Page 78 (1/2)

chapter fifteen

She chose the elevator, wanting to ralide, then the horizontal shift fro

“I’ve got to tell you, you and Roarke have a fantastic place here Just ultra ”

“Oh, it’ll do until we find sohter grate on her nerves “Tell me, Jess, did you decide to ith Mavis, seriously, before or after you knew the connection with Roarke?”

“I told you, Mavis is one in aa short gig down at the Down and Dirty to knoe’da frog under his robe “It sure didn’t hurt a thing that she had a contact like Roarke on her side But she had to have the goods”

“But you knew about the connection before”

He moved a shoulder “I’d heard about it That’s why I went down to see her That kind of club isn’t my usual venue But she flashed for s, then if Roarke, or so in a co act, it smooths everybody”

“You’re smooth, Jess” She stepped out of the car when the doors slid open “Real smooth”

“Like I said, I’ve been shaking gigs since I was a kid I think I got it down” He looked around the corridor as she led the way Old art, the real thing, he noted, pricey wood, carpet so a century before

This was ht The kind that built empires

At the doorway of her office, she turned “I don’t knohim perfectly “And I don’t really care”

The saze to the fat tear-shaped diaht silk “But you ain’t wearing paste and rags, sugar”

“I have, and I ain And Jess?” She flicked off the coded lock “Don’t call ar”

Eve glided in, nodded to a puzzled but attentive Peabody “Have a seat,” she told Jess and moved directly to her desk

“Nice milieu Well, hi, sweetie” He couldn’t for the life of him remember her name, but he beamed at Peabody as if they were old, dear friends “Did you catch the act?”