Aphrodisiac by Alicia Street, Roy Street Read Free Book Online Page B

home laboratory. Fossils, shards and other artifacts were usually scattered about. A microscope used to mark the table where she analyzed ancient plant remains.
    Gwen had been an archaeobotanist—an archaeologist who specializes in ancient plants and agriculture. But since her layoff from Columbia’s faculty last year, she’d become engrossed in the making of perfumes and aromatic oils. Instead of looking for another teaching or research position, Gwen had decided to start her own home business selling her fragrances. Benita used to say her place smelled like Nefertiti’s burial chamber.
    “Okay, let’s do some video action.” My roommate swept the space with her camcorder.
    I walked the length of the room. The place was empty, as expected. Darryl had cleared out all of Gwen’s things. I had no idea what I was looking for.
    Suddenly the building’s front door slammed. Men’s voices. Sounded like a battalion coming up the stairs. Benita and I exchanged a silent glance.
    “Quick,” I whispered. “The fire escape.”
    Trying not to trip on littered floorboards and the holes they left behind, I darted for the window. I was straddling the sill when I heard a voice right outside the door saying, “How many more times are we supposed to search this place? That fuckin’ bitch pussy probably hid it somewhere else.”
    I tossed words over my shoulder while racing down the fire escape. “Did you hear what he said?”
    “Zip it and keep moving, Saylor.”
    Scurrying to the bottom platform, I saw the rickety iron ladder that hung over the sidewalk. It looked like it hadn’t been used in a hundred years. I knew fire escape ladders were notorious for jamming, and of course, this one followed suit. Benita grabbed hold and gave it a solid jerk. Nope. I joined her efforts, trying not to fall, but years of rust had left it frozen. We stared up at the window to see if the men had a drawn a bead on us. No sign yet.
    “Let’s jump,” she said.
    “Wait.” I reached inside my bag and pulled out a plastic bottle of Do-Me-Good lime flavored personal lubricant. I poured it liberally up and down the stubborn section of ladder that was refusing to slide. “Now let’s try it.” We gave it another jerk. Swoosh. The ladder glided down to the sidewalk. Two more satisfied Do-Me-Good customers.
    We hit the street and broke into a sprint for the Camry. Luckily I’d worn my Asics gels tonight. Even so, I could hardly keep up with Benita, who was way out in front. I’d puke if I had to run much faster. We dove into the car and took off.
    “That was him,” I said. “The guy who taught Uncle Pete his new one-liner. Let’s go to the police.”
    “Yeah, sure. Just tell them we met some creep who uses the same profanities as my pet mynah, and they’ll hop right on it.” She turned down Richards Street.
    “Those men were trespassing on private property.”
    “So were we. And we don’t need no donut-eaters butting in and asking us all kinds of questions.”
    “What’s wrong with that?” I asked. “Anything to get them off their butts and back on Gwen’s case.”
    “You are dreaming if you believe in that fairy tale. This is the big city, honey. Precincts have to wrap things up and show productivity like any other business. Just because we found some guys prowling around in a vacated warehouse won’t mean diddly as far as Gwen’s death is concerned. Not to the cops, anyway.”
    She had a point. “Okay, forget the police. Only what the hell is going on here? First Gwen’s body is found in the Erie Basin. Next somebody ransacks our apartment. A pack of good ol’ boys chase us into a barren lot. And now it looks like the same dudes are tearing up Gwen’s floor. They’re hunting for something.”
    “And either we have what they’re looking for, or else they think we do.”
    “Comforting. Think they saw us?” I checked the streets to see if anyone was following.
    “Doubt it,” Benita said. “We outslicked them.”
    “I