robe neatly around her. When she finally looked at her friend, she blinked. “Aren’t you going to the gym today?” she asked. “Why aren’t you dressed for it yet?”
Madeline looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. “I’ve been already,” she answered. “I’ve just finished cleaning.”
Ariel widened her heavily made-up eyes in shock and held a hand to her heart theatrically. “You changed your schedule? You? Is the world coming to an end? This is it, isn’t it, one of the great signs in the book of Revelations that my minister is always quoting. I’m going right home to repent.”
Her neighbor rolled her eyes. “You’re surprised,” she said with masterful understatement. It was uncanny the way Ariel walked right in and cheerfully took up where Cruz had left off commenting about her life. It was also irritating. Was she really so predictable? Yes, she answered her own question. But it was a conscious choice, not a compulsion. No matter what the two busybodies in her life seemed to think.
“No, surprise doesn’t cover it,” Ariel responded. “Do you have any of those doughnuts-thanks,” she said as Madeline pushed the bag over to her. Without waiting for an invitation she went to the cupboard with an ease that spoke of long familiarity and, taking out a mug, poured herself some coffee. Returning to her seat, she continued, “Surprise is when you win the lottery, or when your mother tells you that she’s running off to Bermuda with a taxi driver to learn to samba. Surprise might even describe your feeling when you walk into the bedroom and find your date trying on your lingerie. But this…” She bit into the doughnut and closed her eyes in appreciation. “This surpasses surprise. Colossal, earthshaking, monumental, absolutely mind-blowing shock comes much closer to describing the wonder of Madeline Casey changing her schedule.” She nodded effusively to negate her friend’s grimace at her words. “Now the only question is, what would elicit such a change? Gotta be a man,” she said wisely, taking another bite from the doughnut.
“You’ve been drinking too much of that herbal tea again,” Madeline told her friend flatly. She loved Ariel dearly, but sometimes she felt like strangling her, and now was one of those times. She was really the only person Madeline knew in the condominium complex, even after living there three years. If Ariel had her sights set on getting to know someone, the person hadn’t much choice in the matter. She could be rather forceful in her neighborliness. But Madeline had grown genuinely close to her despite, or perhaps because of, their differences. Ariel was as effusive as Madeline was reserved. With her wacky style of dressing, makeup and far-out hairstyles, she was the antithesis of Madeline. She also had the unfortunate knack for acknowledging no boundaries of privacy regarding personal lives. As a result, Madeline had few secrets from her friend. Her usual aloofness couldn’t withstand the assault of Ariel’s good-natured prying. It was easier to give in and tell her what she wanted to know. But Madeline had no intention of humoring her latest flight of fancy. “Can’t a person alter her day off a little on a whim?”
Ariel had finished the doughnut and was licking her fingers with delicate greed. “Other people can, you can’t. Something had to happen to shake you out of that rigid mold you keep yourself in. So what gives? Tell Auntie Ariel all about it,” she cooed, resting her chin on folded hands and staring at Madeline with avid interest.
Madeline laughed in spite of herself. “How about if we skip talking about my life and you just go get one of your own?”
Ariel shook her head. “Been there, tried it. Failed and flopped, with a few disasters thrown in along the way. I’m resting from life, recharging before I march out there and get shot down again. That’s why I depend on you to bring me a little vicarious excitement along the way. Very little, I might add,” she finished drolly.
“I’m sorry to be such a disappointment to you,” Madeline remarked dryly. She had no doubt that her dull life was of little real interest to her friend, who lived a colored one of her own. Most of the surprises she’d mentioned a few minutes ago had actually happened to her, according to some of the hugely entertaining stories she’d recounted to Madeline. Ariel collected experiences and husbands with equal fervor, both to be regretted at later dates. At last count she’d been married four times, and proclaimed to be taking a break from the search for number five as she tried out numerous prospects.
“C’mon, Madeline, don’t make me beg. For once just come right out and tell me. Who is he?”
