Lilly<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\nHis hand moved from her shoulder to her neck. The other dipped between her legs. She melted into the wall under his touch.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2014He\u2019ll never give me a divorce,\u201d she stuttered as his fingers found her clit. \u201cYou\u2019re a detective, and\u2014and\u2014oh, God that feels so good.\u201d She closed her eyes and licked her lips. \u201cY-you used to be a cop. You know how these things work. You could\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop it.\u201d His hand tightened on her throat. His eyes were shards of stone boring into her. \u201cWe\u2019re not killing him. Now quit running your mouth and put it to better use.\u201d<\/p>\n
A devious grin split her face. \u201cWell, when you put it that way\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Bowman dropped to her knees, her back against the wall. She shifted her grip to the base of the veiny shaft and lowered her head. Her lips became a red-inked tourniquet as she wrapped them around his cock. She ran her tongue in circles around its tip, setting off a tingling that went from the tip of his prick all the way up the length of his spine. Taste buds tickled at the base of the head, teasing out a dribble of fluid that she lapped up with relish.<\/p>\n
\u201cMmmm,\u201d she moaned, watching him as he savored the sensations her mouth elicited. \u201cI just love this dick.\u201d<\/p>\n
The conversation from moments before had already faded into the recesses of Diamond’s mind. His hand cupped the back of her head, fingers curling through her hair. \u201cYou like sucking that dick?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGod, yes.\u201d She migrated downward, gumming at the base of his cock as her fingers slid back and forth over the head. \u201cDo I suck it good, baby?\u201d she breathed.<\/p>\n
The answer was tattooed on his face. He braced an arm against the wall above her as the sensation coursed through him. She ran her tongue up and down its thick length and wrapped her mouth around it again. Her hand milked at the base as she sucked her lips back and forth, reveling in the act.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do I?\u201d she pressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cFuck yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow good?\u201d Her hand moved to cup his balls, tongue cartwheeling around his cock. \u201cSo good you\u2019re gonna return the favor?\u201d<\/p>\n
A sardonic grin slashed his mouth. \u201cYou want that, you better ask one of those French pansies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo froggies for me, honey. I just want you.\u201d Her free hand slid between her legs, fingers swirling around her clit. \u201cBut you\u2019re going to do something, aren\u2019t you? On account of how good I suck you off?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGet on that goddamn bed and I\u2019ll show you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giggling, she let him help her up and steer her toward the brass bed at the center of the room. He laid her on her side, lengthways along the edge of the mattress, and stood with his cock hovering over her face. Her hands found it and brought it to her lips as Diamond, reaching between her legs, skirted his fingers over the delta of hair between her thighs. His fingertips tested the wet slit, and she whimpered around the cock in her mouth. The whimper became an aching moan as he slid two fingers inside, stroking at the walls of her pussy.<\/p>\n
\u201cMmm,\u201d she said in a full-mouthed moan, \u201cthat\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He propped one leg on the bed to straddle her face and twisted to the side so he could bring his other hand to bear on the space between her legs. While his fingers teased the sweet spot of her pussy, he used the other hand to spread her wetness in circles around the divot of her asshole.<\/p>\n
She groaned, jerking his cock from her mouth and smacking her lips. \u201cI love it when you play with my rear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to do more than play with it,\u201d he grinned.<\/p>\n
He pressed the tip of one finger against her asshole. It gave ground like a receding tide, finger edging deeper as she relaxed and began to push outward against him. She held onto his cock with a death grip, groaning out her pleasure as his finger sank into her ass and the others kept stroking her g-spot.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Bowman sucked harder at the cock above her, hungry for more meat to satisfy the frothing lust his fingers stirred within her. Her hand was a white-knuckled vise around his cock, pumping back and forth in tandem with her mouth. She maintained her grip as her mouth moved lower to lap at his balls. Then his cock was in her mouth again and his hips were moving, fucking her face as he finger-fucked the space between her legs. Her moans grew in volume until she jerked him from her mouth in a sucking heave.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t take it anymore,\u201d she gasped. \u201cOh hell, I need this cock inside me!\u201d<\/p>\n
His lips peeled back in a grin. \u201cThen get your ass up and bend over.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond swung off her as she got onto all fours, knees at the edge of the bed and rear pointed toward him. He stepped behind her, drinking in the hourglass contours of her body, the way her generous ass flared outward and swept in toward her waist. Taking a handful of rump, he guided her onto his cock. She rocked backward to meet him, and he glided into her all the way to the root. Leaning into him, she milled her ass against his groin.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou like that, baby?\u201d she asked, glancing over her shoulder. \u201cHow \u2018bout I do you this time?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo it.\u201d He seized her bottle-blonde hair and pulled her head back so he could hiss in her ear. \u201cMake yourself come.\u201d<\/p>\n
She swayed forward so that the tip of his cock was inside her clinging pussy, and rocked back to take its entire length. Mrs. Bowman repeated the maneuver several times more, but the next time she leaned forward, she didn\u2019t lean back. She stayed there with the head of his cock inside her pussy, tempting him with the tiny, titillating movements of her hips.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou goddamn tease,\u201d he snarled.<\/p>\n
