Read Online Mardi Gras Mambo by Gred Herren - Free Book Online Page B

Venus! I’m tired and I’m freezing to death. I sure as hell don’t want to go down to the station dressed like this for who knows how long, okay?” I gestured at my tights, boots, and bare chest, for added emphasis. “These boots are fucking killing me! Why don’t we all go inside, let me change into something else, and then we can talk in my nice warm apartment, okay? I’ll even make coffee. If you still want to bring me down to the station, then I’ll come down with you. Deal?” And I’d have Frank or Colin call Storm to meet me down there.
    Venus relaxed a little. “That’s fine. But we want to talk to you privately.” She glanced at Frank and Colin. “No offense, guys.”
    â€œNo.” Frank’s teeth were chattering. “Don’t do it, Scotty.” He was scowling, and I didn’t need my gift to know what he was thinking: I knew the Ecstasy was a bad idea and would land us all in trouble.
    I dug my keys out of my boot and felt my wallet still tucked into my sock . The wallet seemed to be radiating heat against my ankle.
    The Goddess smiled on me that time, and I managed to keep my hand steady as I unlocked the gate and led our little party down the passageway to the back stairs. I could hear movement in my landladies’, Millie and Velma’s, apartment, which meant they were awake. This was both a good and a bad thing. Millie is a lawyer—that was a good thing—but they’d both be pissed about this mess, especially if we’d woken them up. They both hate being woken up early in the morning, and when Millie is pissed at you, it’s probably a good idea to pack a bag and leave the country until she’s over it. I unlocked my door and stood aside for everyone to troop into the apartment. I turned up the thermostat, and Colin went into the kitchen to start coffee. I started toward my bedroom, but Blaine stepped in my way.
    â€œI’m going to change my clothes,” I said, looking him right in the eye. “Do you want to come in and watch?”
    â€œThat would be a serious invasion of your privacy, Scotty, not to mention grounds for a lawsuit,” Frank called from the living room. Blaine flushed and stepped out of my way. He stopped me as I started to close the door.
    â€œWith the door open. I won’t look.”
    If I wasn’t so terrified, the thought of a sexy police officer watching me undress would have been more than a little erotic, but that was the last thing on my mind as I walked into my bedroom and sat on the bed, trying to fight off the trembling. The Ecstasy was still working, sending me a tiny wave of highness. I bit my lip and started breathing deep to get it back under control.
    â€œYou okay?” Blaine asked from the door.
    I looked up. He wasn’t looking in but was standing just outside the door. “Just a little nauseous.” I tried to keep my voice from shaking. “I guess I partied a bit too much.”
    â€œWell, it is Mardi Gras, after all,” he said sympathetically from the doorway. His back was still to me.
    I slid off my left boot after removing my wallet and placing it on the nightstand. I looked back over my shoulder—Blaine had his back to me, good as his word—and I casually opened the change pouch in my wallet and removed the little baggie. With them in my hand I slid off my other boot, then quickly placed the hits under the crumpled blanket. It wasn’t good enough to survive a search warrant, but it would have to do for now. I stood and peeled off my damp tights, tossing them with my socks into the laundry basket. I pulled on a pair of Saints sweatpants and a dirty, black long-sleeved T-shirt from off the floor. I walked past Blaine into the living room just as Colin was pouring coffee. I sat down in my reclining chair and curled my legs up underneath me. I was thirsty and dehydrated, but there was no way I was going to drink any coffee.