Chapter 4

I like to dance. I don't like clubs. That limits my opportunities to dance.

One of the things I dislike about clubs is that they're noisy and crowded and it's difficult to hear what anybody is saying, including your dance partner.

On the other hand, the difficulty overhearing other peoples' conversations can be a distinct benefit.

I came alone, so I had the burden of having to ask women to dance. While I'm shy, that isn't a problem for me. My dancing is compelling to many women. I'm relaxed, I move as the music inspires me and I'm uninhibited about how I move.

It's not that I'm imbued with a surfeit of confidence; I just don't care what anybody else thinks. For dancing, it works. In other areas of my life, it's not so helpful.

I've worked hard at swing and once I get started, women ask me to dance with them.

As the evening wore on I danced with a potpourri of women, several of them for more than one dance.

I had an especially good time with an attractive five foot eleven blonde with two-inch heels. "No names; just wonderful dancing," she had said.

I whipped her around to the music while she laughed with delight.

We finished off with a slow dance, at the end of which she leaned down and said, "If you don't come back here and dance with me again, I'll hunt you down."

Across the dance floor was a fit, six foot one brunette with five-inch heels and a killer body squeezed into a tight dress. It was a bold statement that she was worth dancing with even if you had to look up at her, which almost all the men did.

She swayed sensually to the music.

I walked up to her and said, "The rest of my night will mean nothing if I don't get to dance with you."

She smiled and held out her hand.

I couldn't have danced in five-inch heels, but she was amazing.

We were drawing way too much attention until we finally got to dance a slow number. Then I noticed we were drawing some smirks. She was six foot six in her heels. I was five foot eight. My head tucked in under her chin.

"Don't you wish you were about a foot taller so we could dance face to face?" she asked.

"I was just lamenting not being six inches shorter."

She couldn't help an abrupt laugh. "You perve."

I tried to shrink myself with my posture, but it wasn't nearly enough.

I had thought about what to say to her. I wasn't sure what direction to take so I went with honesty.

"I overheard a piece of a conversation. Frank was on the phone with somebody asking for information about whether someone was a cop. I'm pretty sure he was talking about me."

"When was this?" she asked.

"About a week ago. I didn't ask for a special meeting because I thought I could handle it. Even if they made me they wouldn't want to rush into anything."

"Anything? You mean like killing you?" She expressed considerable displeasure in those six words.

"This is a good thing. It tells us whoever he's working with isn't in the Department."

"You're good. You can do whatever the hell you want and make it sound like a well-thought-out plan."

I kept the dreamy look on my face that would be expected dancing with her this way. She maintained her amused smile.

"The Lieutenant is not going to be happy with you," she said.

"Maybe you shouldn't tell him."

Lily didn't reply.

"You have to be able to trust your partner," I said.

She harrumphed.

"I meant me, not you," I said.

Either way I meant it, we both knew I was working her.

"So what are you involved in?"

I snuggled a little closer. "We're hijacking a load of narcotics. But I think this other thing is bigger. If he's got someone higher than the Department, it's in the DA's office, the Mayor's office or City Council. That would be huge."

"That could also be a political bombshell for the Lieutenant. He'll want to think about how it would play out."

"Well." I stretched the word out.

"More?"

"Why don't you tell him about the hijacking, but hold off on the other thing. He'll be better positioned to know how to handle it when we have an idea who it is."

"You're so full of shit," she said.

I waited for more, but she remained silent.

"I am full of shit, but you kind of like the plan."

She smiled. "Yeah."

"That expression looks like you succumbed to my proposition."

"As if."

"I don't think there's anybody watching me, but let's go back to your place just in case."

Lily leaned down and gave me a soft kiss on the lips. "Nice of you to share your fantasy."