Part 2 (2/2)
”You mean that?”
”Certainly. This was an isolated incident. Before I met you the most violent encounter I'd ever experienced was a director with a vile temper who tried to kill me with his blocking of a stage fight.”
I was verging on exasperation, but too curious to pa.s.s up the opening. He rarely spoke about his past. ”What happened?”
”It was the difference between his opinion and my facts. The man had concocted some ridiculous fencing movement and I tried to point out something safer and more natural for the circ.u.mstance. Since I was only a very junior member of the company at the time, he got his way. On dress-rehearsal night I slipped in my felt costume shoes, fell into the orchestra pit, and broke the poor violinist's collarbone and nearly my own neck when I landed on him. I was never able to convince that director I hadn't done it on purpose just for spite.”
I pulled my mouth shut to control the laugh. ”Now you're changing the subject-”
”But I have not. My point was that tonight was an unfortunate set of circ.u.mstances, nothing more. In all fairness, how could the director or I have known that the stage floor had just been waxed? How could you have known the young lady was so murderously and athletically inclined? Believe me, if any future jobs like this should come my way, there is no one else I would rather have to back me up. I know you have doubts now, but you've a quick, observant eye and with a little training...”
I shot him a suspicious look. ”What have you got planned? A little extra paint on the office door saying Escott and Fleming, Private Agents?”
”That would be interesting, but not possible. It takes several years of training to qualify for a license, and then you have to show up for the exam-in daylight. No, in practical terms that's quite out of the question for you.”
”Then what is in the question?”
”I'm only proposing the odd job now and then, like tonight. I know you really consider this as just doing me a favor, but there's no reason why you can't make something for yourself out of it.” He looked at the money and then at me.
”You trying to bribe me? Because it's working.”
The faint smile appeared again in the same corner. ”I had hoped you would consider it seriously. Of course one never knows what the future may bring; not all of my clients are as well off as Mr. Swafford, nor as easily bullied, but there should be enough coming in to keep gas in your car and so forth.”
I put my half of the cash in my wallet. ”This should buy a lot of so forth.”
He smiled again at this obvious acceptance of his offer, briefly, this time in both comers.
Chapter 2.
IT WAS NEARLY three when I left Escott's, but Bobbi would be awake. She may have left her job and her room at the Nightcrawler Club, but she still kept club hours.
Her new home was a suite in a respectable hotel that provided maid service, meals, and a bribable house detective-everything a girl could want.
I crossed the marble-floored lobby, waving at the night clerk, who knew me by sight. The kid in the elevator was sound asleep on his stool, so I charitably took the stairs up to the fourth floor. Her rooms were to the left of the stairs, taking up a corner block of windows that fronted the building. Light was showing under her door. I knocked softly, heard her bare feet patter close, and a single hazel eye peered through the peephole. I winked back and the door opened.
”h.e.l.lo, stranger, I was beginning to think you'd never show up.” She pulled me inside and locked out the rest of the world.
”So you're taking me for granted, huh?”
”Uh-huh, just like the laundry.”
”You dress up like that for the laundry?”
”This is dressing down; something informal, yet intimate.” She was wearing some baby blue satin lounging pajamas that made it difficult for me to think straight.
When she walked, her legs made a pleasant susurrous sound. Slightly hypnotized by the rhythm, I followed her into the living room as we curled up on the sofa. At least she curled- I stretched my legs out and hooked an arm around her shoulder.
”What kept you so long?” she asked.
”Charles needed some help tonight.”
”What did he do, drag you backward through a distillery?” She sniffed my hair critically.
”Just about. Thought I'd lost the atmosphere of the place when I'd changed.”
”Into what?”
”What do you mean 'into what'?”
”A bat or a wolf-”
”What are you talking about?”
She pulled a thick book from under a pillow and tapped the lurid red letters of the t.i.tle with one nail. ”It says in here...”
Then I had to laugh and shake my head. ”Bobbi, you nut, you can't be taking that seriously.”
”Well, it's the only book I knew of about vampires.”
”There are lots of others, but they're not necessarily right, either. Why are you looking at that stuff? You've already got the real article.”
”I wanted to know more. According to this, you'll be turning me into one any time now.” She said it like a joke, but I could see a real concern underneath. She waited for my reaction.
I took the book and flipped through until I found the right page. ”There, read that part and try to ignore the scary language. Until we do this there is no chance of you ever turning into a vampire.” I waited, listening to her soft breathing as she read, my arm close around her shoulders. She finally let the book droop.
”That scene wasn't in the movie.”
”Too erotic.”
”Erotic?” She sounded doubtful.
”Don't let the description put you off until you've tried it.”She looked speculative. ”You want to do that?”
”Not unless you want to. It's your decision.”
”What would happen?”
”One h.e.l.l of a climax for both of us.”
”And that's all? Not that there's anything wrong with a great climax,” she quickly added.
”I'm glad you think so.”
”Come on, Jack. What else is it?”
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