She smiled at him over her shoulder. \u201cOh, am I?\u201d<\/p>\n
His fingers tightened in her hair, tugging her backward onto his cock again. \u201cKeep it up and I\u2019m going have to show you what a good fucking really is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The heat in her voice could have melted steel. \u201cYou promise?\u201d<\/p>\n
She cackled as he let go of her hair and pushed her head toward the bed. His hands moved to her ass, spreading her cheeks wide as he began to pump his hips. His cock glided in and out of her in long, hard thrusts. Flesh met flesh in earth-shaking crescendos as she sagged under the blows. She buried her face in the mattress and moaned out her praises.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it, baby.\u201d Her hand went to her clit, fingers twirling around the swollen nub \u201cPound me, Danny. Fill me up.\u201d<\/p>\n
His fingers dug furrows into the supple flesh of her ass as he fucked in and out of her pussy. Between wide-spread cheeks, the divot of her asshole pulsed and flared with each movement. He pressed his thumb against it, swirling around it in the same way her fingers moved over her clit.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, just like that,\u201d she moaned. \u201cKeep going. I\u2019m gonna come so hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
He kept going, cock flashing in and out of her as together their whirling digits coaxed her ever-closer to the edge of orgasmic oblivion. Her cries grew louder, shriller. As her climax approached, he wiggled the tip of his thumb into her asshole. She bucked her hips against him, thumb edging deeper with each movement. Right as she was about to tumble over the precipice, he pushed it into her asshole far as it would go.<\/p>\n
She came with a fury. It started with a low, rolling moan, then grew into a string of incoherent obscenities. Her pussy quivered. Her asshole tightened into a fist. She buried her face in the sheets in a fit of idiotic ecstasy as if all sense had atrophied under the orgasmic rush. Diamond kept up the relentless plunging of his cock as her mouth ran away with her.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh God\u2026oh God\u2026 Oh\u2014yes-yes-yes-yes!\u201d<\/p>\n
The orgasm raged for several seconds more before it released its hold on her. She flopped onto her back like a marionette with its strings cut, her face flushed and chest heaving.<\/p>\n
\u201cDanny,\u201d she gasped, \u201cthat was\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe warm up.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a wolfish leer, he climbed onto the bed. She spread her legs for him as he knelt between them.<\/p>\n
His cock found its place automatically. Hungry lips wolfed it down, and it was in motion a moment later.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re insatiable!\u201d she cried<\/p>\n
He leaned over her as his hands grasped at her tits, pinching one of her nipples up to his mouth to tongue at the hard little bud. Tonguing turned to sucking turned to biting as he laved at her chest, all while fucking in and out of her greedy pussy. Mrs. Bowman grasped at his perspiring torso, legs clenched about his waist as his cock punished her loins. His rhythm mounted, the moment of completion drawing near.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome inside me,\u201d she moaned.<\/p>\n
She was an iron maiden around him, a prison of red-hot flesh. He pounded at her, straining for a release that felt as if it would never come. But then he felt it, the first little trembling that would snowball into an orgasmic avalanche. Mrs. Bowman felt it too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s it. Give it to me, baby,\u201d she urged.<\/p>\n
He straightened, grasping her legs to pull her against him with each impact. A few more and he was on the verge of climax.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d she purred, \u201ccome inside me. I want every drop!\u201d<\/p>\n
He buried his cock inside her one last time. It began to spasm, welling from his loins the hot come that would bathe her pussy in vulgar baptism. It tingled. It burned for release. The sensation mounted until it was an all-encompassing need, a senseless explosion that couldn\u2019t be contained.<\/p>\n
And then he pulled out.<\/p>\n
His cock convulsed in rapture, spattering her tits with ropes of creamy white. His hand milked back and forth across it, coaxing out every last drop as she gaped at him in disbelief. Drained, he grunted and flopped onto the bed beside her.<\/p>\n
The aftermath of their tryst stole over them like a warm blanket. Diamond was content to bask in its heat. Mrs. Bowman wasn\u2019t. She rolled onto her side so she could look at him, her face pinched in a sour expression.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou pulled out.\u201d<\/p>\n
He inclined an eyebrow. \u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I love it when you come inside me. It makes you feel like you\u2019re… mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBelieve it or not,\u201d he said, reaching out to fondle her breast, \u201cfathering a love child with you isn\u2019t very high on my list of things to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh phooey, you know Sam and I can\u2019t have children.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know Sam isn\u2019t the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSix years of a broken marriage, that\u2019s how.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond decided to let that one lie. He pushed himself off the bed and grabbed the sheet, wiping his cock with it before tossing it over Mrs. Bowman. She used it to blot at her chest as he headed for the adjoining bathroom to wash up. When he emerged again, the blonde was still lounging on the bed, naked and glistening like a spent fish. She watched him as he dressed himself, her self-satisfied smile reaching from ear to ear.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod, you\u2019re such a good lay, Danny.\u201d<\/p>\n
He flashed a lopsided grin as he wriggled into his pants. \u201cYou too, doll.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you know, we could be so much more if only he were out of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The grin fell away. \u201cNo, we couldn\u2019t. Face it, sweetheart. We\u2019re not marrying material.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d she pouted. \u201cWe could run away together.\u201d<\/p>\n
