in our line of work.”
“In your line of work.”
“Well, tonight, we’re both out of bullets.”
When the wine came they clinked glasses and Beth said, “Here’s to many more decades of the Perry sisters hanging together.”
Mace had regained her good humor. “Now that’s something I can drink to.”
Beth stared over her wineglass. “So your buddy Kingman found a key in a book that Tolliver sent him.”
Mace munched on a hard olive roll and tried to look surprised. “Really? Key to what?”
“We don’t know.”
“Prints?”
“Yes.”
“Tolliver’s?”
“Yes again, how’d you know?”
“Assumed if she sent it, she had to touch it.”
“Why did you go and see that sleazeball Binder today?”
Mace took a long slurp of wine before setting her glass down. “Are you having me followed, Beth?”
“I would not call it followed, no.”
“Then what the hell would you call it?”
“I’m having you hovered.”
“Hovered? Has the world changed so much in two years that I’m supposed to know what that means?”
“Beth!”
They both turned to see the mayor standing there, his entourage columned behind him. He was young and good-looking and had by most accounts done a good job for the city. Yet he was a cagey politician, meaning that the person he looked out for the most stared back at him in the mirror every morning.
“Hello, Mayor, you remember my sister?”
They shook hands. He leaned down and said in a low voice, “Good to see you. Let me know if I can be of any assistance. Right. Take care. Stay out of trouble.”
This came out in such a blur of polished speech that Mace doubted the man had stopped for a breath or even heard what he’d actually said.
He stood straight. “Having a girls’ night out, are we?”
“I guess we are,” said Beth.
“Excellent. How we doing on the Tolliver case?”
“You getting calls?”
“I always get calls, I’ve just learned the ones to pay attention to.”
“And these are such calls?”
“Just keep me in the loop.”
“We’re making progress. The minute I know more, so will you.”
“Good, good.”
“About that other case?”
“Right. Sorry about that. Above my pay grade.” He turned and was gone as quickly as he’d appeared. His staff shuffled off behind their leader, each with a cell phone out, talking, no doubt, to suitably important people.
“That guy will be in office for life,” said Mace.
“Long after I’m gone,” replied Beth.
“So, getting back to hover.”
Beth playfully crossed her eyes. “I thought this was a celebration.”
“Fine, but I’m going to need another glass of wine. To celebrate being hovered.”
“No, one is enough. And you’re going to have plenty to eat and get some fresh air before you ride off on that bike.”
“And here I was thinking Mom lived all the way out past Middleburg.”
“Mace, please.”
“I’m not going to embarrass you further.”
“That’s not what I meant. A DUI gets you sent back.”
“Then let’s order before I get totally wasted and you have to perform a field sobriety test right here on the table.”
The food was excellent, the service attentive, the people coming up to greet the chief only a dozen or so in number and polite for the most part, except when they were either complaining or groveling.
“You’re popular,” remarked Mace. “Just think if you were in uniform.”
“Maybe I’m too popular.”
“What?”
“Don’t look now, but here comes our favorite DA.”
“Ah, hell, and I’ve only had one glass of wine and not a single controlled substance all day.”
They both turned to watch Mona Danforth marching toward them.
CHAPTER 33
THE LADY was wearing a dress that looked like it cost more than Mace’s Ducati. The makeup and hair were perfect, the jewelry tasteful but heavyweight enough to still retain the “wow” factor. The only thing marring the package was the woman’s expression. For a beautiful woman Mona Danforth could look very ugly.
“Hello, Mona,” said Beth pleasantly.
Mona snagged another chair from an adjacent table, unmindful of whether anyone was actually using it or not, and sat down. “We need to talk.”
The statement was directed at Beth, but Mace answered first. “Really, Moan, you’ve learned to actually do that? Congratulations.”
Mona didn’t even bother to look at her. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Mace started to shoot something back, but Beth nudged her leg under the table. “I’m assuming this has something to do with Jamie Meldon’s death?”
“Why else would I be sitting here?”
“You know, Mona, we are on the same team here. Police, prosecutor? Do you sense a pattern?”
“I heard you got bumped from the case.”
“Didn’t even have time to step on any shell casings. Go talk to the mayor. You just missed him. Or the CIA, I’m sure Langley