"Why not? You two sure do seem on very good terms. I'd be almost tempted to say intimate terms. Sherlock and Savich are holed up in the bedroom. Can we expect any more of your conquests to show up, Mac?"
"Cut it out, Laura. It's not what you think. Besides, I'd barely met you when Cal nailed me."
"She nailed you? Usually it's said the other way around. Poor Mac, all these women after your body."
"You're the last so you'd better not put too many holes in me."
She lightly patted my cheek and followed Cal into the cottage.
Laura had removed all signs of Sherlock and Savich. I wondered why they hadn't wanted to stay out here. "How about some bacon and toast, Cal?"
"Thanks, Mac. Hey, who's this?"
"That's my cat, Grubster."
Cal immediately broke a piece of bacon in half and fed it to Grubster. "He's a pig." Having said that, Cal took a big bite of toast. She leaned down and gave Grubster the other half of the bacon.
"He'll kill for you now."
"He's beautiful. Who's that?"
"Squawk."
"That's my mynah bird, Nolan. Would you like some coffee, Cal?"
She nodded and Laura soon returned with the coffeepot and poured, then went back into the kitchen.
Cal took a drink, then sat forward on her chair and whispered in a very loud stage voice, "I know you have to protect her, Mac, but just maybe we can get rid of her for a while? She seems nice, she'll probably want to take a walk on the cliffs. She won't have to stay out long. I figure I can have you out of those pants in under three seconds."
Stones were piled on top of my tongue. "It might be nice to have a bed this time instead of the floor. What do you think?"
"Cal," I said, "this isn't the time, really. Laura can't be alone. This isn't a game-someone's trying to kill her."
"Oh, I don't know, Mac," Laura said, grinning, not six feet away, "I think I'd like a walk on the cliffs. You two can just go tangle up the sheets. Would you like me to make the bed before I leave?"
I knew it. I just knew it. There was no justice, no fairness in the world. What there was, was Laura standing two feet away from Cal, no expression at all on her face, and I knew that was a bad sign.
"You see, Mac?" Cal said. "Laura doesn't mind. You'd really make up the bed for us?"
"It's not all that messed up," said the woman I'd made love to the previous night, the woman who Savich said was nuts about me. "We both slept like logs, little movement. Hey, I could just spread the covers and you two could tussle on top. How about that?"
Cal was suddenly very quiet. "You two slept together last night?"
"Yes," I said, standing. "We did. Now, Cal, we've got lots of stuff to do. Was there anything specific you wanted?"
"No, just you, Mac." Cal slid off the bar stool. She took the last bite of her toast. She wiped her hands on her jeans' leg. "I thought this was just a cop assignment for you, Mac," she said slowly.
"It's a lot of things, Cal. Is there any word on Jilly?"
Cal shook her head. "Surely Maggie would call you first if she found out anything." She looked over at Laura, for a very long time. "Do you know what, Laura?"
"No, what?"
"I sure would like to paint you. Your face isn't all that interesting, but your clothes are so tight I can tell you've got a great body. How about it?" I pictured Cal jumping Laura after she'd sketched her body.
Laura was staring at Cal like she was two boards shy of a floor. Then, slowly, she turned to me. "What do you think, Mac?"
"Cal's a good artist," I said.
"No, do you think I've got a great body?"
"Yes, and Cal's still a good artist."
"Okay," Cal said, rubbing her hands together. "We can set up a time for next week. About us, