Danny Zigler was an excellent guide and told all of these stories well. David could see the fear and awe he evoked in his listeners.
They walked toward the Beckett museum.
David thought that Danny told this particular story with relish, describing the dead Tanya with amazing detail. And though Danny never used his name, he suggested that someone prestigious had gotten away with murder, and that it had been a case of unrequited love.
Tanya, of course, according to Danny, roamed the now-defunct museum, crying out night after night, shrieking for justice.
David slipped away from the tour. He realized that his hands were clenched into fists at his side.
He’d be damned sure to stay away from Danny until he’d cooled down.
O’Hara’s was quieter than usual that night. Katie did a duet with Marty Jenkins to get it all started-a song from South Pacific, as Marty didn’t seem to care much for any song that didn’t have something to do with ships or the water-and then a soprano down from her job as a character in an Orlando theme-park musical came on and awed them all with a number from Chicago.
There weren’t nearly as many inebriated people as on a Saturday night, but there was a group of ten students with the soprano who didn’t have classes again until Tuesday, so Katie was kept busy. At eleven she decided that she needed a break, and she set the students up to do a six-minute version of “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
David seemed to have chosen his table at O’Hara’s; he was there with Liam, Sam Barnard and Pete Dryer.
“Katie, girl, lovely night, you keep it moving,” Pete applauded.
“It’s a nice crowd,” she said. “So how about you, Pete? Sunday a better day?”
“Sunday is usually a better day-except folks are moving in big-time now. Fantasy Fest is in the works,” he reminded her. “It officially starts next Friday.”
“Oh, right. It will be super-busy,” she said. She noted that David was barely listening to her; he was watching Danny Zigler.
He didn’t look happy.
“Anyway, I’m going to have a busy week no matter what,” Pete said. “I think I have a runaway stripper, and I’m pretty sure she’s the one who took off with that man’s wallet last night.”
Liam laughed. “A runaway stripper? Is there such a thing? I mean, a stripper is free to come and go as she chooses, right?”
“Unless she’s wanted by the law for being a pickpocket,” Pete said grimly.
“But did you see her?” Liam asked, frowning.
“No, I didn’t see her. But lately, we’ve only had one girl in trouble for helping herself to gents’ wallets, instead of waiting for the bills in the garter-or whatever,” Pete said.
“How do you know she’s missing?” David asked, suddenly turning his attention to Pete.
“She works at the Top-O-The-Top, and when I went to try to talk to her-warn her that I’m on to her at the least-she hadn’t shown up for work. One of the other girls told me that it was unusual. She likes money,” Pete said.
“Well, it is a Sunday night,” Sam commented. “Who knows? Maybe she heard about some better pickings up the islands.”
“If I don’t find her by tomorrow, I’ll put out an APB,” Pete said.
“Pete, can we prove anything?” Liam asked.
“I’ve got the kid’s report-hell, yes, I can put out an APB. Anyway, good night, all. I’m heading out,” Pete told them.
The college kids were having a good time, and they did so without being smashed or obnoxious. Katie kept the music going longer than she had intended.
Even so, David waited for her.
“You know,” she told him, “I’ve been walking myself home for a very long time.”
“Alone?” Bartholomew said.
She didn’t look his way, but she added, “Physically walking my mortal self.”
David seemed bemused by the comment. “But it is late and I am here. Do you mind?” he asked her.
“No. I’m glad.” She waved good-night to Clarinda.
“Zigler is gone,” David noted.
“I guess he took off early.”
“Started late, and took off early. Interesting,” David said.
“You’ve been looking at him with daggers in your eyes all night,” Katie commented.
“I followed his tour around tonight,” David said grimly.
“Oh.”
“After what I heard on his tour, I’d be scared of me,” he said.
“Danny is a good guy, though,” she said. “And I guess there’s no way to keep the tour guides from telling a story, especially if they can conjure a good ghost.”
“I wonder what he does with all his money,” David said.
“Well, he isn’t working jobs that set you in the upper stratosphere of income,” Katie pointed out.
“Still, he eats where he works, lives frugally… He must have some kind of a pastime.”
“Maybe he hides all his money in his mattress. Wasn’t there a crazy person who did that once?” Katie asked.
“Crazy. Umm. There have been a lot of crazies down here. It must be the sun,” David said.
They reached her house. He stood on the porch while she found her keys and fit one into the lock. The key turned and she looked at him. It seemed that she had no voice. She wanted to speak; she wanted to sound casual.
“Would you like to come in?” she asked. Oh, God, she sounded as if she was applying for a job as phone-sex girl.
He smiled and leaned against the door frame, not touching her, and yet looking at her in a way that made her feel as if he could send out rays of static heat.
“If I come in…well, it might be dangerous, you know.”
“I don’t think you’re dangerous,” she said.
“No, I meant it really might be dangerous. I’m torn- I want to be with you, but I’m not so sure you should be seen with me.”
“Oh. Oh,” she murmured and blushed, feeling incredibly awkward. She started to step past him but he blocked the way and she met his eyes again. They were deep royal-blue, a navy color that could be so dark it appeared black in the shadows. “I would love to come in, if the offer still stands.”
She paused, feeling as if the night could change everything, and then feeling foolish, as well. Sex. So many people fell into it so easily. She’d never been able to play that game, she’d never wanted something that didn’t mean something. This felt like more. It was sex…it was intimate. Natural. Biology, something that happened between people. But she meant something to him; she knew it. She cared about him, equally.
“I…I want you to come in.” Ah, there she was, sounding like the phone-sex applicant again.
But he reached out, stroking a finger along her cheek and smoothing her hair back. “I didn’t want to want you, but I do,” he told her.
“I think…well, they do say there’s just something that attracts certain people.”
“Think we should make love and experiment?” he asked.
She shook her head slowly. “No.”
“Well, we are still on the porch.”
She smiled, suddenly feeling sure of herself, and at ease. “I like the idea best of us both knowing that we wanted…one another from the start.”
“Actually, I really disliked you.”
“Come to think of it, I loathed you.”
“Let’s get in,” he said huskily.
They stepped inside. Katie closed and locked the door and wound up pinned against it. David leaned into her, and their lips met in their first kiss, something that seemed to ignite into an instant passion. It was a kiss, just a kiss, but hungry, wet, all over, openmouthed and so sensual that Katie heard a sound and realized that it was herself, it was a moan, but it was aggressive, and her hands were cradling his jaw, feeling the structure, holding him to her.
They broke breathlessly, staring at one another.
He kissed her again with a whisper, a brush of restraint and tenderness, and his eyes met hers and his lips formed hard and seeking over hers once again and their tongues filled one another’s mouths.