“I appreciate that.”
“So, what do I owe the honor of this visit?”
“I need you to do something very important for me.”
“You know I’ll do anything for you. Just tell me what you need?”
“I arranged for you to meet with a reporter from the Post.”
CeCe frowned. “For what?”
“I want you to give him a story.”
CeCe looked at me for a second or two and then she sat back. “This is about your wife, ain’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so.”
“What you know about my wife?”
“I know that she was murdered, and that they accused you of her murder. I know that finding her killers is the only thing that’s important to you.”
“You’ve been talkin’ to Bobby.”
CeCe smiled. “I know a lot more about her, but you don’t wanna hear all that.”
“Try me.”
“I know that you loved her very much.”
“I still do.”
“Is she what’s keeps you from letting me get close to you?”
I didn’t answer her because she was right. I won’t let anybody get close to me. I didn’t want to feel for any other woman what I felt for Cassandra. But there was something about CeCe.
“I guess that answers my question,” CeCe said and got up. She stood over me and shook her head.
I wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked standing over me like that, but I didn’t. I had to admit that her appeal to me is much more than physical. The thing was that I liked CeCe. Liked her look, liked her style, liked the way she handled herself.
CeCe stood there looking at me, and then she walked away. “I’ll do what you need me to do for you, but after I do it, there’s something I want you to do for me.”
“What’s that?”
“Do we have a deal?”
“You haven’t told me what you want.”
“Do we have a deal, Mr. Black?”
“Not until you tell me what you want.”
“Believe me, it’s nothing you can’t do.”
“Then why can’t you just tell me,” I laughed.
“Do we have a deal?” CeCe came and sat next to me again. “Look, you want me to do something for you. I want you to do something for me. Since you’re sitting here I know it’s something important to you, or you wouldn’t be here. Bottom line, you need me. When I’m done doing whatever it is that you need me to do for you, I need you to do something for me. So do we have a deal, Mr. Black?” CeCe said for the fourth time and extended her hand.