Part 41 (1/2)
He smiled at the memories of other of the previous evening's activities.
However, a moment later, when in an habitual act he reached inside the shower stall to open the faucet that would long moments later bring hot water all the way from the bas.e.m.e.nt to the garret apartment, his hand really hurt him.
s.h.i.+t! The G.o.dd.a.m.n-what did she say?-”puncture wound.”
When he came out of the shower, the d.a.m.ned thing still hurt, and it looked angry.
”s.h.i.+t!”
He had two thoughts, one after the other.
Maybe Olivia would know what to do with it. Do I put a bandage on it? Soak it in hot water? What?
Maybe, if I called, she might say, ”I'll come by on my way to work and have a look at it.”
That's a very interesting prospect.
He went naked and dripping into his bedroom-which his father also compared unfavorably to a sleeping compartment on an old Pullman car-and picked up his cellular from the bedside table, where it lay beside his Colt Officer's Model .45.
Twenty seconds later, a sleepy female voice said, ”La.s.siter.”
”Good morning.”
”Oh, G.o.d!”
”I was calling to inquire whether your schedule is free for breakfast.”
”Oh, G.o.d! What time is it?”
”A little after six.”
There was no immediate response.
”For reasons I can't imagine, I'm ravenous,” Matt said.
”I don't even want to think about breakfast,” Olivia said. ”My G.o.d, Matt!”
”My G.o.d, what, Olivia?”
”I haven't even had time to think, and you want breakfast?”
”Think about what?”
”Oh, for G.o.d's sake! Everything!”
”What is there to think about?”
”You know I didn't want that to happen.”
Oh, s.h.i.+t!
”Do I detect a slight tone of regret?”
”I didn't say that, Matt,” Olivia said. ”Oh, G.o.d!”
”May I infer, then, that it was not an entirely disappointing experience for you?”
Olivia giggled.
”Not entirely,” she said. ”My G.o.d!”
”You keep saying 'My G.o.d.' ”
”I keep remembering what happened,” she said. ”My G.o.d, I can't believe I behaved like that!”
”For my part, it was an entirely delightful experience.”
”Was it?”
”Couldn't you tell?”
”Oh, Matt! What are we going to do?”
”That brings us back to breakfast.”
”No. For one thing, I'm not hungry, and for another, I don't want anyone to see us together.”
”Why not?”
”You know why not.”
”I don't give a d.a.m.n who sees us together. Anyway, we're working together.”
”I do. I want to stay in Homicide.”
”Oh.”
”I need time to think, and if I see you, I won't be able to think clearly.” She paused. ”Matt, will you do me a big favor?”
”Name it.”
”Forget what happened last night.”
”How the h.e.l.l am I supposed to do that? It happened, and at the risk of repeating myself, I found it to be an entirely delightful experience.”
”I'm not saying it wasn't,” she said. ”My G.o.d, couldn't you tell? What I'm saying is that I don't want anybody even to guess about it until I can think about it, really think about it. Will you do that for me?”
”Whatever you say, Mother.”
”Thank you.”