He sat on the edge of the bed as he put on his socks and shoes. \u201cAlright, let\u2019s say we ran off together. Somewhere exotic\u2014say, Casablanca. It\u2019d be just like the movies. We\u2019d live the good life for a few weeks\u2014drinking, dancing, room service day and night. Walk on the beach and screw in the moonlight. It\u2019d be paradise. But then the money would run out. Or who knows? Maybe you\u2019d get bored first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou keep doing me like that, and I\u2019ll never get bored.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRegardless,\u201d he continued, standing, \u201cit\u2019s all we would have\u2014fucking\u2014and it would unravel sooner or later.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cSorry, dollface. Not worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled at him, circling the areola of one nipple with her fingertip. \u201cAnd these? Aren\u2019t they worth it?\u201d<\/p>\n
He smirked. \u201cThey\u2019re about the only thing you\u2019re good for.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a nasty joke,\u201d she frowned.<\/p>\n
A grin slashed his face. \u201cWho says I was joking?\u201d<\/p>\n
She was quiet and sullen as he finished dressing. He wriggled into his shoulder holster and stood in front of the mirror to tie his tie, the .38 police special sitting snug and sinister under his arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay with me,\u201d she said abruptly. \u201cI have the whole afternoon off. We could have so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a new client.\u201d He cinched the tie tight against his neck and picked up his suit jacket and fedora from where they lay on the chair in the corner. \u201cWe have a meeting with her this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHer?\u201d she asked, a tinge of envy in her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, what about after?\u201d<\/p>\n
He moved to the bed to stand over her as he donned his hat and jacket. \u201cAfter that I have a hot date.\u201d<\/p>\n
She levered herself up on one elbow, her lips pressed into a thin line. \u201cDanny Diamond, are you trying to make me jealous?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell it\u2019s cruel,\u201d she said. \u201cI can\u2019t stand the thought of you with another woman.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the problem with you married broads. Waist-deep in infidelity and you\u2019re still pining for monogamy.\u201d He gave her nipple a tweak and turned to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo kiss goodbye?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere those lips have been? Not a chance.\u201d He grinned. \u201cSame time next week?\u201d<\/p>\n
She lay back on the bed and looked away. \u201cTreating me like that you\u2019ll be lucky if it\u2019s ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI doubt that.\u201d He touched the doorknob, looking back at her. \u201cYou know the drill. When you let yourself out, lock the door behind you. And tell Mr. Bowman I said hello.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell him yourself,\u201d she retorted. \u201cHe\u2019s your partner.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smirked and doffed his hat. \u201cI may just do that. Goodbye, Mrs. Bowman. See you around.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two<\/strong><\/p>\nDanny Diamond\u2019s Chevy sedan knifed through the afternoon heat like a shark through water. It radiated from the Los Angeles streets, a heat so strong it threatened to melt tires into the road or fuse a man\u2019s skin to the seat of his car. An angry sun had long ago baked the city into a sunburned brown, but now the town was charring along the edges. The heat wave had been a long one, and it showed no signs of letting up. Some said it was their penance to pay. L.A. was a cesspool of moral depravity full of adulterers, pimps, gangsters, grifters, rapists, murderers, sex-fiends, and any number of other sinful malcontents. It was what they deserved, a little taste of hell on earth before the big bon voyage.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what they said, at least. To Diamond, it was just another summer day in the City of Angels.<\/p>\n
He whipped off West Eighth Street and into his customary parking spot a block down from his office. Pigeons twittered from the power lines overhead as he got out. He headed down the sidewalk, wasting no time in firing up another Lucky Strike\u2014his third since leaving the apartment. An afternoon tryst wasn\u2019t complete without a smoke, and Diamond savored both equally.<\/p>\n
After half a minute\u2019s walk, he reached his destination. At one time it had been shiny and new, but that was when the Kaiser had been in his prime. The three story office building was dull and dingy from decades of smog-choked air. Grime streaked windows stared listlessly from its brick front, and the only thing growing in the flower beds were a couple of scraggly shrubs. Diamond breezed through the double doors on the wings of his post-coital high.<\/p>\n
He strode past the elevator and its \u201cout of order\u201d placard and mounted the stairs to the second floor. The whine of a dentist’s drill needled his ears as he passed the first office on the hall and approached the next door down. The lettering on the glass read \u201cDiamond and Bowman, Confidential Investigation and Consultancy.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went in, letting the door slam behind him. Inside was a stuffy little lobby. A pair of doors led into smaller offices, separated from the rest of the suite by a flimsy partition. The receptionist\u2019s desk was a heavy oak affair, and behind it, a petite redhead of about twenty was busy filing papers in one of the filing cabinets against the wall.<\/p>\n
She had an obstinate mouth and a boyish look, but she still managed to achieve a kind of pretty. Her short auburn curls were pinned back in clips behind her ears, skin sun-kissed and freckled, especially over her nose and cheekbones. Her blouse did nothing for her non-existent bosom, but the pencil skirt she wore accentuated her perky rear, and that made Diamond smile. She looked up as he entered, cutting her eyes at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d Her voice had an acidic undertone that could leave blisters when it wanted to.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot a thing, Eileen,\u201d he said cheerfully, \u201cNot a goddamn thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah? Where you been?\u201d<\/p>\n
