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nomenclature. He ought to insist that she go elsewhere. But he knew he wasn't going to.
"I have to go to work," he said.
"You want to do it again before you go?"
"No!" But that wasn't true. "I mean, yes, but that wasn't what I was trying to say. I have to leave you here,
and I don't know what you can do. I normally leave my apartment locked "
"But you gave me a key. Walter, leave me some money and I will grocery-shop for you. There's a store
within walking range. I think I know what you like."
"But people will see you!"
She smiled. "There's only one I fear, and he won't know where I am. I know some people in the
neighborhood, but they won't know I'm not home. I can manage."
So it seemed. She was competent and independent. Her husband had gotten out of control, so she was
doing what was necessary to eliminate him from her life. Still he had misgivings. "I could get fired, if "
"Are you planning to beat me up?" she asked.
"No! I just meant "
"I know what you meant. What I mean is that I won't complain unless you mistreat me, and I will
comport myself in such a way that no one else complains either. People will know you have a woman,
but no one will complain. It isn't their business. They know that police officers have private lives too."
She smiled. "Now come, let me do for you now, and I'll be ready for you when you return. When you get
dissatisfied, tell me to go, and I'll go."
He looked at her, still not at ease. She opened her negligee, and his resistance dissipated before it could
solidify.
His day was routine, but not his thoughts. Just how foolish was he being? Would he return to discover his
apartment cleaned out, and a sarcastic note scrawled in lipstick on the bathroom mirror? He had given her
fifty dollars for groceries; was it money thrown away? No; she had given him sex galore, for which he
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would have paid more than that. Even if he never saw her again, he would count himself ahead. One
night of illusion; it was certainly worth it. Unless he lost his job because of it.
Unable to let it be, he phoned his apartment. Normally he would get the answering machine. If she was
there, she shouldn't answer. So it was pointless. But he called anyway.
He got the machine. So he left a message. "Lori, if you're there, this is Walter. I hope you're okay "
Then she picked up. "Hello, Walter. Everything's fine. I wouldn't answer for anyone but you, of course.
Do you mind cruising by my house, just to see if anyone's there?"
"I'll do it," he agreed, relieved and excited. She hadn't taken off!
When he returned home, she was ready, as she had been before. She did not wait for him to ask; she
brought him to the bed and gave him the utter delight of her body. Then she served him a meal of far
better quality than he was used to. She had evidently shopped well.
"Oh here's your change," she said, giving him three dollars. "I'm afraid I splurged a bit, but there's
enough food to hold us for several days now. I hope you're satisfied."
"I'm satisfied," he said. "This is like a dream. It's as if I died and went to heaven, and you're an angel to
make me happy. But "
"But it's temporary," she said. "Until I get my divorce and settlement. Unless we have a more permanent
arrangement by then."
"You've been mistreated by your husband. You should be afraid of men. Instead "
"I love men," she said. "I just made a bad mistake with one. I don't judge others by him. I knew you were
a nice man from the start; I could tell by the way you acted. Now I'm proving it. I'm not just giving you a
good time; I'm having one myself."
He believed it because he wanted to believe it, knowing himself to be a fool, but not sure just what kind
of fool.
So it was for the following month. Walter was in a sexual paradise, and falling in love with Lori despite
his common sense. She was the perfect woman for him. He knew she would leave him when she got her
divorce and settlement, because she wouldn't need him anymore, and he schooled himself to be ready for
that separation, but he knew he wasn't. He just hoped it would continue forever.
Then Conway Minke finally figured out where his wife was staying. The man had evidently tried to
locate her via her divorce lawyer and gotten nowhere; the lawyer himself didn't know where she was
hiding. But neighbors did, and as the chain of information slowly spread, Minke managed to get a line on
it. He phoned and left a message on Walter's answering machine: "I know where you are, Lori. Come
back to me and all will be forgotten."
The message electrified Lori. For the first time since the crisis that had brought her to him, Walter saw
her frightened and shaken. "He's found me! I have to get away!"
"But you still don't have anywhere to go," he pointed out.
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Nervously she agreed. She remained. She was afraid to go out to shop, or to answer the phone. But
though she still tried to, as she put it, do for him, the seeming spontaneity and joy of it were gone. The
honeymoon, as it were, was over. Walter knew that he would never have his ideal woman back unless he
found a way to get rid of Minke. Then, if he did, she would be free to leave him. If she wanted to. He
had never been sure of her real feelings.
Had she set him up for this? To fall in love with her, and kill her husband for her? He didn't think so, but
couldn't be certain. Certainly he wasn't going to commit such a crime on her behalf. Yet if Minke should
come after her, and Walter should intercept him in the act
Minke did come. Lori saw his car from the window, and phoned Walter. The message was relayed: a
desperate woman wanted him to call home. If others in the police force knew his situation, they did not
speak of it.
Walter didn't call. He raced for his apartment. As luck would have it, he was close by; he got there in two
minutes. Sure enough, there was Minke's car. Walter parked behind it and charged in. He heard
screaming and crashing, and knew that the man was trying to break in. He drew his gun.
He came to the hall and sighted down it. Minke was there, trying to jimmy open the lock. That was
useless, because there was a dead-bolt.
"Halt!" Walter called.
Minke saw him and bolted down the hall, away from him, where there was another exit. Walter had him
covered, but didn't fire; it was not a matter of life and death, and a shot would not be justified.
He paused to call to Lori. "I'm here! I'm going after him!"
"Be careful!" she cried from inside.
He was careful. He did not charge blindly after the man. He paused at the corner and listened before
quickly stepping around it. He made his way cautiously on out. By that time Minke's car was gone.
But Walter had had prior experience with the man. So he didn't depart immediately. Instead he holstered
his gun and walked down the block, checking to see where the man might hide, waiting for Walter to
drive away. The car was probably circling the block, slowly, seeking a place to park for a few minutes. If
Walter could find it
He reached the intersection and peered around. He did not spy the car. But it was probably still in motion
nearby.
This was a one-way street, with parking on both sides. He saw an open spot on the far side, the only one.
That could be the one the man would take, when he got here. So Walter would just get there first, and
wait.
He started across the street. Then the car appeared, as if from nowhere. It was Minke, trying to run him
down!
Walter's first thought was to duck back the way he had come. But his inertia was forward, so he could
move faster that way. He broke into a run, but the car was too fast. It was going to catch him!
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He dived out of the way. The hood of the car caught his hip and sent him spinning through the air. He did [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]