Hard Candy

98

THE CAR radio said it was unseasonably warm. Mid-fifties. I felt the chill coming from her house before I got it in sight. Pulled around behind. Backed the Plymouth into the empty space outside the garage. The connecting door was open. I stepped inside. I knew the way.

She was in her black-and-white living room, perched on the edge of the easy chair, flashy legs crossed, elbow on her knee, one hand cupping her chin. Fire-streaked hair combed back from her little fox face.

"I kept it warm for you," she said, getting to her feet, heels clicking on the marble floor as she closed the distance between us.

I stood rooted. Nothing was going to get me back in that chair again.

She took both my hands, holding them gently, watching my face. She was wearing a white silk T-shirt that came to mid-thigh. The kind women tie a belt around and make into a dress.

"Sit in the chair. Your chair, remember?"

"No."

"No what?"

"No, I won't sit in the chair."

"But you do remember?"

"Yeah."

"I won't ask you again."

"Good."

She led me to the couch, still holding both my hands. Sat down, pulling me down with her. Pulled one of my hands to her mouth, a dark slash in the room, tiny perfect white teeth gleamed. She kissed my hand. Licked it. Turned her face up to watch mine again. Put my hand in her mouth, sucked on my thumb. Bit it, hard.

"You still taste good."

"What is it that you know? That you wanted me to ask you?"

"Julio told me. He tells me anything. He can never pay off his debt. This crazy man- this killer, they want you to deliver money to him so they can grab him. They're going to leave you there."

"You think that's news?"

"They're going to force you. Very soon. They know how to do it."

"What's the hurry?"

"Their little don, he's so afraid. Hiding in his little house. In the basement, like a cockroach. He's afraid, so they're all afraid. He can't wait. He wants to go to his nightclubs, ride in his big car, visit his gumare…big man. Now he can't do that."

"Okay. Thanks."

Her fingers were twisted in my coat. "Julio hates you. Because you know. What he did to me. He knows you know. I never told him, but he knows. He's put it out that you work with this maniac. The one who did the killing on Sutton Place."

"I already knew that. I got arrested for a homicide I had nothing to do with. That was his work too."

"I could have had Julio taken out years ago. I waited. To make him pay. But he could never pay. It's time for him to go."

"Why now?"

"You re mine. Remember what I told you? I ate your blood, I swallowed your seed. You're in me."

"I'm nobody's," I told her.

Witches hear only their own chants. "I told that evil old man. I told him I'd never let him hurt you. The last time he talked to me, he whined…like the coward he is. Said the don wanted it done. But I know. It's him."

"It doesn't matter who."

"It does. If the boss goes down, Julio's still here. And he'll still want you."

"So you want…"

"A trade. I'll tell you where the don's holed up. And you do Julio. Yes?"

"I thought…"

"Don't you sneer at me! Don't be better than me. You want to do it. You think I don't read the papers? I paid you to get Scotty's picture back. You did that. But the man who did it to him…that pervert in the clown suit…they said they found him with a broken neck. You did that. You're a cold man. A cold man, afraid of my fire."

"You're wrong, Jina. Wrong all over the lot."

Her eyes fired, flickered, glazed over. Singsong witch's chant. "Strega. Strega when you call my name. It's Strega who'll do this for you. Not Jina. Jina's a nice girl. You don't want a nice girl."

"I don't want you."

She licked her lips. "Prove it. Sit in your chair."

"For what?"

"For what you want."

"I want the address."

"Me first."

Bitch. I sat in the chair. Watched her curl herself around my legs, the T-shirt riding up to her waist, strip of blood-red silk between her thighs. She bent forward, the red silk a thong between her buttocks. Her hand on my zipper. Raspy, hard sound. "Mine," she said, thrusting her hand inside. Nobody home. She made a noise in her throat, took my softness between her lips, licking, making sounds to herself, speaking in tongues. A stirring in the softness but…nothing. Teeth nipped at the head of my cock, lips sliding over the shaft, sucking. Dead. As dead as Belle. I thought if it ever happened to me, I'd die a bit. It felt like winning.

She gave it up after a couple of minutes. Eyes focused hard now, watching my face. "Why?"

"I don't know- it's just gone."

"Is this the first time?"

I don't know what made me tell the truth. "No."

"Did something happen to you?"

"Yeah."

"You got hurt?"

"Yeah."

"Is it going to get better?"

"I don't know. I don't…"

"Care?"

"I don't even know that."

She pulled the zipper up, roughly. "It won't last. I know. I don't care what any doctor says. Don't be…"

"Don't be what? Depressed? Depressed is finding out you're a diabetic. I found out I can't get insulin, you understand?"

"You're not scared." It wasn't a question.

"No."

"You were the last time."

"I know."

"You think that's what did it…if you were scared again?"

"I. Just. Don't. Know. Okay?"

"Okay." Her eyes looked wet- it must have been the light in that white room.

I got up to go. "Give me the address."

"I don't have it."

"You…

"I think I know where he is. But I have to be sure, okay? You can't go twice. Once it happens, they'll know it came from me."

"It could come from anybody. Their own outfit is lousy with rats."

"What about our deal?"

"I sat in the chair."

"I know. I know there's things you can't fake. Especially you. That's not what I mean. Julio."

"Spell it out."

"You have to do them both."

"When will you have the address?"

"Tomorrow, next day. Soon. Couple of days at most. I swear."

"Okay."

She walked downstairs with me, kicking off the spike heels, padding along on the carpet. She stood a step above me. Bent down and kissed me on the lips. Sweet. No biting into me. No witch-fire. She turned to go back upstairs, watching me over her shoulder. I flashed on Candy and years ago. Something stirred. It died when I remembered Candy had never kissed me goodbye when we were kids.