Retirement Can Be Murder

CHAPTER 35

He was getting slower. He tapped his stopwatch as he went up the stairs to his apartment. He’d only run five miles. Charlotte Ward hadn’t left him much time for running. But he felt relaxed, calm even, until he got to the top of the stairs.

“Out for a jog?”

He thought he’d seen a lot of Kaylie before, when she wore tight t-shirts and cut off shorts. It was nothing. She was wearing her swimming suit. That was how she’d gotten her tan. Her tan lines really were lines. Her suit wasn’t any thicker than a centimeter. He collected his breath and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

“I was out for a run. I don’t jog.”

“Well well.”

She sat down in front of his door while he stood above her.

“Excuse me.”

“Do you need to get in?”

“Yes.” She didn’t move and he sat down beside her.

“Going to the beach?”

“I just got back from the pool.”

“Do you swim?”

“I sunbathe. Does that count?”

“You must work out a lot.”

“Oh really?” She tilted her head and looked at him. “How do you know I work out a lot?”

“Because you make fun of me so much. For having been a little overweight.”

“Right, that’s how you know.” She hit his shoulder.

“That hurt.”

“Did it?”

“You forget, I’m sore.”

“You’re starting to heal.”

“I think I’m almost better.”

“No.” She shook her head. “Looking at your face, you’ve got a way to go.”

“Thanks. I should probably get to work.”

He started to get up. He took his key out of his pocket and put it in the door. She sat there, letting her legs stretch.

“Tell me what you’ve been working on. Where have you been? You still owe me a drink.”

“When did we agree on that?”

“You have to agree.” She stood up beside him and pointed at the dark stain on his t-shirt.

“I sweat a lot.”

“I bet you do.”

“Right.”

“Where have you gone today?”

“I was out doing some research.”

“About what?”

“You wouldn’t care.”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t care.” She tilted her head. “Would I?”

“I guess not.”

“Good. You understand. Were you with your girlfriend?”

He’d been with Gary’s girlfriend.

“I don’t have one yet.”

“Yet?”

“Yet.”

“Then tell me why we can’t have a drink? You can finally tell me about your story.”

She leaned in close. He started to lean back, but he caught himself.

“You did go to the beach. Not the pool.”

“What?”

“I can smell it on your hair. I can smell the water.”

“Oh.” She backed away and crossed her arms. “It’s the same thing as the pool, really. I take a five second dip to cool off. Then I go back and lie down. I could be on the roof and take a shower. It would be the same thing.”

“I see.”

He opened the lock and she moved aside. Then she followed him in and shut the door. Her swimsuit looked darker. She smiled.

“Do you like it?”

“What’s that?”

“This.” She took a strap and pulled it up. She snapped it.

“I guess that’s a bikini, isn’t it?”

“I guess it is.”

“It’s good for this weather.”

She nodded her head and slid over to his desk. He had pages from his notebook arranged side by side. She looked down at them.

“What’s all this?”

He ran over and stood between her and the desk. There wasn’t much space between her and the desk. Now there was even less between her body and his.

“You’re a little nosy.”

“Am I?”

“You are.”

“I’m sorry, Jake.”

She sat back on the bed and stretched her arm out toward him.

“Come here.”

He sat down beside her and she flexed her arm.

“I’ve been lifting weights. Do I seem strong to you?”

He felt it. Soft skin over her muscle. The rope of her tricep.

“You’re doing OK.”

“Good.”

They both stared ahead and he remembered to let go of her arm. She pointed to the TV.

“Have you seen any other commercials like that one? The crazy one?”

“No. Not recently.”

“I saw one the other night.” She laid back on the bed. She looked comfortable. “They were screaming the whole time. Chanting, almost.”

“Wow.”

“You should write about them.”

“We’ll see,” he said and started to get up. “I should get showered.”

“Can I take a shower too?”

“What?”

“You said I smelled like the beach.”

He sat back on the bed.

“You’re very strange.”

“That’s not a nice thing to say.”

“Did you get a job?”

“That’s not very nice either. Now, young man, why don’t you try being nice?”

She leaned in and took his face in her hands. She rested her fingers on the naked bruises. He felt her warm breath on his face and they got closer. He broke away.

“I don’t understand. Why do you come on so strong?”

“Is it so hard to believe that I like you?”

“Yes,” he said. “It is.”

“You’re an attractive man. You’re used to the way people treated the old you. But you’re a new man now. You should act like it.”

“I don’t know if I want to act like that.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is there someone else?”

He stopped. He wondered how pale her skin was where the tan stopped. Then he looked at his desk. He did have work to do.

“I just think it’s all so sudden.”

“I’m not apologizing. I don’t like to wait around.”

She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. He could smell the seawater in her hair. A little salty. A little sour. He brushed it with his free hand.

“There you go,” she whispered. “Now, you said my arms are getting stronger. Let me get another opinion. I’ve been running a lot recently.”

She lifted her leg and stretched it out, her toes pointing at the wall. She waited and looked at him.

“Come on. It’s fitness.”

The room was dark because the blinds were closed. They hadn’t turned on the lights, so only thin yellow bands drew through. It looked like the running had worked out well. Why not? He was better now. He’d just run. This was why he did it all, wasn’t it? To do things like this. To be this person. He was supposed to be aggressive.

While she waited, she turned her head and started to kiss his neck. He should let it happen. He deserved to let it happen. He started to turn his head and move his hand toward her outstretched leg.

The desk vibrated.

“What’s that?”

“My phone.”

He got up quick and shook his head side to side. He felt like he was waking up. He smelled the sweat stain on his t-shirt and the beach on her. She reached for his hand but he twisted his fingers out.

“Just give me a second.”

It was Mel. Perfect timing, as always. He motioned to Kaylie to be quiet and answered the phone.

“Jake. I’m so glad you answered.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“You have to hurry. Charlotte’s daughter just called. I tried to stop her, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t…”

“What? You couldn’t stop her from what?”

“She changed her schedule. She’s coming today to get the keys and see Charlotte’s apartment.”

“Today? When?”

“She said she’d be at my office in fifteen minutes. I can stall her a bit.”

“And you have to give her the keys?”

“I can’t get out of it. This is your only opportunity to see inside.”

“All right, I’ll hurry.”

“I don’t know if you’ll have time.”

“I’ll have to try. Stall if you can.”

He closed the phone and grabbed his keys from the desk. He shoved the keys, his wallet, and his phone in the back pocket of his running shorts. Kaylie looked up.

“Your bulge is in the wrong place.”

“I don’t have time for this.

“What is it?”

“I have to go, now. Hurry.”

“Why?”

“My whole story’s going to fall apart if I don’t go now. Just move.”

She got up and walked toward the door.

“Will you be coming back?”

“Sure, just go.”

She walked out the door and he locked it and ran past her.

“What just happened?”

“This is more important,” he shouted back. He was running again, bounding down the stairs. He didn’t have time for pleasantries. This was his last chance to discover what Charlotte Ward had found.