“I beg your pardon?”
“You and Barney. Go somewhere or stay in alone?”
“I have no idea what-Just what are you implying?”
“Don’t worry,” I said, “I’m always discreet. Mum’s the word about the affair.”
“… What affair?”
“You and Barney, of course.”
She had begun to look as if she’d just stepped out of cold storage; you could almost see the frost forming on her.
“Who told you that we were having an affair?” Frost on the words, too.
“He did, the last time I was here. Strict confidence, of course.”
“I see. Exactly what did he say?”
“Oh, you know. That it was no big deal, just a casual fling.” I winked again. “He said some, ah, very flattering things about you. Not too subtle, but still flattering.”
“Oh, he did, did he? Well, it’s not true!”
“No? You and Barney aren’t-?”
“Certainly not!” She sounded as though she found the notion insulting, if not downright nauseating. There was heat in her eyes now and pretty soon it would melt the frost. When that happened…
“I’m going in to see him now,” I said. “You won’t announce me or try to stop me, will you?”
Ms. Lee said in an icy-hot voice, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
The metaphorical needle I’d come here with had been about a foot and a half long. I figured it for double that length and rapier sharp when I went into Rivera’s private office. When I came out again a few minutes later, I didn’t have it anymore-it was puncturing his backside, all the way through both chubby cheeks.
There are satisfactions in this business, some greater than others. This one ranked right up there near the top.
