pair of pink sweatpants and matching top, snappy pink running shoes, and a lot of oversized jewelry that she had purchased from the shopping channel. Her white hair was severely permed into a helmet shape, and her round face was illuminated with avid curiosity.
She gave Davis a not-so-discreet once-over before pinning Celinda with feigned innocence.
“Oh, hello, dear.” She hoisted the small plastic sack she held in one hand. “I was just on my way to empty the garbage.”
“Good evening, Mrs. Furnell.” Celinda hesitated and then decided she had no option but to introduce Davis. “This is Mr. Oakes.”
Davis offered his hand. “A pleasure, Mrs. Furnell.”
Betty shook his hand vigorously. “I see you’ve got one of those little dust bunny beasts, too. Cute little devils.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He looked at the plastic sack. “Would you like me to take that out to the trash bin for you?”
“Heavens no, wouldn’t dream of it, not with you all dressed up so nice like that.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be on our way. We’ve got reservations.”
“Have a lovely time,” Betty said.
“We will,” he assured her.
Celinda was startled by the unmistakably possessive way he took her arm, opened the front door, and escorted her outside onto the sidewalk.
“I’m guessing that’s your alibi for last night?” he asked, sounding amused. “The landlady who can vouch for the fact that you were at home alone between midnight and three AM ?”
“Mrs. Furnell doesn’t miss a thing that goes on around here.”
“Yeah, I got that impression. Does she greet all your dates that way?”
“I have no idea. You’re the first date I’ve had since I moved here to Cadence.”
“Hard to believe.”
She wasn’t sure how to take that, so she let it go.
“How long have you been in town?” he asked, opening the door of a sleek, black Phantom 3000.
“Four months.” Celinda got into the car. Now, why did her intuition tell her that he already knew the answer to that question? Maybe it was that subtle little pulse in his psi waves.
The passenger seat cradled her like a leather-clad lover. Araminta hopped from her shoulder onto the back of the seat. Davis closed the door and went around the front of the vehicle.
Surreptitiously, Celinda inhaled the unmistakable smell of expensive car and tried not to appear impressed. The security consulting business obviously paid well, she decided. Whatever else he was, Davis was no ordinary PI.
When he got in beside her, however, she was suddenly very aware of just how close and intimate the interior of the Phantom was.
“Where did you live before you came here?” Davis asked, rezzing the engine.
No doubt about it, she was being interrogated. Well, he was a private investigator after all. She must not forget that.
“Frequency City,” she said, cooling her tone a little.
“I’m just making conversation. That’s what you’re supposed to do on a date, isn’t it?” He eased the Phantom away from the curb. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m getting the impression that you would prefer not to talk about your life in Frequency.”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to be rude. The thing is, I have to go back to Frequency tomorrow to attend a wedding, and I am not looking forward to it.”
“Whose wedding?”
“My sister’s. Big Covenant affair. You know the drill, I’m sure.”
“Oh, yeah.”
She noticed that his jaw had gone very rigid.
“I’m the maid of honor,” she said.
“I would have thought that a professional matchmaker would enjoy attending weddings.”
This was a first date, and there was a very real possibility that there might never be another. No need to put a damper on things by dredging up her sordid past. She gave him a high-rez smile.
“You’d understand if you saw the dress,” she said.
“What dress?”
“The one I have to wear.”
He flashed her a quick, curious glance. “What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s pink.
She gave Davis a not-so-discreet once-over before pinning Celinda with feigned innocence.
“Oh, hello, dear.” She hoisted the small plastic sack she held in one hand. “I was just on my way to empty the garbage.”
“Good evening, Mrs. Furnell.” Celinda hesitated and then decided she had no option but to introduce Davis. “This is Mr. Oakes.”
Davis offered his hand. “A pleasure, Mrs. Furnell.”
Betty shook his hand vigorously. “I see you’ve got one of those little dust bunny beasts, too. Cute little devils.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He looked at the plastic sack. “Would you like me to take that out to the trash bin for you?”
“Heavens no, wouldn’t dream of it, not with you all dressed up so nice like that.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be on our way. We’ve got reservations.”
“Have a lovely time,” Betty said.
“We will,” he assured her.
Celinda was startled by the unmistakably possessive way he took her arm, opened the front door, and escorted her outside onto the sidewalk.
“I’m guessing that’s your alibi for last night?” he asked, sounding amused. “The landlady who can vouch for the fact that you were at home alone between midnight and three AM ?”
“Mrs. Furnell doesn’t miss a thing that goes on around here.”
“Yeah, I got that impression. Does she greet all your dates that way?”
“I have no idea. You’re the first date I’ve had since I moved here to Cadence.”
“Hard to believe.”
She wasn’t sure how to take that, so she let it go.
“How long have you been in town?” he asked, opening the door of a sleek, black Phantom 3000.
“Four months.” Celinda got into the car. Now, why did her intuition tell her that he already knew the answer to that question? Maybe it was that subtle little pulse in his psi waves.
The passenger seat cradled her like a leather-clad lover. Araminta hopped from her shoulder onto the back of the seat. Davis closed the door and went around the front of the vehicle.
Surreptitiously, Celinda inhaled the unmistakable smell of expensive car and tried not to appear impressed. The security consulting business obviously paid well, she decided. Whatever else he was, Davis was no ordinary PI.
When he got in beside her, however, she was suddenly very aware of just how close and intimate the interior of the Phantom was.
“Where did you live before you came here?” Davis asked, rezzing the engine.
No doubt about it, she was being interrogated. Well, he was a private investigator after all. She must not forget that.
“Frequency City,” she said, cooling her tone a little.
“I’m just making conversation. That’s what you’re supposed to do on a date, isn’t it?” He eased the Phantom away from the curb. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m getting the impression that you would prefer not to talk about your life in Frequency.”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to be rude. The thing is, I have to go back to Frequency tomorrow to attend a wedding, and I am not looking forward to it.”
“Whose wedding?”
“My sister’s. Big Covenant affair. You know the drill, I’m sure.”
“Oh, yeah.”
She noticed that his jaw had gone very rigid.
“I’m the maid of honor,” she said.
“I would have thought that a professional matchmaker would enjoy attending weddings.”
This was a first date, and there was a very real possibility that there might never be another. No need to put a damper on things by dredging up her sordid past. She gave him a high-rez smile.
“You’d understand if you saw the dress,” she said.
“What dress?”
“The one I have to wear.”
He flashed her a quick, curious glance. “What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s pink.
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