“What makes you think a man is involved?” Madeline asked, stalling for time. Although Cruz Martinez could be credited for her decision to vary her day a little, he was not playing the kind of role in her life that Ariel was imagining. Nor was he likely to. Madeline didn’t go out with obscenely good-looking men, men she was professionally involved with, and especially not with men who might be criminals. But she had no intention of telling Ariel all of that. Ariel would be fascinated; she would think it was exciting, for heaven’s sake.
Ariel waved her hand dismissively, as if the question didn’t even deserve an answer. “All of a woman’s important changes are brought on by a man. Men we love, men we hate, men we want to love, men we wished we hated… it’s destined. One of the realities of life. So-o-o, tell me, dear,” she said with a wicked smile, “about the man who caused these variations in your life today.”
Madeline smiled to herself. She might not agree with all of her friend’s ideas, or even with most of them, but she had to admit that listening to Ariel was amusing. “Sorry to disappoint you, but the only man in my life at the moment is my father, and it would take a high-priced analyst many years to help me figure out which of your four categories he would fit into.”
“Oh.” Ariel was instantly sympathetic. “You must have had another of your horrible dinners with him. How bad was it?”
“The usual.” Now that some time had passed, Madeline could think about the evening with a little humor. “He was condescending, I was defensive. He got high-handed, I got angry. He began giving advice, I began shouting…” She shrugged. “It kind of deteriorated from there.”
“Parents.” Ariel sighed. “They never stop trying to pull our strings.”
“It’s some kind of strange Pavlovian response. I hear his voice on the phone, and…” She snapped her fingers. “Instant immaturity.” She waited a few moments and then added nonchalantly, “I did get assigned a new case this week.”
Ariel pulled a face. Madeline didn’t talk much about her job. Ariel had only the vaguest idea of what she did. But as far as she was concerned, Madeline spent entirely too much time thinking about work. In her opinion, what her friend needed most in her life was a few long nights in bed with a hot-blooded hunk to help her redefine her priorities. But try telling her that.
Ignoring Ariel’s lack of enthusiasm at the change of subject, Madeline continued. “I’ve also acquired a partner for the duration of the investigation.”
A flicker of interest passed over Ariel’s face. “A man?”
“Uh-huh.” Madeline went and poured her own cup of coffee and came back and sat down again. “His name is Cruz Martinez.”
“Ooh, what a positively yummy name.” Instantly intrigued, Ariel’s eyes sparkled. “Tell me more. Does he look as good as he sounds?”
Madeline affected an indifferent shrug. “Depends on what you like. He’s about fifty-five, fat, short and balding,” she lied blandly. She felt a moment of glee picturing Cruz’s reaction to her description of him. “He has seven children and loves fishing. He talks about it all the time.” When she saw Ariel’s face fall, she almost regretted misleading her. But not enough to tell her the truth and have to listen to the smug comments
“Just your luck,” Ariel muttered. “Sometimes I think you and I were born under the same planet. Although, of course, I know better, having done your astrology chart for you last month. Actually, when I examined your chart, I couldn’t really find any reason for the dismal luck you’ve had in your love life. Mine, now, that’s a different story. As soon as I did my chart and saw that Venus was squared with Saturn, I thought, well, of course! That explains…”
Madeline’s thoughts drifted off as her friend chattered on. She’d heard it all before, at length. She didn’t share Ariel’s interest in astrology, any more than she believed in her philosophy of life. Actually, she felt the same about both. They were entertaining, but pointless. Events were caused by nature or people. She might not be able to control either one, but she certainly could control the effect they had on her, and she did so, stringently. Caution had always been her middle name, steady her pace and Look First her motto.
That hadn’t saved her from the mistake she’d made with Dennis Belding, however. He’d known just how to get through all her defenses. He’d taken his time, soothed her fears with his calm, understanding manner. He’d seemed so harmless. And he’d almost brought her life crashing down around her ears. If she didn’t despise him so much, she could almost admire the accuracy with which he’d read her character and the ease with which he’d transformed
