The Case of the Lady in Apartment 308 (10 page)

“How far are you?”

“Pretty soon.”

“In the multiplication tables,” she clarified.

“Two times two.”

“Four.”

“Thank you. I was stymied.”

She chuckled.

“That’s a salacious chuckle.”

“I think you’re funny.”

“What else do you think about me?”

“You need a better job.”

“I’m considering one.”

“Doing what?”

As he completed the buttons, he opened her shirt to look at her red lace bra. He mentioned vaguely, “Maybe we can discuss that later. I’d rather tell you how beautiful you are.”

“Okay.”

“You’re a work of art,” he mentioned distractedly as he solved her zipper on her trousers. He unbuttoned the button and unzipped her pants.

She observed, “You did your own pants. You didn’t let me do your zipper.”

“You need to learn how to run a man’s zipper down and not neuter him.”

“There’s danger in that? From a zipper?”

“Yeah.”

“You must be fragile.”

“I am.” His conscience didn’t bother him at all. A woman had to know how vulnerable and fragile a man was.

But he squatted down and lifted first her one foot and then the other from her pant legs. He was very concentrated. Then he looked up her body.

She watched him as he observed her form. She knew she was average. But he squatted there and he looked on her as if she was a goddess. How clever of him.

He said, “Wow.”

And she did reply, “This old thing?”

He rose so effortlessly. He had good coordination. And he stood before her.

She told him, “You’re in good physical shape. Your coordination is very good.”

He murmured, “Thank you.”

She began an open gesture but he took her against him and he really, really kissed her. His hands moved her so that her naked breasts were rubbed against the hair on his chest. It was breathtakingly erotic.

She asked, “How’d you learn to do that?”

“What?” He was distracted.

“Rub me against you so I could feel your body hair. It was thrilling.”

“I have all kinds, you can try any of it anytime.”

“Why, thank y—”

He kissed her again.

Then he lifted her onto his arms and carried her around the room for a while.

Rather logically, she asked, “Why are you carrying me around?”

And he replied, “To calm me down a little.”

“Are you excited?”

“I’m on overload.”

She considered him and gave her opinion, “You act a little vague.”

“I’m still doing the multiplication tables.”

He’d seemed distracted, so that was the reason. “How far along do you have to go?”

That caught his attention. “Where?”

She gestured openly, and he got to watch her do that. She explained, “In the multiplication tables.”

He nodded once in understanding and replied, “It all depends on how quickly you want to get this over. If you’re the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am type, we can get it over right now.”

She shifted in his arms and wiggled a little getting comfortable, then she smiled nicely and asked, “Where did you go to school?”

He had to sit down, he laughed so hard. She was on his lap and her legs were over the arm of the chair, so he pulled his arm from under her knees and he used his hand to explore her body.

“Are you supposed to do that?”

Concentrated, he replied, “If you don’t like it, tell me.”

“I like it, but it seems to be quite bold of you.”

“I’ll let you do the same to me.” And true to his word, he lay back and left his upper body open for her examination. His sex was not behaving quite so well. It was banging against her bottom.

She whispered, “It’s alive.”

He nodded. “I had noticed. It wants you.”

“To do what?” She completed his sentence.

“To be comforted and soothed. It’s just about crazy to get inside you.”

“Where’re the condoms? It needs one.”

He groaned.

She put her hand to the side of his face in empathy and told him, “I’ll put it on for you.”

He laughed.

“Now, why was that funny?”

“Honey, you start fooling around trying to get a condom on Jake there, and it’ll all be over—”

“Jake?” She frowned and looked around. “I just want to put the condom on you.”

“Some guys name their sexes. You’ll hear about Osgood, or Pete, or Goodwill or my Jake. He’s a friend who lives on me and shares.”

She grinned but she shook her head with her tolerance.

In a roughened, low voice he said, “You could kiss me.”

So she reached up and kissed his mouth. He made savoring sounds and his hand curled around her here and there. He groaned and breathed as he kneaded her.

But he had begun to catch her attention, and her own body was getting tense and excited. She said, “Ed…”

“Want me?”

“You know, I think I do.”

He smiled as his hands moved, giving her excitements and thrills. He kissed her and his hands worked her. She began to moan and to sigh. She lay back with her head on his shoulder.

Her body was vulnerable to his curiosity and she allowed it. She murmured and her eyes closed and her lips were reddened. She moved in twitches and was lax and sinuous, but he was as hard as iron.

His breathing was harsh as she moved her hand on him. He didn’t let her roll on the condom. “If you did that, you’d have to sit around, reading some
Field and Stream
magazines until I was ready again…Jake and me.”

“When?”

“You’re sassy. When do you want me?”

“I’d like to try it…now.”

“Yeah. I just hope I can last long enough.”

“Long…enough? For what?”

“For you.” He leaned to kiss her nose and he fondled her, smoothing his hands along her. He told her, “You’re beautiful.”

“Actually, I’m just like any woman.”

“No. You’re special. You’re you.” Then he looked into her eyes, and she saw something like surprise in his.

He shivered to find he cared for her unduly. It was the only thing that could have distracted him enough to really make love with her.

But he lifted her as he stood up from the chair. Being able to do that was quite astonishing to him. He carried her to the bed with some emotion.

And when he laid her down so that her head was on his pillow, he looked at her differently. It was scary…for
him.
He’d never felt that way about any woman.

Ed eased down beside her and took her into his arms to hold her close to him. And his body knew hers. They made exquisite love. His strange attitude toward
her caused his slowness, and she was one of the few women who climaxed on the first try.

It was stupendous and it was their first try. How amazing!

There was a little blood on the sheet, which caused his heart to squeeze in emotion. She didn’t even notice. She lay with her eyes closed and a slight smug smile on her swollen lips.

He held her hand. They were silent.

Her lips moved and she asked Ed, “How soon can we do it again?”

He put his forearm dramatically across his eyes and groaned.

After a while, they showered together. And they were slow about washing their bodies. He mentioned that she might want to go back to her apartment—or she could decide to stay there with him. The bed was big enough.

He expected her to gasp at the time, but she just stretched and smiled. “I believe I could become addicted.”

“It’s because you waited for me before you did it.”

How like a man to say something so earnestly.

She kissed him sweetly but she said, “I really have to get back to the apartment.”

He argued quite brilliantly in opposition, but she won.

How strange it was for him to let go of her. He was reluctant to take her to his car.

As they drove along, she was watching around, turning her head to see farther. She only glanced at him. But she did smile slightly.

A
s Ed drove Marcia up to the door of the apartment building, the headlights beamed across two men who were standing near the entrance. While it was late, they looked harmless to Ed. They were standing easy and watching the car with lazy noninterest.

“Ah-h-h!” Marcia’s voice was soft. “As soon as I get out, you take off.”

Ed became indignant. Just why should
he
take off? She wasn’t meeting those guys. It was really rather late. Why were they there watching cars? Who were they? Ed was intense and indignant.

Marcia said it again, “Get out of here.” She was already leaving the car.

So Ed turned off the ignition, took the keys from the car, got out on his side and walked stiff-legged around the hood of the car. He was a bit territorial.

The two men watched the couple and they didn’t move at all. No threat.

Through her teeth, Marcia told Ed, “Get out of here!”

There was a slight move by one of the men to turn away.

Marcia thrust her hand into her purse and came up with a really nasty looking gun!

Just that quick, she was saying, “Police! Freeze!”

That overrode Ed’s, “I’m allergic to guns in—”

The other guy said, “Hey! I’m legit! Don’t point that nasty thing at me! My friend’ll get edgy.”

Marcia said forcefully and very positively, “Get over there, both of you. Get your feet spread, put your hands on the wall and don’t move otherwise.”

The other guy slouched a little and laughed with a male chuckle of tolerance.

In an utterly deadly voice that was worse than a mother’s stern warning, Marcia said quietly, “Do it.” Then she spoke into something that came out of her shoulder-slung, loaded purse. A radio?

Ed felt really ticked with her trying to act like a cop. What was her purpose? He opened his mouth…and a squad car came up in only a rush of quiet sound. The passenger cop was out of the car in a flick of time and his gun was on the two.

Who ever heard of a police response that happened that fast? Ed was stunned.

The accosted two took the male cop more seriously, especially because the driver of the squad car had come out of the driver’s seat and also had a gun.

The two slouchers did what they were told to do and did it quickly. The cops asked Marcia, “Him?” They indicated Ed.

She replied, “No.”

One cop scoffed at her response, declaring, “He looks sneaky to me.”

She was patient.

The other asked, “Want us to check him out?”

She was kind. “No.”

The two against the brick wall protested the entire time.

“We didn’t even do nothing! We was just walking along, and she got all upset! You need to take her to a shrink.”

The male cop said, “We’ve been looking for you.”

“For us?” They were astonished.

“Yeah. Chicago contacted us not two days ago. Come along. We reserved our best suite for you guys.”

“Wait a minute! We just got here! We ain’t done nothing!”

“Chicago’s missed you guys. They felt real grief when you left. They’ve been looking everywhere. They want to see you again…as soon as possible.”

And amazingly in no time at all, the two from Chicago were getting a free ride to the clink. That left the couple there, alone.

