all worked out for you, Leo,” I remarked, starting toward my office. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his grin fade and an almost wistful look pass across his face. I turned slightly, throwing him a verbal bone: “You’re saving on postage, too. Every little bit helps.” I felt like a colossal nerd.
“Speaking of which,” he called after me, “I’ll buy dinner if you’ll give me a ride home.”
It occurred to me that I hadn’t asked how Leo had gotten to work in the morning. I suppose I’d assumed that he’d managed to drive his Toyota. But I was wrong.
I didn’t want Leo treating me to dinner. When he started working at the paper, I had put on my most reserved manner to show Leo that there would be no fraternization. Reserve isn’t my style, however, and Iwasn’t sure he’d gotten the point. We’d had lunch twice, done drinks a couple of times, too, but I did as much in various ways with the other staffers. I couldn’t completely freeze out Leo just because he was a single man and I was a single woman.
Besides, I’d planned to eat downtown before the City Council meeting anyway. “Dutch,” I insisted. “You’re on.”
“Good.” Leo was grinning again. “In that case, let’s go to King Olav’s at the ski lodge. I’ve only been in the bar.”
I nixed King Olav’s. It’s fairly expensive and dining there is an event, at least by Alpine standards. I didn’t have time to linger. As usual, we were stuck with the Venison Inn.
Somehow, Leo had managed to maneuver the crutches. He griped every inch of the way, which fortunately was not far, since the inn is in the same block as
The Advocate
. We were passing Cascade Dry Cleaners, which is nestled in between, when I recognized the lanky figure of Andy Cederberg walking down the street, briefcase in hand. I was about to call to him when a carload of teenagers passed, radio blaring and bass throbbing. Andy moved much faster than we could, and was now turning up Fifth Street. I seemed to recall that he lived only a few blocks from the bank, by John Engstrom Park.
I wasn’t going to order a drink, but when Leo asked for Scotch, I caved in and requested bourbon. Mayor Baugh and the rest of the City Council would no doubt start a rumor that Emma Lord had shown up for their meeting drunk as a skunk.
Leo lighted another cigarette, and regarded me through a haze of smoke. “So what’s up with the bank? Were you going to grill whazzisname out there?”
“I’ve grilled all of them,” I answered with a sigh. “They either won’t say or they don’t know.”
“Buyout,” Leo declared, leaning back in the booth as our drinks arrived. “I’d bet on it, babe. Larry said as much.”
I stared at Leo. “He did? To you? What did he say?”
Leo took a big gulp of Scotch. “He didn’t intend to say anything, of course. But when he was telling me about how this proxy deal works, I asked if the fee was guaranteed to stay at what I signed up for. Larry hedged, and said as far as he could tell.” Leo lifted his thick eyebrows.
“Hmmm.” I rested my chin on my hands. “In other words, there may be changes made.”
Leo made no comment. He was very involved with drinking and smoking. When he finally spoke again, it was of Linda Lindahl: “What’s with the blonde? Is she single?”
Recalling Vida’s recital of Linda’s ill-starred love life, I wrinkled my nose. “Yes, but she’s not your type. Prickly. Difficult.”
“Hey,” Leo said, stubbing out his cigarette in a small glass ashtray, “don’t be too sure! You’re kind of prickly, and you could put your fuzzy slippers under my bed any time!”
I tried to look prim. “I’m not prickly. And I don’t have fuzzy slippers. Get over it, Leo.”
I expected him to come back with some half-assed compliment, but he didn’t. “Bookkeepers usually look like they should be sitting around in a jar of formaldehyde. But Linda seems kind of hot. She was giving me the eye when I was in the bank
“Speaking of which,” he called after me, “I’ll buy dinner if you’ll give me a ride home.”
It occurred to me that I hadn’t asked how Leo had gotten to work in the morning. I suppose I’d assumed that he’d managed to drive his Toyota. But I was wrong.
I didn’t want Leo treating me to dinner. When he started working at the paper, I had put on my most reserved manner to show Leo that there would be no fraternization. Reserve isn’t my style, however, and Iwasn’t sure he’d gotten the point. We’d had lunch twice, done drinks a couple of times, too, but I did as much in various ways with the other staffers. I couldn’t completely freeze out Leo just because he was a single man and I was a single woman.
Besides, I’d planned to eat downtown before the City Council meeting anyway. “Dutch,” I insisted. “You’re on.”
“Good.” Leo was grinning again. “In that case, let’s go to King Olav’s at the ski lodge. I’ve only been in the bar.”
I nixed King Olav’s. It’s fairly expensive and dining there is an event, at least by Alpine standards. I didn’t have time to linger. As usual, we were stuck with the Venison Inn.
Somehow, Leo had managed to maneuver the crutches. He griped every inch of the way, which fortunately was not far, since the inn is in the same block as
The Advocate
. We were passing Cascade Dry Cleaners, which is nestled in between, when I recognized the lanky figure of Andy Cederberg walking down the street, briefcase in hand. I was about to call to him when a carload of teenagers passed, radio blaring and bass throbbing. Andy moved much faster than we could, and was now turning up Fifth Street. I seemed to recall that he lived only a few blocks from the bank, by John Engstrom Park.
I wasn’t going to order a drink, but when Leo asked for Scotch, I caved in and requested bourbon. Mayor Baugh and the rest of the City Council would no doubt start a rumor that Emma Lord had shown up for their meeting drunk as a skunk.
Leo lighted another cigarette, and regarded me through a haze of smoke. “So what’s up with the bank? Were you going to grill whazzisname out there?”
“I’ve grilled all of them,” I answered with a sigh. “They either won’t say or they don’t know.”
“Buyout,” Leo declared, leaning back in the booth as our drinks arrived. “I’d bet on it, babe. Larry said as much.”
I stared at Leo. “He did? To you? What did he say?”
Leo took a big gulp of Scotch. “He didn’t intend to say anything, of course. But when he was telling me about how this proxy deal works, I asked if the fee was guaranteed to stay at what I signed up for. Larry hedged, and said as far as he could tell.” Leo lifted his thick eyebrows.
“Hmmm.” I rested my chin on my hands. “In other words, there may be changes made.”
Leo made no comment. He was very involved with drinking and smoking. When he finally spoke again, it was of Linda Lindahl: “What’s with the blonde? Is she single?”
Recalling Vida’s recital of Linda’s ill-starred love life, I wrinkled my nose. “Yes, but she’s not your type. Prickly. Difficult.”
“Hey,” Leo said, stubbing out his cigarette in a small glass ashtray, “don’t be too sure! You’re kind of prickly, and you could put your fuzzy slippers under my bed any time!”
I tried to look prim. “I’m not prickly. And I don’t have fuzzy slippers. Get over it, Leo.”
I expected him to come back with some half-assed compliment, but he didn’t. “Bookkeepers usually look like they should be sitting around in a jar of formaldehyde. But Linda seems kind of hot. She was giving me the eye when I was in the bank
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