“That was before the big time,” Paulgroused, poking at a shrimp. “Carl was on me today about the time lost to themove.”
His euphoria lasted for two days? Now that themove was done he’d gone immediately back to tension? “Don’t let Carldictate how you feel,” Liddy urged. “You’re just as brilliant.”
He left the table muttering about doingmore work at home. Liddy sighed and straightened up as Paul went to the livingroom with his computer. Then in her studio she rolled out new canvas, slit itwith her box cutter, cut it neater with her long sharp scissors, then stapled itonto wooden stretchers. Bang! Bang! went her staple gun, the sound makingher feel better, telling her that she was really back on track with herpainting. Final move-in things could wait, be done gradually. Tomorrow or thenext day she’d finish her Rawlie-the-space-warrior painting and the woman-running-in-rainwatercolor, then start new projects that were overdue; two publishers hademailed to complain.
While priming a canvas she stopped,frowning a little, and turned to face the living room.
It had been awfully quiet out there. Usually,if Paul worked at home, he’d be sporadically on his phone with Carl or one oftheir assistants comparing lab notes they’d made during the day, discussingchemical structures, modification compounds, anesthetic activity on tadpolesthen - oh good, move the new one up to mice.
There’d been nothing. No sound that she hadheard.
Because she’d been so preoccupied?
She went out to look.
Saw Paul standing at the dimmed window,slightly bent with his back to her, peering through the telescope.
“Hey,” she said quietly, almost tentativelythough she wasn’t sure why. He said “hey back” but didn’t straighten. Shecrossed the living room with one lamp lit, stood next to him and looked down. Below,the street was a dazzling nightlife stage, busy with partiers, traffic, happydrunks running from bars and restaurants to dance and live music clubs. Thesound was muted by the double-pane glass.
“Takin’ a break from work?” she asked inthe same hesitant tone.
“Yup.”
“Get much work done?”
“Half. I’m tired. So damn tired.”
She noticed that the angle of his ‘scope wasaimed higher than the street; tilted up to what had to be windows across theway.
“Looks fun. Can I have a peek?”
“Sure,” he said a bit tightly, tilting the telescopeback down to the street before he stepped aside for her.
Why did he do that?
She looked in, adjusted the eyepiece, sweptthe ‘scope over the street scene. Then she raised the barrel to the angle he’dhad it at, and found herself looking into someone’s bedroom. The bed was wildlyrumpled, empty for a moment and then it wasn’t, with a naked man and womanclimbing back into it and somehow still managing to keep the sex going. He washolding her up by the buttocks, pounding away as he threw her back onto the bedand fell on top of her. Wow, look at him go. He must be on speed or something…
Enough. Liddy looked back to Paul andattempted levity.
“What do you bet they fell out of bed.”
“Who?”
“That couple having wild crazy sex.”
“I didn’t see anyone having sex.” He wasback on the couch, his tone announcing that he was concentrating, couldn’t be disturbed.He shifted; scowled harder into his computer.
Liddy stood, uncertain, bursting to saysomething profound or funny like the old answered prayers thing: you get whatyou’ve been wanting - and it comes with side effects. Soho was full ofdistractions for nose-to-the-grindstone types like them. But still, Liddythought again, Paul had gotten his wish! They were all moved, back on track, andshe was sleeping well and feeling happy – pretty much, though she hadn’t been toosure of that since her visit to the lab.
She exhaled and let him work. Returned toher studio where she re-capped her primer and put her staple gun and box cutteron a high shelf, her long sharp scissors on her draftsman table. Then shewashed up, called a soft good-night to barely a grunt back, and went to bed.
24
She felt bad. Wastrying to sleep when Paul came to bed too.
“You awake?” he whispered after a minute.
“Yes.”
He exhaled hard. “Sorry I was in a foulmood tonight.”
“I understand.”
“I should be totally happy – and I am exceptfor…”
“I know, the research.”
He was silent, just a dark profile on thepillow next to her. Then he said, “It’s not that.”
She turned her head to him.
In the dimness she saw him take a breath. “Somethingelse,” he said, and swallowed. “Carl was seriously grim this morning, worsethan usual. Finally he told me.” Another deep breath. “Before I got there thepolice came to visit him, asking questions about that missing coed. They’d beento question Ben, too, but seem more focused on Carl.”
Liddy stared at him.
“It was a female detective.” Paul’s voicespeeded up. “That night at Chez Pierre you said you’d gone to tell the copsyou’d maybe seen that girl. You mentioned the detective you talked to and said,‘she was nice’ so it must have been the same one.”
Liddy almost laughed. “There are manyfemale detectives, why assume-”
“I’ve assumed, okay? It’s too much of a coincidence,and Carl said he recognized her. They were showing her on the news, she’s thelast and only cop left investigating that case –now bothering Carl and itcouldn’t come at a worse time.”
“This is crazy.” A tremor crept into Liddy’svoice. “What…are they asking him?”
“She. Her last name is Blasco. Soundfamiliar?”
No reply, but the heart was thudding. “Whatpossible connection…what did she…”
“Got nowhere. Asked Carl if he’d known thatmissing girl Sasha and he said no; said she acted pleasant enough, but hecouldn’t figure why the hell she came to question him. Then he asked me if youhad anything to do with it. Of course I said no - but Lids, this isn’t good. Wecan’t have this.”
It took a second; then it hurt. “Who’s ‘we?’You and Carl, or you and me?”
“Us too.” Paul’s voice rose. “Hell, theresearch is our future.”
The heart throbbed, but she frowned. “Whywould Carl connect me with this?”
“He remembered your sketch, had seen thatgirl’s picture in the news.”
“That’s ridiculous! Sasha Perry’s been allover the news!”
“Right, but why would a cop be coming afterhim?”
This was an ambush. Liddy tried to controlher breathing
