AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Now I remember,” Carolee said with a smile. “If I’m not mistaken, you had company when I came around with my cookies.”
I grinned at the memory of answering the door in Joe’s shirt. I had opened my mouth to tell Carolee about Joe when my attention was drawn to the movement behind her.
I’d been aware of three guys drinking steadily at the bar. Suddenly two of them left. The remaining guy was strikingly handsome: dark wavy hair, a symmetrical face, rimless glasses, pressed pants, and a Ralph Lauren polo shirt.
The bartender rubbed the bar with a rag, and I heard him ask, “Ready for another?”
“Actually, I’d like some of that pint-size brunette. And I might go for that tall blonde as a chaser.”
Although this remark was accompanied by a pleasant smile, I felt that there was something wrong about this guy. He looked like an ex-jock JP Morgan banker, but he sounded more like a salesman living on his draw.
My jaw tensed as he swiveled on his bar stool and turned his gaze on me.
Chapter 50
I NOTED THE GUY’S stats automatically: white male, maybe six two, a fit 190, forty to forty-two years old, no distinguishing marks except for a healing wound between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. As if he’d been cut with a knife.
He got down off his bar stool and came toward us.
I said quietly to Carolee, “This is my fault. I looked at him.” I did my best to head the guy off, making a big show of turning my face toward Carolee, but he kept coming.
“How are you two ladies tonight? You’re both so pretty, I just had to say hello.”
“Thanks,” said Carolee. “Nice of you to say.” Then she turned her back on him.
“I’m Dennis Agnew,” he said, pressing on. “Sure, you don’t know me, but listen, we can change all that. Why don’t you girls offer me a seat? Dinner’s on me.”
“Thanks anyway, Dennis,” I said, “but we’re having a nice time on our own. You know. Girls’ night out.”
A frown suddenly crossed the guy’s face, like the lights dimming during a brown-out. A fraction of a second later, his cockiness surged back, as did his beautiful smile.
“You couldn’t be having such a good time. Come on. Even if you’re the kind of girls who don’t like guys, it’s okay with me. It’s just dinner.”
Dennis Agnew was a crazy blend of smooth and crude, but whatever he was up to, I’d had enough of it.
“Hey, Dennis,” I said, fishing my badge out of my handbag and flashing it at him. “I’m a police officer and this conversation is private. Okay?”
I could see the pulse beating in his temple as he tried to strike a face-saving pose.
“You really shouldn’t make snap judgments, Officer. Especially about people you don’t know.”
Agnew walked back to the bar, put down some bills, and gave us a final look.
“You take care, now. I’ll be seeing you around.”
Then he stiff-armed the door that led out to the parking lot.
“Nice work, Lindsay.” Carolee made a cocked gun of her hand and blew imaginary smoke off the end of her finger.
“What a creep,” I said. “Did you see the look on his face? Like he couldn’t believe we were blowing him off. Who does he think he is? George Clooney?”
“Yeah,” said my new friend. “His mom and his mirror have been telling him that he’s irresistible for his whole life.”
Too funny! We laughed hard, clinked glasses. It was great to be with Carolee; I felt that I’d known her for years. Because of her, I stopped thinking about Dennis Agnew, killers and corpses, and even my looming court date.
I lifted my hand and ordered another round of Pete’s Wicked.
Chapter 51
