Tick Tock

Chapter 59

I SHOWERED, tossed on some shorts, and brought a beer and my phone back into the living room.

"Hey, Mike," Mary Catherine said when I called Breezy. "I was just about to call you. You're not going to believe this. No Flaherty incidents, no stitches, no one even got sunburned. Even Socky the cat seems ready to twist by the pool tonight. How are you holding up? Are you on your way? I'll save you some pizza."

"Don't bother, Mary," I said, toweling off my wet hair. "I'm actually at the apartment. This case is looking like an all-nighter. Hey, I forgot to ask you. How was your art course this week?"

"It was terrific," she said. "This really bright, young Oxford professor came to speak to us, a world-renowned expert on German architecture. He was really funny."

"German buildings are fine," I said, "but I'm more into Nordic Classicism myself."

"I didn't know you liked architecture, Mike. Were you peeking at my books?" Mary Catherine said.

"Bite your tongue, lass. Not all cops are meatheads."

"I'll have to remember that," she said after a beat. "I'm afraid it's too late to talk with the gang. They're all asleep."

"That's okay. Just apologize and kiss them good night for me, okay?" I said.

"No problem," Mary said. "Who are you going to kiss good night, I wonder?"

"What?" I said, startled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Mr. Bennett. Have fun all by yourself in the city tonight," Mary Catherine said and hung up.

I stared at the phone. Then I cracked the cap on my beer. Sauce-hitting time had officially arrived.

"Nothing, Mr. Bennett," I mimicked in a pretty good Irish accent as I tossed my phone at the opposite couch.