“We’re flying back out tomorrow,” I said. “Are you at home?”
I’d totally forgotten about Rosemarie and Suzanne and the house renovations.
“No, I’m too chicken,” he said. “I figured I’d just work all night and sleep at my desk.”
“We still own the little house across from Savage. The bed is made, but there’s no groceries. I figure we’ll have to stay there for a while until we have to have the house condemned or they actually finish the project. The key is under the fake rock.”
“Very original,” Nick said.
I told him I loved him and then headed back to the table. Kate and Scarlet had a row of shot glasses filled to the brim with a yellow liquid.
“You’re not drinking,” Scarlet said. “So I split yours up between the two of us.”
“It’s the responsible thing to do,” Kate said, looking very relaxed.
“Before you get too relaxed,” I said, “why don’t you tell me what Savage said.”
Scarlet pushed one of the shot glasses across the table and Kate picked it up. Neither of them bothered with the salt or limes sitting in front of them, and they tossed back the drinks like water.
“I learned to drink during the war,” Scarlet said. “I had to build up my tolerance so the Nazis would pass out before I did. You know the saying ‘Loose Lips Sink Ships’? There’s a reason for that.”
“And how many ships did you sink?” Kate asked.
“Thirty-two,” Scarlet said. “I was a very good spy.”
“You should write your memoirs one day,” Kate said. “I bet you’ve got dirt on everyone.”
“Heh,” Scarlet said, taking another shot. “I’ve got dirt on every head of state and president for decades. Bunch of old pervs. I won’t tell you which one, because I want you to buy my book I just decided I’m going to write. But there’s a certain president who had elephantine balls. Had to have his pants special made, and one time he sat down wrong and was in the hospital for a week. Fabulous lover though, as long as he didn’t take you from behind. Talk about wrecking balls.”
Kate choked on her tequila and covered her face with her napkin, and I noticed the people sitting closest to us had stopped their conversation to eavesdrop.
“Kate,” I said. “You were telling me about Savage.”
“He said he’s feeling a lot better and someone made an offer on his house. Looks like he’ll be out of there in the next couple of weeks once the doctors release him.”
“That’s a fine hunk of man,” Scarlet said.
“Amen,” Kate said.
“Kate,” I hissed. “You’re a married woman.”
“Oh, please,” she said. “Don’t tell me you didn’t take a ride on that merry-go-round when you had the chance. Everyone knows you two had a thing.”
I felt the color drain out of my face. “You’re joking,” I said. “Savage and I never had a fling. What’s wrong with you? We just made out a couple of times, and then I felt guilty about it because Nick broke up with me, but I was still thinking about him.”
“Wait a second,” Kate said, leaning in close across the table. “You’re telling me that you had the chance to sleep with Savage, completely free of a relationship with Nick, and you didn’t do it? Are you crazy?”
“Maybe she’s not a Holmes, after all,” Scarlet said, shaking her head. “I always thought your mother showed too much interest in Wally Davis when he delivered the mail. Come to think of it, you kinda look like him around the eyes.”
“I do not,” I said, glaring at Scarlet. “Mom did not have an affair.”
Scarlet hmmphed and pressed her lips together tight, and I looked back at Kate. “Does everyone seriously think Savage and I had a thing?”
“Of course,” she said. “You know you can tell us the truth. When you were living outside of the agency in your van, I was still working on a case in the middle of the night. I thought I heard a noise so I looked out the window and your van was rocking so much I thought you might tip over. I saw Savage’s truck parked on the other side of the park and put two and two together.”
My mouth dropped open. “Ohmigosh,” I said. “Savage must’ve been watching me to make sure I was okay. It was Nick who was doing the rocking. He’d just come to talk, but it was right after I got my hair cut short, and he couldn’t help himself. That’s really embarrassing. Poor Savage.”
“Don’t worry about Savage,” Kate said. “He’ll find another horse to break in.”
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that analogy,” I said. “And as glad as I am that Savage sold his house and is moving on, maybe you could tell me what he said about the case.”
“Oh, right,” Kate said. “He didn’t really say much of anything. Just a lot of grunts. He bet me fifty bucks Scarlet has a weapon on her. And how getting tied up with anyone from the de Salva organization was bad business, whether they’re in WITSEC or not.”
“Yeah, that was pretty much Nick’s take too,” I said. Then I turned to Scarlet. “Do you have a weapon on you?”
“It’s my constitutional right as an American,” she said. “Besides, the guy felt real bad he didn’t have a leather jacket in my size, so he gave me a two-for-one special. I got an Uzi and a can of Mace for a good price. He said the Uzi was gently used. That man was a real entrepreneur.”
“That’s fifty bucks wasted,” Kate said.
“I can’t believe you took the bet,” I said. “Talk about suckers. Finish what you were saying about Savage.”
“He’s going to try to find out who was visiting Carmen. They’ll have to have surveillance. Those aren’t as easy to erase without someone losing their job over it. He also said he’d get Vince’s last known location. He’ll get back with us once he’s got something.”
“Mom sent me a current picture
