Timepiece (Hourglass 2)

I held open the elevator of the Peabody Hotel for Lily. We were on a mission that originated from offering to brew Emerson coffee with the maker in the hotel room. She’d thrown a shoe at us.

“I’m sorry.” Lily’s guilt filled the space around us.

“Stop.”

She leaned back against the elevator wall and met my eyes in the mirrored doors as they closed.

“Lily, we’re looking for a desperate man who doesn’t want to be found. You’ve chosen to be involved because of your friendship with Em.” I pushed the button for the lobby. “Finding him doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders.”

“But it’s like he fell off the map. He did fall off the map. How did he disappear so fast?”

“I don’t know, but we aren’t at a dead end. We have the high school information, and we can still look for people who might have known Jack way back when. And there are other options.”

The doors slid open, taking Lily’s direct gaze with them. I stopped at the concierge desk on our way through the lobby to get directions to the closest coffee shop. Both Lily and Em had insisted on a non-chain. Supporting local business enterprise, etc., etc.

“Down the street, intersection of Union and South Second,” I told Lily, and then followed her through the lobby. She had on jeans and some kind of flowy white shirt with brown embroidery on it. It didn’t show any skin or fit tightly, but I could see the outline of her curves through it.

“Are you going to be warm enough?” I gestured toward the shirt, but I didn’t really look at it. Or her.

“Worried I might catch a cold?” There was a hint of a tease in her voice.

“I was raised to be a gentleman.” I still didn’t look at her. “And I follow through. In most circumstances.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s not that far. What’s the name of the place we’re looking for?”

“Cockadoos.”

“Cockadoos,” she repeated.

“That’s what I said.”

The Peabody lobby was grandiose almost to the point of excess. Lots of marble and shiny wood. Intimate groupings of chairs, and jazz playing in the background, softened it just enough to keep it welcoming.

“What’s with Memphis and the bird fetish?” Lily pointed to the splashing fountain full of ducks as we walked past. “They get escorted down here every day on a red carpet, and then go back up to their penthouse. Ducks. Have a penthouse. On a roof. I don’t get it.”

Cold air rushed through the doors as we stepped outside.

Lily rubbed her arms briskly.

I started unbuttoning my shirt.

“Wow, really? Right here on the street?”

“Shut up. You’re cold. My shirt is flannel, and warm, and I have a long-sleeved T-shirt on, too.” I pulled my arms out of the sleeves and held it out for Lily as if I were helping her into a coat. When she didn’t react, I shook it a little.

“I’m not leaving you in a T-shirt and nothing else in this wind. I’ll be fine.” She waved it away and started walking again. “Let’s just hurry.”

“Lily.” I didn’t move.

She turned around. “I’m not going to win, am I?”

“No.”

Giving me a half smile, she walked back and slid her arms into the sleeves. “Thank you. That was very … nice.”

“Sometimes I do nice.” I shoved my hands into my pockets. “Let’s move. I’m cold.”

She swung out a too-long sleeve and hit me on the arm. I broke into a half jog.