respectable-looking young man like that visit a place like Live Girls?
A few minutes later, though, the young man was almost completely forgotten. Benedek was just watching for Vernon, smoking, drinking coffee, letting his mind wander.
He'd stepped into the Chinese place because the view was good from the window. He was not hungry but he ate anyway. Now he regretted it.
The irritation of his upset stomach was forgotten when the young man returned. He'd gone in and, after a while, come out again, walking unsteadily, just as before.
Okay , Benedek thought after the guy was gone, once is fine. Maybe he was just curious. But twice within a few hours? Uh-uh. And why the limp?
Something was not right.
Benedek stood and left the humid little restaurant. He went to the corner and stepped off the curb to cross the street, go inside Live Girls, see for himself. But he didn't. He wasn't sure why but it didn't feel right. Not yet.
He watched Live Girls for a long time. Even as night began to fall, Benedek watched the black-curtained doorway and tried to see in whenever someone walked in or out. But all he saw was darkness. And that darkness made him strangely uneasy.
He finally gave up and took a cab home.
The moment he slipped his key into the lock, he heard Jackie hurrying through the apartment to get to the door. She stood in the doorway in her red and white bathrobe, worry creasing her smooth, gentle face. She opened her arms and took him in, held him for a moment. She smelled of lavender bath soap, clean and fresh.
“I heard,” she whispered, her head on his big shoulder. “God, I was so worried when you didn't show up all day. Riley called ”— she moved back and looked into his eyes —“ to see if you got home okay. Are you all right?"
He nodded, closing the door. “Riley called?"
“Mm-hm."
Benedek chuckled. “He better be careful. Somebody might get the idea he's a nice guy, or something."
“Come sit down. Would you like a brandy?” she asked, slipping his coat off.
“Please.” He watched her leave the living room, her robe fluttering around her feet as she moved; her prematurely silver hair shimmered in the apartment's soft light. Chopin played quietly on the stereo.
He'd met Jackie Laslo at a dinner party he hadn't wanted to attend. She made reporter jokes when she found out he was a reporter; he made gynecologist jokes when he found out she was a gynecologist. He'd asked her to move into his apartment eleven years ago and they'd been living together ever since. They'd never seemed to find the time to get married, but they referred to one another as husband and wife most of the time for convenience.
“Here,” she said, bringing him the brandy. “Anything else?"
“No.” He sipped. “Just stay with me."
She held his hand, sitting on the armrest of the chair.
“I'm sorry you had to find them,” she said.
“So am I, hon. Did Riley say if they'd found Vernon yet?"
“No, they haven't."
“Mmm.” He leaned back his head, closed his eyes, and sighed as she began to gently stroke his hair.
“You think he did it, huh?"
He nodded.
“Jesus Christ, what could've...” She didn't finish. “You want to go to bed, Walter?"
“In a little while.” He was enjoying the attention she was showing him. She was usually busy with one thing or another. If she wasn't, he was. Feeling her close was nice.
Benedek thought of that young man stumbling out of Live Girls and wondered if he would return there tomorrow. Probably. Benedek decided he would return, too, and wait for him. And follow him.
“You're frowning,” Jackie said.
“Yeah. Thinking."
“About?"
“Well ... you know how I've always said I don't believe in hunches?"
“Mm-hm."
“It's the damnedest thing. I think I've got one."
That night in bed, long after Jackie's breathing had taken on the rhythm of sleep, Benedek lay awake, staring into the darkness. He thought of Doris and Janice, how
A few minutes later, though, the young man was almost completely forgotten. Benedek was just watching for Vernon, smoking, drinking coffee, letting his mind wander.
He'd stepped into the Chinese place because the view was good from the window. He was not hungry but he ate anyway. Now he regretted it.
The irritation of his upset stomach was forgotten when the young man returned. He'd gone in and, after a while, come out again, walking unsteadily, just as before.
Okay , Benedek thought after the guy was gone, once is fine. Maybe he was just curious. But twice within a few hours? Uh-uh. And why the limp?
Something was not right.
Benedek stood and left the humid little restaurant. He went to the corner and stepped off the curb to cross the street, go inside Live Girls, see for himself. But he didn't. He wasn't sure why but it didn't feel right. Not yet.
He watched Live Girls for a long time. Even as night began to fall, Benedek watched the black-curtained doorway and tried to see in whenever someone walked in or out. But all he saw was darkness. And that darkness made him strangely uneasy.
He finally gave up and took a cab home.
The moment he slipped his key into the lock, he heard Jackie hurrying through the apartment to get to the door. She stood in the doorway in her red and white bathrobe, worry creasing her smooth, gentle face. She opened her arms and took him in, held him for a moment. She smelled of lavender bath soap, clean and fresh.
“I heard,” she whispered, her head on his big shoulder. “God, I was so worried when you didn't show up all day. Riley called ”— she moved back and looked into his eyes —“ to see if you got home okay. Are you all right?"
He nodded, closing the door. “Riley called?"
“Mm-hm."
Benedek chuckled. “He better be careful. Somebody might get the idea he's a nice guy, or something."
“Come sit down. Would you like a brandy?” she asked, slipping his coat off.
“Please.” He watched her leave the living room, her robe fluttering around her feet as she moved; her prematurely silver hair shimmered in the apartment's soft light. Chopin played quietly on the stereo.
He'd met Jackie Laslo at a dinner party he hadn't wanted to attend. She made reporter jokes when she found out he was a reporter; he made gynecologist jokes when he found out she was a gynecologist. He'd asked her to move into his apartment eleven years ago and they'd been living together ever since. They'd never seemed to find the time to get married, but they referred to one another as husband and wife most of the time for convenience.
“Here,” she said, bringing him the brandy. “Anything else?"
“No.” He sipped. “Just stay with me."
She held his hand, sitting on the armrest of the chair.
“I'm sorry you had to find them,” she said.
“So am I, hon. Did Riley say if they'd found Vernon yet?"
“No, they haven't."
“Mmm.” He leaned back his head, closed his eyes, and sighed as she began to gently stroke his hair.
“You think he did it, huh?"
He nodded.
“Jesus Christ, what could've...” She didn't finish. “You want to go to bed, Walter?"
“In a little while.” He was enjoying the attention she was showing him. She was usually busy with one thing or another. If she wasn't, he was. Feeling her close was nice.
Benedek thought of that young man stumbling out of Live Girls and wondered if he would return there tomorrow. Probably. Benedek decided he would return, too, and wait for him. And follow him.
“You're frowning,” Jackie said.
“Yeah. Thinking."
“About?"
“Well ... you know how I've always said I don't believe in hunches?"
“Mm-hm."
“It's the damnedest thing. I think I've got one."
That night in bed, long after Jackie's breathing had taken on the rhythm of sleep, Benedek lay awake, staring into the darkness. He thought of Doris and Janice, how
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