We’d been through all thirty thousand square feet: the ballroom; the two poolrooms, one with a pool table and one with a pool; the bedroom suites; the kitchens; the pantries; the sitting rooms; the playrooms; the dining rooms and living rooms. We’d opened closets, boxes, and safes; dumped drawers; and flipped through every book in the whole flippin’ library.
“I forgot what we’re looking for,” I groused to Conklin.
“That’s because whatever killed them isn’t here,” said Rich. “Not only am I out of good ideas but I don’t have any bad ones either.”
“Yes, and haven’t we done a fine job of trashing the place?” I said, staring around the main salon.
Every doorknob and flat surface and objet d’art was smudged with black powder. Every mirror, every painting, had been taken down from the walls.
Even the benign and wise Charlie Clapper was disgusted: “The Baileys had a lot of friends and a lot of parties. We’ve got enough prints and trace to short out the crime lab. For a year.”
Conklin said, “How about it, Sarge?”
“Okay. We’re done.”
We turned out the lights as we worked our way to the front hall, bumped into each other in the dark as Conklin locked the front door behind us. Then he walked me to my car.
He held the door open, and as I stepped up to my Explorer’s running board, my foot slipped, throwing me off balance. Rich caught me, his hands gripping my shoulders, and there was a fraction of a moment when I could see the danger.
I closed my eyes.
And as if we’d planned it, his mouth was on mine and my arms were around his neck, and I felt like I was falling off the face of the earth.
I held on tight, the heat burning me up, my hair blowing around our faces as cars streamed past us. I heard a driver calling out his window, “Get a room!”
And with that, gravity dropped me back to earth with a jolt.
What the hell are we doing?
Before Rich could say, “That man has the right idea,” I panted, “Damn, Richie. I don’t know who’s crazier, you or me.”
His hands were at the small of my back, pulling me tight against his body.
I gently disengaged from his arms. His face was all twisted up from our kisses, and he looked… stung.
I said, “I’m sorry, Rich. I should’ve…”
“Should’ve what?”
“I should’ve watched my step. Are you okay?”
“Oh yeah. Just have another thing to pretend never happened.”
My lips were still tingling, and I felt ashamed. I couldn’t look at his hurt face any longer, so I turned away, placed my shaky foot firmly on the running board, and hauled my stupid ass into the driver’s seat.
“See you tomorrow,” I said. “Okay?”
“Sure. Yes, Lindsay, yes.”
I closed the door and put the car in gear, and as I backed out, Rich motioned for me to roll down my window. I did.
“You. Since you asked, you’re crazier,” he said, putting both hands on the window frame. “Between you and me, it’s you.”
I leaned out the window, put my arm around Rich’s neck, and drew him to me so that our cheeks touched. His face was warm and damp, and when he put his hand in my hair, I almost melted from his sweetness. I said, “Richie, forgive me.”
I pulled back, tried to smile. I waved and then headed out to the empty apartment I shared with Joe.
I wanted to cry.