Читать книгу Death By Sugar - Helen Goltz - Страница 8

That afternoon I had the office to myself. I was working on a presentation for a publicity client and it was blissfully quiet until my phone rang. I leapt about a foot off the chair. I answered on the second ring.

'I have a date, what do you want me to find out?' asked an excited female voice.

'Who is this?' I asked knowing full well it was Melanie.

'It's me dopey, who else would it be?' she said in exasperation.

'I'm a busy private investigator and publicist, Mel, it could be anyone of a hundred people!'

'How many calls have you had today?'

I thought about it.

'Ed's had three.'

'That doesn't count.'

'Okay, fine. One. From Dom. So you've got a date with the stallion?'

'Yes, so I win the challenge!' Melanie gloated.

'I knew you would. He was checking you out when he delivered your ricotta ravioli.'

'Was he?' She sounded delighted. As if she hadn't known. 'So what do you want me to find out?'

I sat back and thought about it.

'I don't know.'

'Well, haven't you got a textbook - Detecting 101? See what it says!' Melanie contributed.

'That's a great idea! It's next to my How to run a Publicity Company book, just hang on and I'll check it.'

'Very funny. Okay, I'll just remember everything,' Melanie suggested.

'Mel, that would be great. Notice the little things. You know, who calls him, how he reacts to the calls, how he reacts to other people. Look for anyone loitering or being aggressive around him. Oh, and find out what sort of things he collects.'

'You mean like stamps?'

'Yes. He said he collects things he likes. So find out what that means if you can?'

'Sounds weird. I now have visions of embalmed bodies in his apartment,' Melanie groaned.

'Don't worry. I think you're pretty safe, besides I've been to his apartment and it's clear of bodies. Oh, I thought of something: see what Ren thinks of Vince's ex-girlfriend - it may come in useful before I speak with her.'

'Who's Vince?'

'A friend who's been living with Ren because his girlfriend dropped him. Where is Ren taking you?'

'Out for drinks first and then dinner, don't know where. Hopefully not to his restaurant again. He said to dress up.'

'Woo hoo,' I teased. 'I haven't dressed up for ages.'

'Well, get Dom onto it.'

'He'll say he did that the first few dates, now he's paid his dues!'

'Men,' we said in unison.

'Got to go, Mel. Have fun, be careful and call me in the morning.'

'I will. Ciao!'

I hung up and looked at my watch: 4 pm. I had to throw myself into Ren's case tomorrow. I was taking too long. There was a bomb expert to speak to and I had to find the detonator. And speak with some of Ren's work and soccer friends. I checked my diary. Ed and I had a meeting first thing in the morning with the manager of the water conservation campaign. I grabbed the water file. The meeting was really just a wrap up and a chance to see what other business we could get from them.

I drew a line in the diary from 10 am to 5 pm and wrote Renzo next to it. Ed had enough to keep him busy with Memories of Summer. If nothing else came in for another week, I'd happily have time to dedicate to Renzo's case. It never worked like that though; it was either feast or famine.

****

Watching three crime shows in a row is not a good idea when you live alone. I turned off the television and went to the kitchen to rinse my tea cup. Atlas followed me to the bathroom and waited while I brushed my teeth, then he watched me get into bed before deciding he wanted to sleep in his basket. We smiled at each other when we were comfortable.

Fifteen minutes later, a noise woke me. I sat up on full alert. Worse still, Atlas had heard it too. He was emitting a low growl and all of the hairs on his back were standing up. I got out of bed, deciding I would rather be killed while investigating than waiting to be found. We tiptoed to the edge of the staircase and looked down. Atlas's tail started wagging.

'Hey!' Dominic announced, taking his key out of the door lock.

'Hi. You scared me half to death. I didn't know you were coming over,' anger rose in me as my heart hammered in my chest.

His face fell when he heard my tone.

'Oh, sorry. Do you want me to go?'

'No, no!' I assured him. Atlas ran down the stairs to meet him. I took a deep breath. 'You scared me, that's all.'

He patted Atlas then took the stairs two at a time and held me.

'Sorry Jesse. Wow! Your heart's going a hundred miles an hour.'

'I was watching the crime trilogy,' I confessed.

'Ah-ha, that'll do it every time,' he held me close, resting his chin on my head while his hand rubbed my back.

'I'm okay.'

'Shh.'

I waited until he decided I was fit enough to be released. He didn't take my pulse.

'Sorry, I'll call from now on,' Dom said.

'No, it's okay. Really.' We moved from the hallway into the bedroom. 'Atty the warrior dog was on duty.'

I gave Atlas a pat. He seemed pleased with the title. He sniffed Dom's pants then went back to his basket.

