Part 9 (2/2)
Cora plunged her hand into her drawstring purse.
Melvin stopped. The smile froze on his face. He actually flinched. After all, he was the one who had taught Cora to shoot.
But it was not a gun Cora wrenched from her purse, merely a pack of cigarettes.
Melvin's jaw relaxed. Still, he balanced on the b.a.l.l.s of his feet. He looked ready to spring in any direction.
”Well, Melvin,” Cora said. She tapped out a cigarette, lit it up. ”Want one? Oh, that's right. You don't smoke.”
Melvin c.o.c.ked his head, grinned. ”So, you tracked me down. Quite the little detective, aren't you, sweetie? I always liked that about you.”
”Yeah, until I found those hotel receipts.”
”Why dwell on the past? Let bygones be bygones.”
”Easy for you to say. Why are you doing this?”
”Why am I doing what?”
”Don't play games. I'm not in the mood.”
”You think it's fair I pay you twelve hundred bucks a month not to be my wife?”
”It is considering what I put up with when I was.”
”It's been a long time.”
”Murder never outlaws, Melvin.”
”I didn't murder anyone.”
”Just an example. What makes you think you can get away with it?”
”Get away with what?”
”This scam.”
”Scam? What scam? Are you telling me you haven't been married since we've been divorced?”
”It was a cheap trick, Melvin. And the judge knows it.”
”Cheap trick. I'll tell you what's a cheap trick. Collecting alimony you're not ent.i.tled to.”
”You know d.a.m.n well I'm ent.i.tled to it.”
”I know nothing of the sort. I'm an honest man. I go by the letter of the law. The law says if you marry again, I'm off the hook.”
”I didn't marry again.”
”That's not the way my lawyer sees it.”
”Your lawyer is a two-bit shyster.”
”Whoa! You're lucky I'm a nice guy. A hard-a.s.s would try to drum up a damage suit.”
”Yeah, Melvin. You're a real nice guy. The ladies love you, don't they?”
”Some do. I'm sorry you're no longer in that group.”
”Would you really expect me to be?”
”Hey, we had some good times.”
”Everyone has good times, Melvin, or they wouldn't get married. It's what happens after.”
Melvin's smile was roguish. ”It was pretty good.”
”Don't start with me.”
The antiques dealer, embarra.s.sed and fl.u.s.tered, couldn't wait to get out of there. ”If you need me, I'll be inside.”
Melvin was grinning. ”You're still crazy about me, aren't you?”
Cora shook her head. ”I don't know how you live with yourself.”
”That's an evasion.”
”Yes, it is. I'm trying to avoid pulling my gun out and shooting you dead.”
”That's hardly fair. I taught you to shoot.”
”Only one of your big mistakes.”
”You're quick as you ever were. That's what I liked about you. A good sparring partner. You always could give as good as you got.”
”Forget it, Melvin. I'm not interested.”
”Oh, no? Then why'd you hunt me down?”
”Huh?”
”You weren't just driving by. You were obviously looking for me. When you stopped, I was nowhere in sight. You must have spotted my car. Which means you knew what kind of car I was driving. Which means you found out what kind of car I was driving. Which is not that easy to do. You must have gone to some trouble to find out what kind of car I was driving. Which means you were looking for me. And I'm wondering why?”
”Why do you even ask that? You're here making trouble for me. You think I'm going to take it lying down?”
Melvin rolled his eyes, grinned. ”Oh, what a straight line.”
<script>