Read Online The Case of the Lady in Apartment 308 by Lass Small - Free Book Online
Authors: Lass Small
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wouldn’t be involved with a guy like that lump.
But the guy had really looked Ed over. He’d been so hostile that Ed was surprised the guy hadn’t sat down on the sofa and read the paper until Ed left.
There’d been daddies who’d done that when Ed was young and dating younger girls who were not yet women.
Daddies had it rough.
How strange for Ed to think of that at this time. Marcia was old enough to date without having a chaperone. From the looks of her, she wasn’t a newly born chick. She’d been around a block or two.
Marcia had the look of a woman who had seen life and survived it very well. She had moxie. She knew what was what. Who was who. And she was familiar with the ropes that set off conduct.
How interesting that she had so carefully shunned Ed…almost. She’d had lunch with him twice and barely said a word either of those times. She’d talked before then when they’d first met. But during those two lunches, she’d hardly said anything.
This time, at her own place, she’d been quite chatty. And it had been she who had brought up the gambling boats!
She’d probably borrow money in order to play the slots “one more time.” Yeah, she’d be like that.
Gamblers probably had a welcome mat they put out just for her. They’d hired her to bring in new blood— him—for their gambling.
She was a touter. They probably gave her extra chances. Not money. She’d spend that anyway.
Ed considered his cynicism. Well, he’d also been around the block a time or two. After all, he was thirty-seven. In a couple of years he’d be edging into— forty! By that age, a man had been around and seen and experienced just about everything.
And he knew women.
Yes, he did.
Ed paced his floor and waited for her call. Why would he be that impatient? He ought to sit down and read the paper and be as aloof as she deserved.
His phone rang and instead of letting it ring at least twice, he grabbed it right away. A really stupid thing to do with a new woman. He said a casual, “Hello.” What a stupid thing to say. Why hadn’t he said, “I’m here.” Or “It took you long enough.”
A male voice said, “Ed? This is Charlie. You busy?”
God, Charlie was the world’s worst chatterer. Why had he called then?
So Ed replied quickly, “I’m waiting for a call from California. Let me get back to you.”
And Charlie said, “Well…”
But Ed hung up.
And the phone rang!
Cautiously Ed said, “Yeah?”
She said, “Come by in twenty minutes?”
Ed replied, “Yeah.”
She hung up.
He was slower.
Being ready, Ed needed to delay about fifteen minutes, so he called Charlie. Ed began, “I got just under fifteen minutes. Give me an outline.”
“How’d you know?”
“What! How’d I know what?” Ed frowned at the wall.
“My job’s been eliminated in the downsizing of the company.”
“Uh-oh.”
“We’ve got four kids!”
“Didn’t you ever expect this to happen?”
Charlie reminded Ed, “My father-in-law was the senior executive vice president.”
Carefully, Ed echoed, “Was?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you two come to our meeting on Wednesday. It’s a great support group and—”
“Jim is zonked. He can’t face it.”
“I’ll give you a list of the members tomorrow. He’ll be right at home. It’ll be a shock to see the numbers and caliber of those present. Have heart.”
“Ed—”
“I have a new date in five minutes. I’ll get back to you tomorrow. Chins up. This is solvable. You’ll be astounded. Hang in there.” And Ed hung up.
If he hadn’t hung up, it would have been a crying jag next. While that isn’t wrong for a man to be shocked in such a matter, it was wrong for Ed to be involved in it right at that minute.
He had given the first glimmer of light in the end of the dark tunnel for Charlie—and probably his father-in-law. Tomorrow, Ed would listen as long as it took Charlie to get the pus out of the aching wound of surprise at being fired.
The word
But the guy had really looked Ed over. He’d been so hostile that Ed was surprised the guy hadn’t sat down on the sofa and read the paper until Ed left.
There’d been daddies who’d done that when Ed was young and dating younger girls who were not yet women.
Daddies had it rough.
How strange for Ed to think of that at this time. Marcia was old enough to date without having a chaperone. From the looks of her, she wasn’t a newly born chick. She’d been around a block or two.
Marcia had the look of a woman who had seen life and survived it very well. She had moxie. She knew what was what. Who was who. And she was familiar with the ropes that set off conduct.
How interesting that she had so carefully shunned Ed…almost. She’d had lunch with him twice and barely said a word either of those times. She’d talked before then when they’d first met. But during those two lunches, she’d hardly said anything.
This time, at her own place, she’d been quite chatty. And it had been she who had brought up the gambling boats!
She’d probably borrow money in order to play the slots “one more time.” Yeah, she’d be like that.
Gamblers probably had a welcome mat they put out just for her. They’d hired her to bring in new blood— him—for their gambling.
She was a touter. They probably gave her extra chances. Not money. She’d spend that anyway.
Ed considered his cynicism. Well, he’d also been around the block a time or two. After all, he was thirty-seven. In a couple of years he’d be edging into— forty! By that age, a man had been around and seen and experienced just about everything.
And he knew women.
Yes, he did.
Ed paced his floor and waited for her call. Why would he be that impatient? He ought to sit down and read the paper and be as aloof as she deserved.
His phone rang and instead of letting it ring at least twice, he grabbed it right away. A really stupid thing to do with a new woman. He said a casual, “Hello.” What a stupid thing to say. Why hadn’t he said, “I’m here.” Or “It took you long enough.”
A male voice said, “Ed? This is Charlie. You busy?”
God, Charlie was the world’s worst chatterer. Why had he called then?
So Ed replied quickly, “I’m waiting for a call from California. Let me get back to you.”
And Charlie said, “Well…”
But Ed hung up.
And the phone rang!
Cautiously Ed said, “Yeah?”
She said, “Come by in twenty minutes?”
Ed replied, “Yeah.”
She hung up.
He was slower.
Being ready, Ed needed to delay about fifteen minutes, so he called Charlie. Ed began, “I got just under fifteen minutes. Give me an outline.”
“How’d you know?”
“What! How’d I know what?” Ed frowned at the wall.
“My job’s been eliminated in the downsizing of the company.”
“Uh-oh.”
“We’ve got four kids!”
“Didn’t you ever expect this to happen?”
Charlie reminded Ed, “My father-in-law was the senior executive vice president.”
Carefully, Ed echoed, “Was?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you two come to our meeting on Wednesday. It’s a great support group and—”
“Jim is zonked. He can’t face it.”
“I’ll give you a list of the members tomorrow. He’ll be right at home. It’ll be a shock to see the numbers and caliber of those present. Have heart.”
“Ed—”
“I have a new date in five minutes. I’ll get back to you tomorrow. Chins up. This is solvable. You’ll be astounded. Hang in there.” And Ed hung up.
If he hadn’t hung up, it would have been a crying jag next. While that isn’t wrong for a man to be shocked in such a matter, it was wrong for Ed to be involved in it right at that minute.
He had given the first glimmer of light in the end of the dark tunnel for Charlie—and probably his father-in-law. Tomorrow, Ed would listen as long as it took Charlie to get the pus out of the aching wound of surprise at being fired.
The word
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