Cold Case, Hot Bodies

“Didn’t show?”

“I know I called. I was out with the girls, and we were doing shooters, and I thought maybe I’d come over, personally, and break the news to you then.”

“Which is why you were flirting? Implying you were going to give me the best sex of my life?” Sex that, in fact, she’d delivered.

“Forgive me,” she murmured contritely.

It didn’t help that she’d asked for his forgiveness last night, too, while they’d been making love.

“It was the booze talking,” she continued. “I admit it. I’m not perfect. But I wanted to…well, let you down easy. Not that I figured you’d care. But I thought once I came over, it would be easier to tell you about my and Bobby’s—”

“But you came over and slept with me?”

There was yet another interminable pause. And then she said, “I didn’t come over, Dario.”

He’d had it. She’d been all over him. Licking every inch of his skin, and doing that mind-bending thing with his nipples. “Sheila, we had sex all night.”

She gasped. “What?”

“I left the key in the pot, remember? And you showed up around three…”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What?”

“I never showed. I swear.”

“Dammit, Sheila,” he cursed softly, realizing she must be teasing him, the way she always did. She was good at it, too. She sounded so honest. “Quit jerking my chain.” Last night her playful nature had sent his senses soaring, but this morning, he wasn’t in the mood.

“I wasn’t there.”

“You wore a wig,” he reminded, his voice turning husky. “A jacket and leggings. A little cotton blouse.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He heard a rustle. Then a male voice. “She was here. With me.”

Dario shut his eyes, unable to believe any of this was happening. It had to be Bobby O’Hare. It was as if the two men were at work. Sheila had committed a crime, and they were discussing her alibi. “Bobby?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know what’s going on here,” Dario began, “but—”

“Sheila and I are getting married. I proposed. She ac cepted. That’s what’s going on. She was here all night.” There was a pregnant pause. “We were awake all night, if you catch my drift.”

“I think I do,” Dario managed.

Before ending the call, Bobby rambled a few lines about how he hoped the situation wouldn’t be awkward at work.

Regarding that, Dario would do his best. Still…as talented as Sheila was, she couldn’t be in two places at once, which left Dario stuck with one of the more interesting mysteries of his career.

“Who was in bed with me last night?”

The earring wasn’t much to go on. Her hands had been all over him, and while he knew he could get a good print off his skin, he didn’t really want to explain that to the guys at the precinct. The money on the dresser was gone, when he checked his wallet, his money was gone, too. His gaze landed on the camera. Maybe it, or the others, had recorded something.

He was going to use all his detecting skills to find her. He had no idea what he’d do when he found his mystery woman.

Time would tell.

A HALF HOUR LATER, Dario was showered, dressed and getting ready to replay the tapes. Somebody pounded on the front door, and it swung open.

“Rosie?”

The liberal-looking single mom from across the hallway peeked inside. “So, you heard it?”

The last thing Dario wanted to do right now was chat with neighbors. His mind was focused on what he might see on the tapes. “Heard what?”

Rosie’s voice was hushed. “The music.”

“It was loud!” Zu and Ling crowded into the doorway behind Rosie, although Dario wasn’t sure which one of them had spoken.

“I didn’t sleep a wink,” added Carmella.

It was as if they’d been waiting in the hallway until they heard him rustling around inside the apartment.

“And you were looking at us yesterday as if we were crazy.”

This time, it was Brice.

Rosie’s daughter, Theresa, edged in, squeezing between her mother and Brice. She was wearing a multilayered outfit that involved leggings, two skirts and a few jackets, making her look like a homeless waif. He guessed it was the style for teens. “It was, like, so loud,” she said. “And I couldn’t sleep. And now I’m going to fail my math test.” She glared at Dario. “It’s going to be your dad’s fault if I’m held back a grade. We could sue. I just want you to acknowledge that.”

“Theresa,” her mother admonished.

“Well, it’s true,” said Theresa.

“What are you going to do about this?” demanded Brice.

“Nothing, if you don’t leave me alone, so I can watch these tapes,” Dario returned calmly. He was thirty, and years of working on the force had taught him how to keep his cool in tense situations. Not that he always bothered. But he didn’t like being railroaded. He sent the tenants a long look.

“So, you may have found something?” Brice didn’t sound angry now, only relieved.

“I hope so.”

“Then we’ll get out of your hair,” said Rosie.

“One minute,” said Dario.

They stared expectantly. He said, “The music you heard last night—”