The Case of the Lady in Apartment 308 by Lass Small Read Free Book Online

do outrageously sensual things to his helpless parts.
    And when he finally lay, drained and exhausted, she’d say to him, “Move in here with me.”
    He’d gasp weakly and put up a protesting, defensive hand as he moaned in terror.
    Ignoring his drained exhaustion, she’d just go at him again.
    The water in the shower was cooling. He’d been standing there, daydreaming for too long. Well, she had invited him to supper. He’d go. He’d call her back.
    Dressed and pacing, Ed went over the words he’d say in response to her invitation. He changed the words around. He added some compliments. He wrote it out.
    He hadn’t done that since he was sixteen! Twenty-one years ago!
    But he did write it out. He switched words around and discarded some and added some and worked on the acceptance more than he’d ever worked on a résumé.
    Women are a trial.
    He tossed aside the written—and learned—acceptance when her answering machine replied. He said in a male voice that was his own, “Thank you for the invitation to share the catfish. I’ll—” And the machine shut off.
    There’s no way to erase an answering machine. So Ed called back and finished. “—be there at five.”
    Why had he called her first? He still hadn’t replied to John about the job out in California.
    Well, taking a day or so to respond to a job interview wouldn’t be unheard of. He couldn’t appear desperate. A delay could work in his favor, makingthem anxious. He’d go over the material of the California office and figure out a neutral response.
    Why would he waffle now when he’d already decided to go to California?
    It was a move to contemplate quite soberly. After supper, he’d think about it.
    Why wait until then? Was he going to give the silent, push-away woman of reality another chance?
    No. He was just going to study the California option more closely.
    If he hadn’t been sure about it, why had he applied?
    Well… It was a long way out there. The ground wasn’t steady, the trees burned readily and it cost more to live.
    It wasn’t cheap in Peoria.
    But he owned two pieces of real estate which needed his attention.
    Rudolf would love to take over the supervision of both places. And he’d do a good job of it. He was a fix-it man. That’s why the compound hadn’t dissolved entirely. And Rudolf hadn’t even been hired for the maintenance. He’d just done it.
    So.
    Well…
    Ed wanted another look at the woman. An aloof woman. She’d been frosty and with-drawn.
    Yet, on her own, she’d invited him to her place. He wanted to see how she’d be.
    That was more honest. Stupid, but more honest.
    Why—stupid?
    She hadn’t given him any indication—at all—that she was even mildly interested in him. She’d never tried even to have a conversation with him. How could he expect any thing from such a woman?
    She’d invited him to supper.
    Big deal. He’d had her to lunch twice.
    But not at his place. He’d served her in the basement on a wooden table.
    The food had been good.
    But women like atmosphere. They like elegance. They want to be pampered. Just watch. When she had him there for supper, she’d have the best linens on the table. She’d show off her culinary talents. It’d be a ball and a banquet.
    Okay. So what was going on with her? She’d set him up. And he’d already discarded her. She’d flunked all the openings. Why now?
    He’d know by—bedtime.
    Dreamer.
    It was an endless day. In the late morning, he did go over to the apartments. And he did go up the stairs to her apartment with an inner dither of anticipation.
    Why was he there? What excuse could he give? He wasn’t invited until five that evening. How could he begin?
    He could offer to get anything she might need for supper.
    Her door was closed and she didn’t respond to his knock. She’d probably moved out overnight and her invitation was a touché of malice.
    Disappointed, he took care of whatever needed to be done at the apartments, which wasn’t much,