Read Online The Finishing School by Michele Martinez - Free Book Online Page A

does in the end, if only to make herself look good.”
    “She’s a pain in the ass, but she’s not stupid,” Dan agreed.
    “And Albano seems like a decent guy.”
    “Salt of the earth. He’ll keep her in line.” Dan nodded. He was about to say something, but then the elevator doors opened. Neither of them made a move to get in. Their eyes held. The doors began to slide shut, and Dan stopped them with his hand, still looking at her.
    “It’s good to see you again,” he said.
    “I’d better go,” Melanie said, her heart racing. “Ray-Ray’s downstairs waiting for me.”
    “Oh, him. Right. I know that guy.” He shook his head.
    “What? He seems fine.”
    “If you like frickin’ SWAThead gun nuts.”
    Melanie didn’t respond. FBI and DEA always hated each other, but Dan’s tone carried a whiff of more personal jealousy. He sighed and let go of the elevator doors, and she stepped inside.
    “Catch you later,” Dan said.
    Bridget Mulqueen came barreling down the hall. “Hey, wait! Don’t forget me!”
    She plunged into the elevator, panting. Dan stepped in after her.
    “So,” Bridget said to Dan as the doors closed, “long time no see.” She’d slathered on some hot pink lipstick, which stood out vividly on her pale tomboy’s face.
    “Since you were in the bathroom?” Dan asked.
    “No, I ran into you like two years ago at the Lion’s Den, that Super Bowl party? You remember? I told you I was Mary Alice Mulqueen’s sister? She went to Our Lady?”
    “Mary Alice? Doesn’t ring a bell.”
    “Yeah, you went out with her one time.”
    “I never went out with any Mary Alice. You must have me mixed up with someone else,” he said, shaking his head.
    “No way could I mix you up, Dan. She used to drag me to watch you play ball through the fence at St. Ignatius when I was, like, ten. Mary Alice Mulqueen? She was the same year as you, with the sisters when you were with the brothers? You’re probably confused because I’m younger and I don’t really look like her. Wait’ll I tell her I’m working with you! She’s married now, to an Italian guy who does masonry. Makes a nice living. They’re doing real good, four kids and all.”
    Dan flushed. “Couldn’t’ve been me. I had the same girlfriend all through high school.”
    “Yeah, yeah, I know,” Bridget said, nodding exuberantly. “Diane Fields. Nobody could believe the way you let her walk on you. Sure, she was so beautiful she was famous in all the other schools, but still! You could’ve had any girl you wanted, and they woulda treated you a lot better than she did.”
    They reached the lobby, and it wasn’t until the doors opened that Melanie realized she’d forgotten to push the button for her floor, so riveted had she been by the conversation. She got off the elevator with them, still listening. Back when they first met, Dan had told her that he’d been married once and that his first wife had left him. Diane, he’d said her name was. It had to be the same girl. That was the sum total of everything Melanie knew about Dan O’Reilly’s personal life. It bothered her to no end that Bridget seemed to know more about Dan than she did, and she found herself feeling irrationally angry at the girl. Melanie wondered what Dan had looked like, all those years ago when Bridget was watching him play ball through the fence. Considering how he looked now, probably pretty damn good.
    Dan grabbed Melanie’s elbow. “Come interview Brianna Meyers’s mother,” he said.
    “I can’t. I’m supposed to be debriefing Peralta, remember? I just forgot to push my floor.”
    “Yeah, you’re coming with me, Dan,” Bridget said. “I’m parked a couple blocks over. I’m low man on the totem pole, so I’ll drive. Let me go get my car.”
    Bridget strode off and pushed open the glass door, letting a gust of bitter wind into the lobby.
    “Jesus,” Dan said, watching her receding back. “What a wack job. I have no idea who she is, or her sister