Read In the Drink for Free Online Page B

asked.
    â€œNo!” I said, and immediately wished I could have a do-over. I knew I’d sounded too hurried, too desperate. “I got it, but thanks.” The two of them looked at me with bemused expressions for a few seconds while I silently prayed that they would heed my dismissal and go on about their business. Finally, one of the girls shrugged and pushed open the door to the bathroom. Both of them disappeared inside and I let out a sigh of relief, watching the shadow of light on the hallway floor disappear as the bathroom door closed behind them. I unlocked my apartment door and propped it open with the bag of mail, then after one more glance down the hall to be sure it was empty, I pushed open the alley door, hoping Duncan would be there.

Chapter 4
    He was there all right, and he wasn’t alone. There was a woman with him, a woman wearing a faux fur coat, a miniskirt, fishnet stockings, and stiletto heels. Her hair was teased, her makeup was way overdone, and the smell of her perfume made me hear a sound like rattling chains. I recognized the sound—and hence the smell that triggered it—as Calvin Klein’s Eternity. I was given a small bottle of it as a gift by my ex-boyfriend, who had a hard time understanding why I never wore it. I don’t wear any fragrances and I use only fragrance-free shampoos and soaps whenever possible. Otherwise, the resultant cacophony of sound and visual sensations makes it difficult for me to function. It’s hard enough dealing with other people’s smells without adding any of my own.
    Duncan was dressed in a bulky winter coat, which was open at the moment because the weather that day had been warmer than usual. Beneath the coat he was wearing a flannel shirt and loose-fitting bib overalls. His feet were clad in heavy work boots, and he had a stocking cap on his head, pulled down so low that none of his hair was visible. On his face was a pair of black-rimmed, big-lensed eyeglasses. He had the woman who was with him pushed up against the wall beside the door, his body against hers, their faces nearly touching. Had he not looked directly at me when I opened the door, I wouldn’t have known it was him, and even then I had to look twice to be sure.
    My jaw dropped, but before I could utter a word I heard the woman say just above a whisper, “I haven’t seen anyone. I think you’re clear.”
    With that, Duncan pushed himself away from her, said, “Thanks, Libby,” and stepped inside. The woman turned and sashayed down the alley toward the street.
    I closed the door, gaping at Duncan in disbelief.
    â€œWhat?” he said, with a mischievous grin. “I told you I was going to create a cover.”
    â€œThat’s your cover? Some hot tamale you picked up somewhere?”
    â€œThat tamale would be quite offended to hear you speak of her in that manner. Libby happens to be one of the best undercover cops in our district. I asked her if she would pretend to be my drunken girlfriend while we walked the streets to get here so that if anyone was watching, they wouldn’t suspect it was me.”
    I glared at him, too stymied to say anything. The sound of laughter from the women’s restroom down the hall brought me back to reality. “We can discuss this more later. Grab that bag,” I said, pointing to the paper sack I had set on the floor and holding the apartment door open. “Let’s get upstairs and out of sight.”
    Still holding on to the pizza box, I let Duncan slide past me into the foyer at the base of the stairs. “Go on upstairs,” I told him. “I need to go turn the alarm back on and then I’ll meet you up there.”
    I went to hand him the pizza box and he said, “You didn’t have to provide me with dinner.”
    â€œI didn’t. The letter is in there.” Duncan looked momentarily horrified until I added, “The box is clean. It was never used.”
    I