Eileen Jacobsen closed the filing cabinet door and bit at her fingernail. There wasn\u2019t much left of them. They\u2019d been worried to the quick.<\/p>\n
\u201cLate lunch,\u201d he said, his back to her as he hung up his coat and hat.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I\u2019m sure.\u201d She eyed the rumples in his shirt. \u201cYour two o\u2019clock has been here for a quarter of an hour. I let her into your office to wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with the lobby?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing aside from the fact that I had to pry Sam off her with a crowbar. He\u2019s been hitting the sauce since noon, and you know how he gets.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond glanced toward his office. \u201cShe\u2019s a looker, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
Eileen wrinkled her nose. \u201cIf you like that type.\u201d When Diamond didn\u2019t respond, she said, \u201cWe\u2019re still on for tonight, aren\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n
He tore his eyes away from his office door to look at her. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur date.\u201d She perched a hand on her hip, eyes narrowed. \u201cRemember?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I remember.\u201d He hung his hat and jacket on the coat tree by the door, turning back to her. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
She rolled her eyes. \u201cNo reason. In the meantime, I was thinking about taking off early today. I\u2019m going to the beach with the girls. They wanted me to take some pictures with my Bolsey, show them how to do the developing later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t pay you for a six hour day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you don\u2019t pay me at all,\u201d she said, her eyes flashing with sudden fire. \u201cNot for the last two weeks, anyway. And before you say anything, knocking boots don\u2019t count as legal tender. Besides, the building switchboard has stopped forwarding our calls until you pay our share of the bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
He took one last drag off the cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray on her desk. \u201cFine, you can have the rest of the day off. Just wait until I get done with the dame, O.K.?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure, Danny. Waiting for you is the story of my life.\u201d She dropped into her chair pulled the newspaper crossword and a pencil out of one of the drawers. \u201cWhat\u2019s another drop in the bucket?\u201d<\/p>\n
He ignored the comment and made for the left-most office, rapping his knuckles against the door\u2019s pebbled glass. \u201cSammy, my office,\u201d he barked. Without waiting for a response, he strode to the other office and went in.<\/p>\n
The first thing he saw was legs. Michelangelo couldn\u2019t have carved a better pair. They were clad in a tea-length black dress slit halfway up the thigh. Long and lean, they rose and fell in all the right places all the way up to her seat. He followed the scenery upward, past the slender waist, bare arms, and plunging neckline that bared just enough cleavage to still be respectable. Dark hair framed a face for which a sultan would give half his kingdom, eyes a deep shade of green you could lose yourself in for weeks. Her skin had a dusky hue, though her features were Anglican. She bled sex and class from her very pores, the kind of woman little girls wanted to be and grown women wanted to choke. Looking at her kicked off a carnival of unclean thoughts in Diamond’s head.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood afternoon,\u201d he managed thickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood afternoon,\u201d she replied, standing.<\/p>\n
Her voice was smooth and warm and a little husky, not unlike a finely aged scotch. Deep green eyes held his gaze as she took his proffered hand. With her nearness, the scent of sandalwood wafted up to him<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re late, Mr. Diamond,\u201d she said and flashed her pearly whites.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy apologies. I was engaged elsewhere, Mrs…\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCarlyle. Patricia Carlyle. And it\u2019s Miss.\u201d It sounded less like a correction and more like an invitation.<\/p>\n
\u201cPleased to meet you, Miss Carlyle. I\u2019m Daniel Diamond, but you can call me Danny. Or just Diamond will do. We spoke on the telephone yesterday morning, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n
He motioned for her to be seated. She did so, and he circled around to sit behind his desk. Sam appeared at the door, a short man in his mid-forties with wide shoulders and a wide stomach. His eyes were bloodshot, and his low brow and bushy mustache made him look like a walrus in a faded jacket and tie. He closed the door and shuffled over to lean against the wall by the bookcase, never once taking his stare off Miss Carlyle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my partner, Sam Bowman.”<\/p>\n
Sam nodded at her, his eyes roaming up and down her body.<\/p>\n
She favored him with a winning smile. \u201cYes, we met earlier. A pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPleasure\u2019s all mine,\u201d he grunted.<\/p>\n
Diamond headed off any further comments from Sam, saying, \u201cWhat can we do for you today?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a family matter I need taken care of. Confidentially. Can you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what it says on the door.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, we\u2019re all about confidentiality,\u201d said Sam, licking his lips.<\/p>\n
“It is a sensitive topic that must be handled discretely.” She regarded Diamond with an appraising look, piercing eyes searching his face. “Can I trust you, Mr. Diamond?”<\/p>\n
He smiled as he met her gaze. “Absolutely.”<\/p>\n
The hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “I believe you. And I believe I came to the right place.”<\/p>\n
“So what’s the trouble?”<\/p>\n
