Brian, and although he never nagged, she knew her drinking bothered him immensely. He’d realized long ago that her happiness was measured in shot glasses, and when she was in a good place, she drank far less.
“So? Are you hangin’ in there? How’s your love life?”
She knew that if she didn’t give him something, he’d hound her, and his girlfriend Lynne would try to set her up. Lynne meant well, but Molly believed there should be laws about hetero women trying to set up lesbians. She thought of Ari again for the tenth time that day. “Well,” she said, “I did meet someone interesting.”
“Really? Spill it.”
“She’s a witness in this case. She’s the one who found the body.”
“Geez,” Brian exclaimed. “That must have been tough.”
“Actually, she didn’t seem that phased by it. She’s a really strong person, and I think she’s been through a lot.” Brian chuckled. “Stop laughing,” Molly commanded. “I know what that laugh means.” Even as she said it, a smile was spreading across her face.
“So, go after her, sis. She sounds promising.”
“No, nothing will happen,” Molly concluded, using her standard line.
“Why?” Brian asked. He knew his sister and her King Kong- sized inferiority complex. Molly was the living definition of low self-esteem. He’d watched her grow up and be constantly harassed by all the kids at school. She’d always turned to him for a shoulder to cry on, always choosing to hold the anger and sadness in her heart rather than knock some heads around.
“Brian, she’s gorgeous. And I mean like a model. She’s not going to fall for a bull dyke with a badge.”
“Again, why not?”
Molly shook her head. “Look, Bri, first, I don’t even think she’s gay. She’s as much a femme as Lynne. And even if she is, beautiful lipstick lesbians don’t go for women the size of tanks.”
“You’re probably right,” Brian agreed. He knew that there was no arguing with Molly when she had already made up her mind. “So she’s pretty, right?”
“Absolutely gorgeous.”
“What color are her eyes?”
“Dark green.”
“Does she have great legs?”
“They go on forever.”
“Is she smart?”
“Yes.”
“And how many times have you thought about her today?”
Molly opened her mouth and closed it. Brian was baiting her, but there was no point in lying to him. Even over the phone, she was totally transparent. No one else in her life knew her this well. That fact frustrated her and comforted her all at the same time.
“Call her,” he said before he hung up.
She snapped the phone closed but didn’t drop it back in her pocket. The Michael Thorndike file lay open on her desk, Ari’s phone number conveniently handy. All Molly had to do was flip a few pages and press a few buttons on the phone. How hard was that? She’d just mustered her courage when she remembered their conversation that afternoon. It hadn’t gone well. Molly had clearly crossed a line, and she suspected it had something to do with Ari’s father. She’d hurt the woman, a fact that brought her more pain than the heartburn. She definitely wanted to apologize.
The phone was already ringing before Molly engaged her brain again. The voice that answered was soft and melodic.
“Hello, Ms. Adams. It’s Molly Nelson.” She bit her lip and held her breath. There was a long pause, which Ari obviously didn’t feel obligated to fill. Molly gave a halfhearted laugh. “Well, at least you haven’t hung up on me.”
“Is there something I can do for you, detective?” The softness and melody were gone.
“I just wanted to say how sorry I was, you know, for saying what I did this afternoon, and bringing up your father. That was really out of line—” Molly closed her mouth to prevent further babbling. When Ari said nothing, Molly continued. “It’s just this case . . .” She trailed off. “It’s a career buster.”
“And you’re worried I’ll screw it up,” Ari said,
“So? Are you hangin’ in there? How’s your love life?”
She knew that if she didn’t give him something, he’d hound her, and his girlfriend Lynne would try to set her up. Lynne meant well, but Molly believed there should be laws about hetero women trying to set up lesbians. She thought of Ari again for the tenth time that day. “Well,” she said, “I did meet someone interesting.”
“Really? Spill it.”
“She’s a witness in this case. She’s the one who found the body.”
“Geez,” Brian exclaimed. “That must have been tough.”
“Actually, she didn’t seem that phased by it. She’s a really strong person, and I think she’s been through a lot.” Brian chuckled. “Stop laughing,” Molly commanded. “I know what that laugh means.” Even as she said it, a smile was spreading across her face.
“So, go after her, sis. She sounds promising.”
“No, nothing will happen,” Molly concluded, using her standard line.
“Why?” Brian asked. He knew his sister and her King Kong- sized inferiority complex. Molly was the living definition of low self-esteem. He’d watched her grow up and be constantly harassed by all the kids at school. She’d always turned to him for a shoulder to cry on, always choosing to hold the anger and sadness in her heart rather than knock some heads around.
“Brian, she’s gorgeous. And I mean like a model. She’s not going to fall for a bull dyke with a badge.”
“Again, why not?”
Molly shook her head. “Look, Bri, first, I don’t even think she’s gay. She’s as much a femme as Lynne. And even if she is, beautiful lipstick lesbians don’t go for women the size of tanks.”
“You’re probably right,” Brian agreed. He knew that there was no arguing with Molly when she had already made up her mind. “So she’s pretty, right?”
“Absolutely gorgeous.”
“What color are her eyes?”
“Dark green.”
“Does she have great legs?”
“They go on forever.”
“Is she smart?”
“Yes.”
“And how many times have you thought about her today?”
Molly opened her mouth and closed it. Brian was baiting her, but there was no point in lying to him. Even over the phone, she was totally transparent. No one else in her life knew her this well. That fact frustrated her and comforted her all at the same time.
“Call her,” he said before he hung up.
She snapped the phone closed but didn’t drop it back in her pocket. The Michael Thorndike file lay open on her desk, Ari’s phone number conveniently handy. All Molly had to do was flip a few pages and press a few buttons on the phone. How hard was that? She’d just mustered her courage when she remembered their conversation that afternoon. It hadn’t gone well. Molly had clearly crossed a line, and she suspected it had something to do with Ari’s father. She’d hurt the woman, a fact that brought her more pain than the heartburn. She definitely wanted to apologize.
The phone was already ringing before Molly engaged her brain again. The voice that answered was soft and melodic.
“Hello, Ms. Adams. It’s Molly Nelson.” She bit her lip and held her breath. There was a long pause, which Ari obviously didn’t feel obligated to fill. Molly gave a halfhearted laugh. “Well, at least you haven’t hung up on me.”
“Is there something I can do for you, detective?” The softness and melody were gone.
“I just wanted to say how sorry I was, you know, for saying what I did this afternoon, and bringing up your father. That was really out of line—” Molly closed her mouth to prevent further babbling. When Ari said nothing, Molly continued. “It’s just this case . . .” She trailed off. “It’s a career buster.”
“And you’re worried I’ll screw it up,” Ari said,
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