It seemed very quiet.

Ed looked at his recent lover and inquired, “You’re a…cop?”

“Mmm-hmmm.”

“Where’s your badge?”

She took it from her purse.

He examined it minutely. Grudgingly he admitted, “It looks legit.”

“It is.”

“What are you doing painting apartments?”

“Cops aren’t paid enough.”

“Everybody says that.”

So she said, “How about I have a secret yearning for you?”

He looked at her with great impatient impatience. He said it again, “A cop.” He said it sourly.

And she shrugged. “Yeah.”

“You don’t act like a cop…well, you haven’t until right now. Why didn’t you tell me? You coulda gotten me killed, here, trying to protect you.”

“I told you to get going. Twice.”

“How’d you know what they’d do? You couldn’t’a handled them both. You’re just lucky I was along.”

She solemnly bit into her lower lip and didn’t say anything.

“You’ve rattled me. How can I trust you to stay here by yourself if everybody knows you’re a cop?”

“The Revenge Of the Earth People?”

“Something like that.”

“Most people don’t mind about cops. There are even people who like us.”

“Who?”

She grinned at him “You, for one.”

“I didn’t know the real you.” He was disgruntled. He watched her sourly. “That cop at the river gambling place, is he a guy you know?”

“We’re not kin, but he told my dad that you look like a sloucher.”

“A sloucher!” He straightened up, offended.

She explained kindly, “A guy that’ll slouch out on a woman.”

Well, that was true. Since it was, he became indignant. He had no other choice. He said, “I’ll tell my parents you reported this to me.”

She considered him and then advised, “If you do it well enough, with enough indignation, we could start a good family feud.”

“I’m leaving.” It was blurted out before he could stop it. He bit into his tongue and watched what her reaction would be.

She smiled. “Good night. I’d kiss you but I’ve given you your share for this week.”

He regarded her gloomily. He probably wouldn’t be around for next week’s donation of her kisses. He said a sour, “Good night.” Then he caught himself. “I’ll see you upstairs…to your place.”

As they went into the building, he asked her, “If you’re a cop, you have to know Elinor is a deadbeat.”

“Yeah.”

“Then why did you move into her place?”

“I knew it was empty.”

That was logical. “Why didn’t you rent it? Why did you just…move in?”

She turned an honest face to his and replied, “She said she’d paid two months in advance.”

He gave her an excessively disbelieving look of disgust.

Marcia shrugged. “It sounded okay to me.”

“You’re as bad as she is.”

She was sassy. “No. I’ve just proven I’m—badder.”

He melted. “Oh, Marcia, you aren’t bad. You’re compassionate and kind.”

With it so late and silent in the building, she clamped one hand over her mouth to try to stop the spurt of hilarity.

Ed watched her youthful sassiness and was irritated. She was too young for him. He put his hands into his pants pockets and glanced over at her as they went up another flight of stairs.

She was silent. But he noticed that she still was looking around. She wasn’t naturally that way. She did it because the police had trained her to know where she was and who else was there.

Ed wondered who else she was looking for besides those two guys from Chicago? And he found it distasteful that she could apprehend two big guys he’d hesitate approaching.

She’d been so calm, so positive. She’d been professional.

It was just as well he was going to California.

At her door he observed her put her key in the lock. He said, “I get a good-night kiss.”

She grinned. “You already had that kind. You’ve used up the whole supply.”

“I get a kiss.”

She looked in her purse and felt her pockets as—

He kissed her. It was a full-out passionate, brainruining one. He did it deliberately.

She became a malleable mass. He was jittery. He didn’t mind because it satisfied him to see her wobbled.

Now, why would such a thing satisfy him?

She’d confronted two dangerous men all by herself and was successful. She’d outshone him. He was… jealous. He wouldn’t have known what to do or how to handle those guys.

Well, she’d had a gun.

But she’d known exactly how to use it. And he didn’t.

She couldn’t turn the knob on her door. He did that for her. She nodded and stumbled into her apartment. She closed the door gently as she murmured something or the other. And Ed was alone in the hall.

He was filled with superiority. He’d wobbled her.

It was only then that he understood why she lugged around that big shoulder bag purse.

He went down the two flights of stairs and walked almost all the way to the compound before he remembered his car was back at her apartment house.

It was hers?

It was where she lived.

She wasn’t paying rent.

Well. She
was
painting. She was a little slow, but she was almost paying her rent.

On two apartments.

So? Well. He’d figure it out!

He went back for his car and drove it back to the compound. He was tired enough to sleep. And he did sleep. But again, he dreamed.

Wow. Did he ever dream! Any ordinary man would have slept the sleep of a surfeit body. Not him.
He
had to spend all that restless time…dreaming.

