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“Hard to gauge, but she invited me over for coffee. Not with what I’d call abundant warmth but no overt hostility, either.”
“Hmm.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Just hmm.”
In her tone, he must have heard the disquiet she couldn’t account for. He said, “I saw her and Mr. Draper together at the center this morning. Trust me. Neither poses a threat.”
“Okay. What time will you be back?”
“By five o’clock because I want to watch your interview. But that’s rush hour. If I’m delayed, record it.”
“Of course. Listen, have you talked to Compton? I’ve had two missed calls from her.”
“I’ve had three in the last fifteen minutes, which I ignored. She and Perkins must have discovered we’re no longer holed up. In which case, Compton will be volcanic. Vesuvius.”
“I’ll call her as soon as we hang up. I’ll be contrite when I confess to sneaking out to do the interview, but she’ll want to know what you’re up to.”
“Say I’m on an errand, but don’t tell her the nature of it. I’d really like to clear my conscience with Mrs. Draper face-to-face and in private.”
“I won’t give you away.”
“Thanks. See you in a couple of hours.”
“Calder,” she said, catching him before he disconnected. For some reason, she was loath to break that contact. “Please be careful.”
In his low, gruff sex voice, he said, “Count on it. I’ve got plans for later that I don’t want to miss.”
She clicked off and held the phone against her cheek as she stared absently through the windshield, recalling the erotic sounds that resonated through his chest, the various textures of his body as it moved against hers, the feel of him inside her.
“You like him, don’t you?”
Elle turned her head and looked across at Glenda.
“I mean… Well, you know what I mean.”
“Yes,” Elle said softly. “In spite of trying hard not to, I like him how you mean.”
Glenda nodded sagely as she returned her eyes to the road. “I always give credit where credit is due.”
“You found something about him to admire?”
“Uh-huh. He looks damn good in a spa robe.”
Elle’s light laugh was interrupted by her phone’s jangle. “It’s Compton,” she said to Glenda, and answered.
“Where are you?” The detective’s mood wasn’t quite volcanic, but close. “Where is Calder? And what’s this about you giving an interview to Shauna Calloway?”
“Where’d you hear about it?”
“Channel seven is hyping it during every commercial break.”
“The interview was conducted at an unlikely place. No crew, just her. It was perfectly safe.”
“You’ve avoided her like the plague. How’d she twist your arm?”
“She didn’t.” Elle told her how the interview had come about and the essence of their on-camera conversation. “I decided to come out of hiding.”
