way in hell could I walk into Ruby’s and risk the staff calling me by my real name. “That place isn’t as private as you think. Have you heard of Northern Lights? They’re busy at night, but in the daytime, not that many people.”
“I know the place. But a man like me wouldn’t be seen in a bar like that.”
“Do you normally do business in a public place? Seems counterintuitive for a guy who likes his privacy. Anyhow, I don’t have a car, so getting over to the human district isn’t easy. Not unless I take the train.”
“Why don’t I just pick you up now so we can talk? I can be there in half an hour.” He sounded flustered. “We’ll drive around the block, talk it over, and you can go back to work. They do let you have breaks, don’t they?”
“Works for me. I’ll be out front.”
“See you then.”
Just as I hung up, someone walked in. Simone wouldn’t like me taking two breaks back to back, especially during the evening rush. She’d report me to the manager, and rightly so. I couldn’t let my coworkers think I was working undercover—the gossip alone could ruin our mission.
I sprang to my feet and hurried to the door. A woman with Donna Summer hair judged me with her eyes as she bent over the sink and applied pink lipstick.
When I reached Houdini’s office, I knocked. What were the chances he was actually there? Probably slim to none, and I had no other way to reach him. But I needed an alibi, and fast.
I stepped back in surprise when the door opened.
Houdini was about Christian’s height—just a hair over six feet. Nothing about his style gave away his age. The faded jeans might hint toward a younger man, but I knew he was at least a hundred years old.
At least.
“To what do I owe the honor?”
I pushed past him. “I need to ask a favor.”
The door closed, and he turned, looking more stylish than usual in a dark blazer over a grey shirt.
“Why don’t you let your employees dress casual?” I asked, looking down at his black dress shoes.
He leaned on the door and propped his foot against it. “This isn’t a five-star restaurant.”
“I realize that, but bartenders aren’t part of the show. You could at least let us wear cut-off T-shirts or something more comfortable.”
His hazel eyes settled on me. “You have plenty of options. Have you considered the fishnet tops? I hear they’re quite comfortable.”
I folded my arms to keep from strangling him. “Simone showed me the dress code. You aren’t allowed to wear those with a bra.”
A smile touched his broad mouth. “Of all the things you could complain about, it’s attire. Is that the favor you wish to ask? If I grant it, you’ll stand out.”
“No. I need to take an extended break. I’m on a break now, and I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. Probably less than an hour. Obviously I can work to make up the hours, but that’s not the issue.”
“Then what is?”
“You have rules, and the employees around here follow them to a tee. In fact, you’ve got a few snitches on the floor. People are going to start wondering why I’m getting special treatment, and the manager might fire me.”
“Don’t worry about Karen. She does whatever I ask.”
I flicked a glance at all the monitors on the wall behind me.
“Are you feeling better today?”
When I turned back around, Houdini gave me a start as he was only inches in front of me.
“What do you mean?”
He caressed my cheek with his hand. “I told you not to break my rules.”
It took me a minute to register what he had just admitted.
“Drinking on the job not only makes you unpredictable, but it puts my customers at risk.”
I leaned away from his touch. “Did you spike my drink last night?”
He stared at me as if I’d asked an inane question.
Anger swirled in me like a cyclone, and I shoved his chest. “You asshole! What gives you the right to mess with me like that? Do you realize the danger you put me in?”
He straightened his coat. “A belligerent woman. Is that what Keystone has reduced you to? One of the qualities I most liked about you when we first met was how dispassionate you were. There was little I could do or say that would make you emotional.”
“This is different. You sabotaged me. And when it comes to my body, all bets are off.”