It was a lot like being fourteen again.

Who the hell wants to be fourteen?

Well, a fourteen-year-old thinks it’s grown up. Ed was twenty-three years older. He could have fathered a kid who was now fourteen. That was sobering.

Ed turned in bed and plumped up the pillow. He smoothed it and laid the side of his head on it. He was curled up and wide awake.

She came back inside his head. What other “she” was there? And it was only then that he understood his restless night. Her fragrance was on the pillow. No wonder.

The whole episode was probably because he was going to leave Peoria. In long generations, he’d be the first of his family to absence himself from his hometown. His mother would be stunned, and his father would leak tears.

That very attitude was what had kept their sons in Peoria. Ed would leave. The very thought depressed him.

He got out of bed and it was too early to be up. It was too early to even be awake. The morning paper wasn’t even there.

Ed walked over to the front window in the living room to look out across the compound to the river. It was raining. The day was as gloomy as he. How appropriate.

He was going to California. He would go. And he wondered if Marcia would like to go along—just for the ride—and help him get settled.

The phone rang right on schedule. It would be Marcia just awake and stretching. She’d want to hear his voice and what he’d say…after last night.

He picked up the phone and said in his bedroom voice, “This is Ed Hollingsworth.” The office habit of response had clung to his subconscious.

“Hello, Ed. Sorry to be so early but I’ve had a hard time getting you. My name’s Billy Joe Mueller. I’m calling from TEXAS. Ever hear of the place?”

“A hint of it, now and again.”

“Good. We do hate to surprise people. We’re a computer company?” The questioning statement. “We invent things. We need a good office manager.” Billy Joe was confident and quoted a whopping salary and benefits that would have boggled an alert man.

Billy Joe went on to say, “A friend of yours named Charlie Jones talked with us last week and gave us your credentials. They are attention-getting.”

“Thank you.”

“We’d like a look at the package. Our treat, we’d like you to come on down here and let us show you around this glorious land. How about it?”

“Well, when?”

“You can get a plane out today at—”

Ed laughed. “Give me a couple of days. I have to have my suit cleaned.” A man in Ed’s position didn’t fool anyone.

And Billy Joe scoffed. “Come in jeans. We’re casual. Actually, we’re a little tacky. It soothes Yankees.”

They arranged the time, said their farewells and Ed slowly hung up. Then he called Charlie.

Charlie answered as usual, “Yo.”

“What do you know about this conglomerate down near Dallas?”

“Ah.” Charlie was satisfied. “So they did call you.”

“How’d you work this?”

“They’ve hired me. I suggested you. I’d miss your ugly face, and this solved that. I need a bro’ down th— yonder.”

Ed commented thoughtfully, “You’re getting into the language well.”

Charlie agreed. “It’s catching.”

Ed scoffed, “Bought your boots yet?”

And Charlie replied readily, “I’m being fitted for them. They’ve taken a cast of my feet. And I’ve chosen the various kinds of leather.”

“I can’t believe this.”

“Wait’ll you see your office—down yonder.”

Ed chided, “How’d you change language so fast?”

In a verbal shrug, Charlie replied, “It just…flows. You wait. You’ll be talking right along with them.”

“I’ve got that dangled carrot out in California.”

“Decline.” Charlie was sure. “Nothing’s gonna touch the deal you’ll get in TEXAS.”

“Even
you
say the state in caps?”

Charlie was gentle. “When you’ve been there, you’ll understand.”

Ed observed thoughtfully, “So you’re going to Texas.”

“I can already tell—and over the phone, mind you—that you’re not saying TEXAS right. Practice. I’ll be in touch.”

And Charlie hung up.

For a strange while, Ed just stared out of the window at the soft rain. Could he actually leave Peoria? He knew that Tex-TEXAS was different.

Ed felt a little strange. Tilted. Who would have believed something like this could come up, and
Charlie
had been the trigger!

Ed almost dialed Marcia’s numbers…she had phones. One in both of her apartments. Instead, he went in and had a glass of orange juice and some instant decaf coffee. He was cutting down.

He looked through the whole place for a forgotten cigarette. He hadn’t actually been aware that he was looking for one, therefore he finally stopped and sorted it out. He hadn’t smoked in four years!

What was rattling him now?

It was that woman who was a—cop. Even as he thought the dismissive word, his face softened and his eyes became vacant.

He put on a clean jogging suit and ran through the rain over to the apartment house. He went inside and up the stairs. She didn’t answer either knock.

If she wasn’t there, where was she? Out on the streets of Peoria, trying to wrestle some mug into a police car? Ed became agitated. Neither door opened to his master key. All was silent.