward food.”
Eve: “Okay, grab the candy bar while you're at it.”
Peabody: “You have candy in the AC? What kind?”
Eve: Eve gave her a long look. “Shouldn't you know that?”
Peabody: “I regret I did not, but I'm being careful about candy because loose pants.”
Eve: “Never mind the candy.”
“Eve went back to her notes, but paused when Peabody went out.
Her partner could be the dreaded Candy Thief, but... she was being careful about candy these days. Didn't mean she didn't steal the candy bar Eve hid, then reward herself for loose pants.
Right now, there was an empty candy wrapper taped behind the drawing Nixie had given her. A deliberate smack at said Candy Thief.
And the emergency chocolate bar resided at the back of her bottom desk drawer, which took a tool and some work to remove completely.
She should check on that, just in case.” - Passions in Death, Chapter 13

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