She crossed her legs at the knee and folded her hands over her lap. \u201cMy younger sister, Agatha, has gotten herself into trouble. She\u2019s been hanging around some questionable characters\u2014against our father\u2019s advice\u2014and two weeks ago she ran off with a much older man, a seedy sort. There\u2019s also a rumor that she\u2019s pregnant. I don\u2019t know for sure, I\u2019ve only heard. She\u2019s eighteen years old, and I hardly think she knows what she\u2019s doing, but if Father\u2019s associates find out about this, it could ruin his reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd your father\u2019s name?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFranklin Carlyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond arched an eyebrow. \u201cThe land baron?\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled. \u201cSo you\u2019ve heard of him. Yes, that\u2019s Father. Though, we prefer the term \u2018real estate developer.\u2019 And two-term state senator, don\u2019t forget. So you can see why we don\u2019t want news of Agatha\u2019s scandal getting out.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smirked. \u201cEmbarrassing to say the least. Do you know the name of the character your sister ran off with?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, his name is Timothy O\u2019Brien.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe the one that knocked her up?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMost likely, though I can\u2019t say for sure. He contacted me shortly after Agatha ran off with him and offered to \u2018convince\u2019 Agatha to come home\u2014for a price.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first? Five thousand dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you paid it.\u201d It wasn’t a question.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he held out for more.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI see you\u2019ve heard this story before.” She flushed with a self-deprecating smile. “I had hoped to get her back before anyone was the wiser, but now he\u2019s asking for twenty thousand. Father gives me a monthly allowance, but it\u2019s not nearly that large. I had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get the first payment as it was.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not go to Daddy for the money? Or for that matter, a classier agency?\u201d He spread his hands as if to encompass the office around them. \u201cAs you can see, we aren\u2019t exactly used to clients of your caliber around here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it\u2019s all my fault.\u201d She looked to the floor, then back up again. Her gaze lingered on Diamond for a moment too long before going on. \u201cThe questionable friends Agatha fell in with were mine to begin with. She wanted to do what her big sister was doing. It\u2019s only natural. But she had always been Father\u2019s favorite, and when she took up with friends he didn\u2019t approve of, he blamed me. If he finds out what has happened to her now, he\u2019ll never forgive me. I have to set this right myself, and I have to do it on a budget.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI see. How can we help you with your problem?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be quite simple. I\u2019ve arranged a meeting with Tim for tonight under the pretense of an initial payment. When he leaves, I want you to follow him. I\u2019m certain wherever he\u2019s staying, Agatha is there as well. He\u2019s not clever enough for anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond propped his elbows on the desk and laced his fingers together. \u201cThese types of missing person jobs are tricky. Even when you find who you\u2019re looking for, half the time they don\u2019t want to be rescued. Your sister\u2019s eighteen. We can\u2019t make her come home if she doesn\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n
She leaned forward, beseeching him with her eyes and a generous view of her cleavage. \u201cPlease, Mr. Diamond, if I can talk to her I know I can get her to listen to reason. Won\u2019t you help me? I can pay you for your trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
From her purse she took two greenbacks with Mr. Franklin\u2019s portrait and set them on the table. Diamond looked at them. Bowman licked at his lips as if they were coated in syrup.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you put it that way,\u201d Diamond drawled, \u201cit sounds reasonable. I think we can get you that opportunity. As far as the rest goes, that\u2019s up to you. O.K.?\u201d<\/p>\n
The smile she flashed him would have made him weak in the knees if he hadn\u2019t been sitting down. \u201cThank you, Mr. Diamond,\u201d she purred.<\/p>\n
\u201cSave the thanks for when we find your sister. In the meantime, what\u2019s this O\u2019Brien look like?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s in his thirties,” she informed him, “on the shorter side but with a big chest and arms. He\u2019s hairy, too, with black hair and eyes. You might say he looks like a gorilla.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSounds like you know him pretty well. Were you friends?\u201d<\/p>\n
She tried to be nonchalant. \u201cYou could say that. Not any longer, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI see.” He let the answer sit for a couple of heartbeats as he studied her. “What\u2019s the venue for this powwow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Hotel Dalton. I have a room there, 413. It\u2019s downtown, far enough away from my usual haunts that I doubt anyone will recognize me there. We\u2019re to meet in the hotel restaurant at nine o\u2019clock tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded, turning the words over in his mind. \u201cDo you have a picture of your sister? So we can recognize her when the time comes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d She opened her purse again. Out came a wallet portrait, which she handed to Diamond.<\/p>\n
It was a black and white portrait of a young woman in her teens. She was fair skinned with light to medium-brown hair, clad in a conservative dress with lace around the collar. Her face was pretty and composed with a reserved smile and attentive eyes\u2014every bit the politician\u2019s daughter.<\/p>\n
