“Not bad,” she says, “but you look better in person. They’ll order more if I take this one, right?”
“You don’t have to do that. I can get you one of the promotional copies.”
She shakes her head. “No, I want this one. I’ve never been in a record store and bought one with the guy who made it with me.”
We both pause for a moment and then laugh at what she said. She even blushes a little. “Well, you know what I mean.”
I start to take it from her. “At least let me buy it for you.”
“No, this one I pay for myself. You can autograph it for me later.”
We stand in line a few minutes and then a bored cashier in spiked purple and green hair rings up Dana. As the clerk starts to put it in one of the yellow plastic Tower bags, Dana points to me and says, “This is the guy who recorded it.”
The clerk glances at me quickly, obviously unimpressed and says, “Awesome.”
Dana waits by the door as I pay for mine. “Thanks,” I say to the clerk, but she’s already focused on the next customer.
“She’s obviously not a jazz fan,” Dana says, nodding toward the cashier.
“Yeah, there aren’t many of us.”
I drive back up Sunset. It’s still warm as I pull into a spot in front of an old style ice cream parlor coffee house. Marble tables, wire chairs, and a white tile floor. It’s been such a long time, I decide to indulge in my all time favorite—a hot fudge sundae. Dana opts for a frozen yogurt. I get two coffees to go with the ice cream and we find a place at one of the outside tables.
The sundae is delicious and I haven’t felt this relaxed in a long time. Dana watches me eat and smiles. “Hmm. Doesn’t like peas, loves hot fudge sundaes. I’m getting to know you, Evan Horne.”
“You think?” I finish off the sundae and chase it with some coffee and light a cigarette.
For a few minutes we both just kind of space out, watching the people walk by, the traffic, and occasionally exchange glances over one wild hairdo or outfit. Finally, Dana says, “So tell me about your girlfriend.”
“Andie? Well, she’s an FBI agent. She was a profiler but now she’s on bank robbery detail whatever that is.”
“Cal told me a little about her. I don’t think he liked her. He said you met when that serial killer thing happened. I remember seeing some of it on the news.”
“Yeah, we did. She had to run a background check on Cal during that investigation. Just brought up some old wounds and bad memories I guess.”
Dana continues to study me. “So, is this pretty serious?” She leans forward and touches my arm. “I’m sorry, I’m just curious. It is kind of a strange combination. A jazz musician and an FBI agent.”
“Yeah I guess it is. I don’t know how serious it is really.” I suddenly realize I don’t. “We each have our own place but we’ve spent a lot of time together since I came back from Europe. I guess neither of us is sure where it’s going. We’re just kind of playing it by ear.”
Dana nods and looks away.
“How about you? No boyfriends on the horizon.”
She shrugs. “There was a guy for awhile but it didn’t work out, and I’m so busy with grad school I don’t have time for a relationship. Casual dating is kind of boring and the only guys I meet now are as tied up with studying as I am.”
“That’s too bad,” I say. “You have a lot to offer someone.”
She smiles. “Why thank you. That’s very nice of you to say.”
My cell phone rings then. I dig it out of my pocket and see it’s Andie.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself,” Andie says. “How’s it going?”
“Well, I just had a hot fudge sundae. Trying to relax a little.”
Dana gets up and points inside and mimes ladies room.
“Sounds decadent,” Andie says.
“I found out Cal had a life insurance policy with the musicians union, but I have no idea who the beneficiary is or how to find her.”
“It’s a woman?”
“Yes. Someone named Jean Lane. Any chance you could do some
“You don’t have to do that. I can get you one of the promotional copies.”
She shakes her head. “No, I want this one. I’ve never been in a record store and bought one with the guy who made it with me.”
We both pause for a moment and then laugh at what she said. She even blushes a little. “Well, you know what I mean.”
I start to take it from her. “At least let me buy it for you.”
“No, this one I pay for myself. You can autograph it for me later.”
We stand in line a few minutes and then a bored cashier in spiked purple and green hair rings up Dana. As the clerk starts to put it in one of the yellow plastic Tower bags, Dana points to me and says, “This is the guy who recorded it.”
The clerk glances at me quickly, obviously unimpressed and says, “Awesome.”
Dana waits by the door as I pay for mine. “Thanks,” I say to the clerk, but she’s already focused on the next customer.
“She’s obviously not a jazz fan,” Dana says, nodding toward the cashier.
“Yeah, there aren’t many of us.”
I drive back up Sunset. It’s still warm as I pull into a spot in front of an old style ice cream parlor coffee house. Marble tables, wire chairs, and a white tile floor. It’s been such a long time, I decide to indulge in my all time favorite—a hot fudge sundae. Dana opts for a frozen yogurt. I get two coffees to go with the ice cream and we find a place at one of the outside tables.
The sundae is delicious and I haven’t felt this relaxed in a long time. Dana watches me eat and smiles. “Hmm. Doesn’t like peas, loves hot fudge sundaes. I’m getting to know you, Evan Horne.”
“You think?” I finish off the sundae and chase it with some coffee and light a cigarette.
For a few minutes we both just kind of space out, watching the people walk by, the traffic, and occasionally exchange glances over one wild hairdo or outfit. Finally, Dana says, “So tell me about your girlfriend.”
“Andie? Well, she’s an FBI agent. She was a profiler but now she’s on bank robbery detail whatever that is.”
“Cal told me a little about her. I don’t think he liked her. He said you met when that serial killer thing happened. I remember seeing some of it on the news.”
“Yeah, we did. She had to run a background check on Cal during that investigation. Just brought up some old wounds and bad memories I guess.”
Dana continues to study me. “So, is this pretty serious?” She leans forward and touches my arm. “I’m sorry, I’m just curious. It is kind of a strange combination. A jazz musician and an FBI agent.”
“Yeah I guess it is. I don’t know how serious it is really.” I suddenly realize I don’t. “We each have our own place but we’ve spent a lot of time together since I came back from Europe. I guess neither of us is sure where it’s going. We’re just kind of playing it by ear.”
Dana nods and looks away.
“How about you? No boyfriends on the horizon.”
She shrugs. “There was a guy for awhile but it didn’t work out, and I’m so busy with grad school I don’t have time for a relationship. Casual dating is kind of boring and the only guys I meet now are as tied up with studying as I am.”
“That’s too bad,” I say. “You have a lot to offer someone.”
She smiles. “Why thank you. That’s very nice of you to say.”
My cell phone rings then. I dig it out of my pocket and see it’s Andie.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself,” Andie says. “How’s it going?”
“Well, I just had a hot fudge sundae. Trying to relax a little.”
Dana gets up and points inside and mimes ladies room.
“Sounds decadent,” Andie says.
“I found out Cal had a life insurance policy with the musicians union, but I have no idea who the beneficiary is or how to find her.”
“It’s a woman?”
“Yes. Someone named Jean Lane. Any chance you could do some
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