'Can I stay?' he asked.

'Of course. You don't have to ask.'

'Good. I'm just going to have a shower. You keep reading,' he glanced at the open book on the bed.

'How was your mum?' I called as he entered the ensuite.

'Good. She asked after you and invited you over next time. I told her you had a client meeting tonight that you couldn't get out of.' I heard the shower running.

'Yes, a meeting with the crime trilogy,' I mumbled. Going to his mother's was an ordeal. She spent most of the evening asking when we would get married and have children. She had five grandchildren already, but she needed another one from Dom, her youngest son.

Ten minutes later, he walked out of the bathroom still damp and crawled into bed beside me.

'That was quick.'

'I'd rather be here than in there,' he said.

'So…' I closed my book and turned to look at him.

'So?' he asked.

'What's up?'

'Nothing. Why?'

'You're here.'

'I missed you.'

'And…' Dom shrugged. I watched him for a few minutes while he looked down at the quilt, thinking. Then it began, as I knew it would.

'You know, I don't know why you don't want to move in together. I don't understand why you don't want to get married.' I could see him getting angrier. It happened every time he visited his mother. 'We've been together for eighteen months now. I love you, I know it's right. What's holding you back?'

I went to answer but he cut me off. He was in full flight now.

'If you don't feel the same way, then call it off. Tell me to get lost and let me have a chance of meeting someone else, rather than stringing me along!'

'Is that what you want, Dom? Do you seriously think I'm stringing you along?' I was getting annoyed now, too. We'd had this fight before; it was nothing new. It was one of the reasons I avoided his mother.

He folded his arms across his chest.

'No, you know that. I want to marry you or at least take the first step and live together. But obviously you don't feel the same! Why?'

I sighed. All of a sudden I was exhausted. My anger dissipated and I felt like crying. I usually only cried when I was frustrated. I could feel the anger radiating from him.

'Dom, we've talked about this before.'

'But I don't get it.'

'Yes, you do.' He went to speak and I shut him down. 'Listen, just listen to what you are saying.'

I placed my hand on his arm and he bristled.

'This is not you talking. You are a confident, gorgeous man who has a woman who loves you madly. You know there is no one else in the world for me, yet you go to your mother's place for dinner and you come back neurotic, questioning my love for you and our future together.' I was just warming up. 'You know I've been married before and it wasn't great! I'm not saying I don't want to commit again. I have said this before and I'll say it again: I want to be with you until I die. I'll wear your ring and say we're married if you like; I'll call you hubby, partner, whatever! I just don't want to get legally married just yet. And as for living together, if you want to move in, move in!'

I must have shouted it because Atlas raised his head. Or perhaps he was getting territorial. I hadn't discussed it with him first. I gave him a look that said he would still be the alpha dog.

'You could move in with me,' he said, his anger waning.

'You live in a small apartment with no yard. Besides, my home is dog proof.'

'So the dog takes priority?'

'Atlas has been with me for three years, you've been with me for eighteen months. Yes, Atlas is in the lead.' I was over the conversation now. 'I've said all I can say on this subject, Dom. You're just looking for a fight.'

I sighed and went to the bathroom to give him time to work himself up or down, depending on how many beers he'd had. When I returned his anger seemed to have diffused. I climbed into bed beside him. Dominic covered his face with his hands and groaned. Neither of us said anything for a while. He slid down until he was level with me.

'I'm a dickhead,' he said.

'Yeah, but you're my dickhead!' I grinned.

He looked sheepish.

'Jesse, I'm sorry. My mother and sister got into me about how you couldn't love me if you weren't prepared to commit, that I was wasting my time and so on. By the time I left, I believed them. I questioned our relationship all the way here. I had to come over to make sure…'

'I was alone?'

'Partly,' he said looking away, 'but mostly to hear you put all that straight.'

I ran my hand over his chest.

'Move in,' I suggested.

'You're just saying that because I've been a total idiot.'

'No.' I assured him. 'I've been thinking about it since you suggested it a few months ago.'

'Six months ago,' he interjected.

'Yep, since then. I've thought a lot about it. I think it would be great.'

He looked at me for a long time and pulled me closer to him. He reached over and turned off the bed light. We kissed. Then he stopped.

'Jess…'

'Yes?'

'I'm sorry that this happened.'

'I know how you can make it up to me,' I said.

He laughed.

'If you still think moving in together is for you, then suggest it to me again later in the week. I'll believe you then. If you don't bring it up again, that's fine too.'

He lay on his back and looked up at the ceiling. I rolled onto my side and he buried his face in my hair. The tension dissipated. I moved my hand down his flat stomach and kept going. He moaned. I took it as a sign that he was feeling more secure.