Diamond passed it to Bowman. \u201cI don\u2019t see the family resemblance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAgatha\u2019s mother was my father\u2019s second wife. My mother died when I was five. Father met her on an extended vacation in Greece, married her, and brought her back as a souvenir.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you\u2019re half Greek.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the flesh.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about Agatha\u2019s mother?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s just say we don\u2019t associate much and leave it at that,\u201d she said coldly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther siblings?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t express how much I\u2019d love to regale you with the rest of the Carlyle family tree, Mr. Diamond, but I fail to see how it\u2019s relevant to the matter at hand. Or is genealogy simply a hobby of yours?\u201d She baited him with a smile.<\/p>\n
He chuckled, never once taking his eyes off her. \u201cOnly when it involves beautiful women. But point taken.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there anything else you need?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I think that\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent.\u201d She took her pocket book in hand and rose. It was a fluid motion, more like levitating than standing. \u201cI\u2019ll see you tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n
He stood to walk her to the door. \u201cOne of us will be there. Don\u2019t look too hard, though. We can do our job best when we\u2019re unseen.\u201d<\/p>\n
She touched his arm with her hand. It was a flaming brand against his skin. \u201cPlease tell me you\u2019ll be there tonight. I\u2019d feel so much safer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can count on it, Miss Carlyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Mr. Diamond,\u201d she enthused. \u201cYou don\u2019t know how much this means to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another glance back at him and she slunk through the door, panther-like and silent except for the click of her heels. Neither man moved until they heard the outer office door slam. But for the faint scent of sandalwood, Diamond might have thought she was a figment of his imagination.<\/p>\n
Sam set down the picture and picked up one of the hundreds. A smile was plastered on his face. Diamond grabbed the picture and the other hundred and stuffed both into his shirt pocket. He didn\u2019t smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cLot of money for a simple tail job,\u201d Diamond mused aloud.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou heard her. She\u2019s desperate to get things wrapped up before it gets back to Daddy. Folks like that are willing to spread around a little green to get what they want.\u201d He smiled wistfully. \u201cBut damn, wouldn\u2019t it be nice to get a taste of that cooze? Too bad about the old ball and chain, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
Diamond’s face twisted in a wry look. \u201cYeah, too bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sam shook his head again and wandered back to his office. Diamond sat behind his desk, opened up the bottom drawer, and took out a half-full bottle of Old Crow and a glass. He poured a drink and stowed the bottle again. Fishing the photograph out of his pocket, he leaned back in his chair and stared at it.<\/p>\n
He sipped fire and studied the picture, pondering the new payday that had fallen into his lap. The case interested him little. Every day the gossip rags were full of tales about prim little heiresses and their scandals. In L.A. that was par for the course. But it wasn\u2019t every day that a sexy minx like Patricia Carlyle walked through his door and asked him to do something about it. The conundrum he contemplated wasn\u2019t a missing little rich girl, but an enigma of lustrous hair, slender form, and sculpted legs. He might have contemplated it for the rest of the afternoon if Eileen hadn\u2019t appeared in the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid I hear right?\u201d the redhead demanded. \u201cYou\u2019re working tonight\u2014for her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about it?\u201d he asked and tossed off the last of his drink.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew you were gonna stand me up, just like last time. Christ on a cracker, Danny!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s business,\u201d he growled. \u201cYou want to get paid this week or don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to be able to count on you for once.\u201d She walked toward him, hands stuck on her hips. \u201cWe ain\u2019t an item, but damn. If you can\u2019t pay me regular, the least you can do is keep a date once in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn it Eileen, I told you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can pinch hit,\u201d said Sam from the doorway. He licked his lips and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.<\/p>\n
Diamond furrowed his brow. He looked to Eileen and back to Bowman. \u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure I\u2019m sure. It\u2019s a tail job. I could do it in my sleep.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind getting another gander at that tall drink of water either.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eileen folded her arms over her chest and waited. Diamond sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cO.K., Sam. Knock yourself out. But lay off the booze for tonight, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure, Danny,\u201d he said with a lopsided grin. \u201cI\u2019ll be on my best behavior.”<\/p>\n
He turned and sauntered back to his office. Eileen inclined her chin at Diamond.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan I go now?\u201d she huffed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we still on for tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, but don\u2019t ask me why.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMust be my winning personality,\u201d he said with a grin.<\/p>\n
She cut her eyes at him. \u201cKeep telling yourself that.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice dropped to just above a whisper. \u201cI\u2019ve also have a little friend you happen to be fond of.\u201d<\/p>\n
She rolled her eyes; it was a practiced motion. Hiding the hint of a smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth was harder.<\/p>\n
