The Retro Look (5 page)

“You had the ice pick with you?”

“He said I was good, but he had found perfection. He turned away, and the ice pick was in my hand. I don’t even remember getting it from my bag.”

Frances smiled suddenly.

“How do you like being perfect?”

“Hah,” said Diana. “It’s all in their minds. You know that. Just charge the guy enough money, and he’ll convince himself that you’re worth it.”

Frances raised her coffee mug. Diana lifted hers, and they clinked in a toast.

“To their tiny minds,” said Frances.

She set her mug down. “Hey, Novotny. Come get me.”

Diana almost jumped. The young man behind the counter turned and looked. Frances waved okay at him.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to yell, but I want to get this over with.”

She lowered her voice.

“Don’t get too comfortable with Novotny. That place always calls her when they need the cops. You know Bergsten was her partner?”

“That I figured out.”

Novotny and two young men in uniform entered the diner. There wasn’t much room for anyone else. Frances slid off her stool, and the uniforms handcuffed her and led her outside.

“Let’s go back to the station,” Novotny said. “You can watch me shred your fingerprint card.”

“I wasn’t sure you would hold up your end.”

“I always do. I didn’t hear that last thing Frances said, but I can guess. Thing is, this is Atlantic City. I don’t make the rules.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

“I have my limits, or I would have let her slide on this. They liked her at the casino. She played the game.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to.”

“Oh, you do. Not here, maybe, but you do.”

Jeffrey wasn’t at the bar when Diana returned. She checked the blackjack tables and didn’t see him there either. Tina and Paul were also missing, but Diana didn’t know whether they had gone for the day, or for good. She could live without finding out.

Jeffrey was in their room, and one look told the story. He lay fully dressed on top of the bedspread with his right wrist over his eyes. He was on the far side of a serious drinking session. His buzz was fading, but he didn’t know yet whether the hangover would pounce or let him slide this time.

He didn’t move, but she knew he was awake and had heard her come in.

“Nobody called me for bail.”

“No, Jeffrey. I didn’t need bail.”

“Will you?”

“Probably not. Both cases are closed. I might have to testify, unless there are pleas.”

“You should have been a lawyer. Of course, then I wouldn’t have met you.”

His tone said he was considering the pluses and minuses of never meeting her, and his conclusion was up in the air.

“I’m sorry, Jeffrey. This was all my fault.”

“Yes, it was. You should have remembered who you were working for.”

“The weekend is on me.”

“No, it’s not. You’ll get what we agreed, plus five hundred. The five hundred you couldn’t do without.”

Diana knew she would have to take the money, or there would be no more paydays from Jeffrey Pope.

It would take some time, but he would forgive her. She knew what she had to do—ten percent and ninety percent, repeat as needed. The ninety percent would start now, because she knew what was coming. She had no right to stop it.

“I love you, Diana.”

“I know, Jeffrey.”