They arrived at the espresso counter and Lee looked at me. “Can I talk to you, please?” he asked.
I swal owed, nodded and walked from behind the espresso counter. He sat on a couch with me and put the sole of his boot up on to the edge of the table. I sat with my legs crossed under me, sideways on the couch, facing him.
I looked at his posture. He was sitting exactly the way Hank was when I first laid eyes on him.
Before I could stop myself, I said, “You’re just like your brother.”
“Sorry?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
Lee watched me closely and I could swear he was reading my mind. Final y, he muttered, “Fucking hel .” His gaze was stil on me.
“What?” I asked.
His eyes crinkled. “I like this,” Lee said, as if to himself, obviously pleased about something, pleased and amused.
“Is Hank okay?” I ignored what he said and got to what I considered was the matter at hand.
Lee’s eyes focused on me again. “Yeah. Why?”
“You looked serious when you walked in. I was, um, worried.”
The corners of Lee’s lips curled up slightly. “He’s fine, busy. He wanted me to come talk to you.”
I nodded. “What do you like?” I asked, going back to what he said earlier.
“Sorry?” he repeated.
“You said, ‘I like this’. What do you like?” He didn’t hesitate but said, straight out, “You’re in love with Hank.”
My eyes bugged out of my head. “What?” my voice was high and didn’t sound like my own.
He leaned into me. “It’s good Roxie.”
I wasn’t sure but I thought I’d started panting.
Lee went on. “Hank dated a girl, in high school, she was sweet but boring as hel . Hank’s women have al been boring. You…” he paused, “aren’t boring.”
Good God.
First, I wasn’t sure I wanted to think about Hank’s women. Second, wel , second was obvious.
“Please, let’s not talk about this,” I begged.
Lee watched me some more and gave in, but he did it with another eye crinkle.
Then his face got serious. “We’ve got information.” Shit.
Maybe I wanted to talk some more about me being in love with Hank and not being boring, whatever the hel that meant.
“What?” I asked in spite of myself.
“You know a man named Desmond Harper?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Big player in Chicago. Mostly drugs. Flynn was a cog in his very large wheel. Flynn stole from him, big take. Harper is not happy.”