He took the hundred from his shirt pocket and handed it to her. \u201cDo me a favor on your way out. Take this down to the landlord\u2019s office and pay the phone bill. What\u2019s left over is yours. I\u2019ll get you the rest when I have it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSwell,\u201d she said without enthusiasm. \u201cAnything else I can do for you while I\u2019m at it? Maybe pick up your laundry, get your shoes shined?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust be ready at seven. I\u2019ll be around to your mama\u2019s to collect you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d better,\u201d she said with a scowl.<\/p>\n
She turned on her heel and walked out the door. He watched her go, but she was far from his mind. A vision of Grecian thighs was already dancing through his head.<\/p>\n
Three<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cYou need a woman around the house, you know that, Danny?\u201d<\/p>\n
He and Eileen were sitting on the checkered sofa in his apartment living room. The little redhead had her shoes off and her legs tucked underneath her. Both cradled highballs of whiskey in their hands. Diamond looked at her over the rim of his glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a woman.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean one that sticks around, cooks, cleans.\u201d She paused meaningfully. \u201cDecorates.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with my d\u00e9cor?\u201d he asked with mock indignation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther than the fact that it looks like it was done by a blind wino? Why, nothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cramped room was hemmed in by forest green wall paper and furnished with pieces from about five different living room sets. An old console radio-phonograph brooded in the corner along with the stack of milk crates that held his record collection. On one of the end tables sat a fishbowl in which a pair of bloated goldfish milled about listlessly. There were two doors, one leading to the kitchen, the other to the bedroom. The far wall held the room\u2019s only window, a burnt orange glow seeping in from the streetlight outside.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that bad,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike I said, you need a woman.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smirked. \u201cYou want the job?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe? No, I don\u2019t cook.\u201d<\/p>\n
He clucked playfully. \u201cYou\u2019re never going to find a husband with an attitude like that. What would your mother say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll find a husband when I\u2019m good and damn ready. And you can go screw yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t that what I have you for?\u201d<\/p>\n
She glared at him. He laughed and pushed himself off the couch.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need some music.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went to the record player, selected an album from the stack, and put it on. He adjusted the sounds of \u201cIs You Is Or Is You Ain\u2019t My Baby\u201d to a low murmur and sauntered back.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave a good time tonight?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah Danny, it was swell. Dinner and dancing, just like I asked for. You sure took long enough delivering.\u201d She sipped her whiskey and made a sour face as it went down. \u201cChrist, how do you drink this rotgut?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPractice. That, and necessity. I don\u2019t get paid enough to buy from the top shelf.\u201d He shrugged and polished off his drink. \u201cI\u2019m getting a refill. You want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo thanks,\u201d she said, setting the glass aside. \u201cI\u2019ll save myself the ulcer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood. I\u2019ll save the booze for the next girl I bring home.\u201d<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t laugh at the joke. He disappeared into the kitchen for his refill. When he came back she was glaring at the fishbowl. She didn\u2019t look up as he sat down next to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing,\u201d came the mumbled reply.<\/p>\n
\u201cI doubt Atlanta and Melanion there,” he said, indicating the fish, “could have done anything to deserve that death stare, so it must have been me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI said it\u2019s nothing,\u201d she repeated, angrier this time.<\/p>\n
\u201cO.K., it\u2019s nothing. Maybe this will help you forget all about that nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned her head toward him and pressed his lips against hers. She returned the kiss without conviction, like a virgin in public. He tried to force his tongue into her mouth, but she pushed him away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI-I can\u2019t do this,\u201d she stammered. She started to stand, but Diamond pulled her back down.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait just a goddamn minute,\u201d he snapped. \u201cWhat the hell is eating you? Is it that crack I made earlier?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, not that.\u201d Her eyes met his. \u201cBut it did get me thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout this afternoon, before the meeting with your client…\u201d she hesitated. \u201cYou were with her again weren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know who. Sam\u2019s wife, Mrs. Bowman.\u201d<\/p>\n
His gaze grew stony. \u201cWhat\u2019s that got to do with anything?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me the truth. Did you sleep with her again?\u201d<\/p>\n
