Chapter 10

Sunday morning breakfast turned out to be quite an occasion. Nancy made the coffee. She'd always been able to entice the percolator to do its best. Since our divorce, my breakfast coffee had never been quite the same. I broiled the steaks, fried the eggs, fixed the potatoes and the toast. Nancy had a half-pound top sirloin steak. I needed a pound and a half.

After we'd put that away, sitting at the kitchen nook next to the rain-splattered window, I brought out the champagne I'd had in the refrigerator. As I set out the two glasses and began unwrapping the tinfoil from the neck of the bottle, Nancy said, "That is indeed an occasion."

"It is. A month ago I bought the champagne. To celebrate my admittance to the Bar. To celebrate it with you, Nan."

"Sometimes I wonder if we should have gotten a divorce, Link."

"Any regrets?"

I was pouring it into the two glasses. Her dark eyes were thoughtful. She said, "Not if you'll let me come and sleep with you, Link."

"Isn't it any good with anyone else?"

"I don't know," she said. "I've never tried it."

"Well, cheers," I said. "Thank you for coming by last night. I really needed you, Nan."

She was out of her chair, coming towards me and then her arms were around my neck. Even with our robes, I could feel her heat and softness against the front of me. She kissed me long and passionately before she stepped away again and took her glass from my hand.

"That was to let you know how much I needed you, Link."

After we'd settled in the breakfast nook again I said, "You're very complimentary, Nan. I appreciate it. It gives me a lot of confidence."

She had been staring down at her champagne.

Without looking at me she said, "I wish I could give you that in the Sarah Leighton matter."

It was the first time I'd thought about it since I'd staggered into the apartment and found Nancy waiting for me. Damn those two guys. The moment I thought about them again I decided that Lee Harmon had hired them. Instead of going to San Francisco, he'd probably gone to. his office. Maybe he'd returned and seen Bonnie taking me up to his apartment. Just to confuse the issue he'd instructed the two guys to include both Bonnie and Honey in the warning.

Or did Honey have a boyfriend who'd seen us going up to her apartment? I tried to fit that encounter in with the murder of Sarah Leighton but there seemed to be no connection. At this point I wasn't bothering anyone. And I certainly wasn't finding out who'd murdered Sarah.

Or had I? Was it possible that unknowingly I'd already met and talked to the murderer of Sarah Leighton? Lee Harmon? Bonnie? Honey? Now I told Nancy, "I don't want you to worry about it, Nan. Maybe Jenks was right, I'll just sit inside, out of the rain, and let the police take care of it."

"No!" Nancy said, and there was a little anger in her voice. "I know you, Link, and you're not the type that would do that. And I wouldn't want you to."

I sipped champagne. Then I said, "You're sweet, Nan. Sexy, too, and you have a lovely—"

"Wait a minute!" she interrupted. "I just thought of something, Link."

I leered at her. "Whenever you're ready —"

"Now be serious! Link — I know a woman, she works for the agency once in a while. She's an artist, free-lance, but occasionally we have her do some work for us. Why don't you go see her? She lives in Malibu. I even remember her address." And then Nancy gave it to me.

"What does she have to do with the Sarah Leighton murder7"

"Nothing! But maybe she can give you some information — the leads that you need. Her name is Nora —"

"A brunette?" I interrupted.

"Yes," Nancy said cagily. "As a matter of fact, she is. Do you know her?"

I figured I did. Vaguely I remembered hearing Sarah at the restaurant mention that Nora was an artist. Now why did Nancy suddenly bring her into the whole mess?

"I guess not," I said, lying the best I could. "The Nora I know is a redhead."

"She might be able to give you some good leads, Link."

Damnit! Why did Nancy have to bring up Nora's name! Was Nancy involved in the Sarah Leighton thing, too, and was she trying to throw me off the track? No, not Nancy, the woman I'd always found to be honest in everything she did. I stared down at my champagne, trying to figure out why Nancy had even mentioned Nora's name.

I asked, "Why should Nora be able to give me some good leads, Nan?"

Nancy drained her glass of champagne and then got to her feet. "I can't say any more, Link. With the agency relationship and all, I think you'll understand my position. I think I'll get dressed. I must be getting home."

She departed to the kitchen and then I was stung there by myself, watching the bubbles in the champagne as I poured myself another glass.

Damn that Nancy! She was just like a woman. If she'd been my wife I would have beat the hell out of her. Funny, but if you're old friends, you don't do things like that. So what in the Hell had she meant that Nora might give me some good leads?

I brooded about it, sipped the rest of the champagne and peered out the window at the rainy world.

"Well, take care of yourself, Link." Nancy had just stepped into the kitchen. She was fully dressed, and looking very slim and elegant in her boots and rain coat.

"More champagne, Nan?" I slid out of the breakfast nook and stood up.

"No, thank you. I've got a lot of things to do today. Tomorrow is Monday, another working day."

She was looking at me. With the dark blue eyes and the jet black hair framing her face, she was truly very lovely. I'd loved her because of that, once. Maybe I still did. No, she was only a very good friend. I couldn't hold a grudge. Last night had proved it.

"Thanks again for coming by," I said. "You're all right, Nan."

She smiled. "One of these days this young attorney won't have time for me. But until then, I'll be dropping by. Cheers, Link."

She turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen. I could hear her muffled footsteps as she walked through the front room, and a second later the door opened and closed.

Less than fifteen minutes later I'd finished the champagne while I'd dressed. Now I was stepping out of the apartment again, locking the door behind me. I dashed through the slashing rain to my car and slid behind the wheel.

The seat covers were covered with mud and water; but I didn't pay any attention to that. I swung away from the curb and headed for Malibu. While I was driving, I was already thinking about Nora, recalling the way the mass of dark hair had been piled on top of her head and the way her hips swayed when she walked.

I wondered whether she'd even let me into her house. She did!

In the pouring rain, with the thick mist swirling in from the ocean, I'd leaned long and hard on the doorbell. The door opened almost immediately.

"Come in out of the rain, please," Nora said.

I stepped inside and she closed the door behind me. Beyond her I could see the flames curling around the real logs in the fireplace. The windows facing the Pacific were huge but it was like peering into a mass of steam. That held my attention for only a moment. Now Nora got all of my attention.

Her perfume was dusky and subtle, not heavy, but it seemed to cling to me and to tickle my nostrils. She was wearing a white silken robe and it contrasted wonderfully with her rich brown skin. Her dark hair was a mass of shining strands built upon a well-shaped head.

She stood almost regally in front of me now, with her head held erect, the dark massacred eyes studying me warily. "And to what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked.

"I got lost," I said. "With the rain and fog, and all, your door looked like a friendly port in the storm."

"Then I'm honored. Scotch is your grog, I believe?"

"Right again."

"Sit down, Lincoln. I'll bring out the welcome wagon."

The moment she'd disappeared I shrugged out of my trench coat and settled onto the couch. From one of the other rooms came the sound of the clink of glasses and the breaking of ice cube trays. After a couple of minutes Nora returned. She was pushing a tea wagon that was loaded with ice, glasses, and booze.

She said, "You don't really need to take scotch, if you'd like something else."

"Don't change now."

"Very well."