He shrugged. \u201cSleep didn\u2019t have a thing to do with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew it!\u201d she hissed, pounding her fist against her knee. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. When she looked back, her eyes were chips of ice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d she demanded. \u201cThat\u2019s what I want to know. Why do you keep going back to that crazy broad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCrazy broads have crazy sex.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eileen groaned and started to rise, but Diamond grabbed her arm and sat her back down.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need her for the business, too,\u201d he pointed out. \u201cShe\u2019s the head clerk at the L.A.P.D. records division downtown. If I don\u2019t keep her happy, she\u2019ll quit feeding us information when we need it. You know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHorse shit,\u201d she hissed, punching his thigh with her fist. \u201cShe\u2019s Sam\u2019s wife, for crying out loud. She\u2019d help you out regardless, and he\u2019s liable to kill you if he ever finds out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d think so, wouldn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said it yourself. She\u2019s crazy. I know it. Sam knows it. Hell, even she knows it, though you won\u2019t hear her admit it. She\u2019s conniving, too. If the pope was on fire, she wouldn\u2019t squat to piss on him unless she thought she could get something out of it. I\u2019m doing Sam a favor. She gets to let a little steam off once in a while, and he gets to keep what little of his hair he still has left. He\u2019s curled up inside a bottle most of the time anyway. What\u2019s he care?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut she\u2019s using you,\u201d Eileen protested.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got news for you, dollface. We\u2019re all using each other in one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not using you,\u201d she protested.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh you\u2019re not, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re damned right,\u201d she said, almost shouting now. \u201cIf I was, I\u2019d be the biggest dope in the world \u2018cos I ain\u2019t got a thing to show for it. I\u2019ve always been there when you needed me, and I haven\u2019t asked nothin\u2019 from you but a steady paycheck and few nights on the town. Hell, I haven\u2019t even asked you to go steady with me like any other self-respecting girl would do. I know that isn\u2019t you, Danny.\u201d She poked him in the chest for emphasis. \u201cIt\u2019d be like teaching a dog to sit and eat at the table. But for Christ\u2019s sake, raise your standards a little. Lilly Bowman is a conniving whore. She\u2019ll suck you dry, just like Sam.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you worry. She may be as crazy as a bag of rabid weasels, but I can handle Lilly just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s probably what Sam said before he got himself hitched to that loony broad. Christ Danny, I don\u2019t get it. Why do you have to keep going back to her? What\u2019s she got that I don\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA rack, for one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGo to hell,\u201d she spat. She stood and marched to the window, her back to him and arms folded over her chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, settle down. I was only kidding.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo you weren\u2019t,\u201d she murmured, not looking back at him.<\/p>\n
He sighed and set his glass down. Standing, he turned her to face him and took her nail-bitten hands in his. She was shaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook Eileen,\u201d he said gently, \u201cthere\u2019s nothing there with me and Lilly. She\u2019s a dumb broad with a nice rack. They turn those out by the dozen in L.A. It\u2019s nothing special. But you\u2019re different. There may be diversions, but it\u2019s you I always come back to. You got the face of an angel and the mouth of a sailor. You\u2019re smart, and you\u2019re sweet, and you don\u2019t give a damn about most of the silly things women go on about. You\u2019re you. And that makes you sexier than any set of tits ever could.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were tears in her eyes as she looked away. \u201cGoddamn you, Danny,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? It\u2019s the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy can\u2019t you be a jackass all the time? Why do you have to go and say things like that?\u201d<\/p>\n
For once he didn\u2019t know what to say. The silence between them grew until it was a palpable thing, a gulf as wide as the Pacific Ocean, one he didn\u2019t have a clue how to bridge. The record played on in the background, but no one was listening.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it would be best,\u201d she said, \u201cif I slept in my own bed tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, forget about the wisecrack. It was stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that. I\u2014\u201d She broke off, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. When she spoke next, her words were soft, like butterflies boxing. \u201cI can\u2019t deal with you, Danny. Not tonight. Please, just take me home.\u201d<\/p>\n
He knew there was no use in arguing. She\u2019d already made up her mind. \u201cWhatever you say,\u201d he sighed. \u201cLet me get my keys and we\u2019ll go.\u201d<\/p>\n
*<\/p>\n
The ringing of the phone split the night like an air raid siren. It grabbed Diamond by the ear and hauled him out of his sleep kicking and screaming. He fumbled for the bedside lamp, got it, and flooded the bedroom with light. Squinting, he reached over and picked up the receiver.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDanny\u2014it\u2019s Valentino.\u201d The voice on the other end was male, clipped with a slight Italian accent.<\/p>\n
\u201cEddie? Do you know what time it is?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFour a.m.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo your watch isn\u2019t broken after all. Anything else you want to tell me before I hang up?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about Sam.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
A sledgehammer hit Diamond in the chest. He slid his naked legs over the side of the bed and tried to catch his breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome again?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCab driver found him in an alley on the corner of Sixth and Wall. He\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShot. I thought you\u2019d want to come down and take a look.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be there in twenty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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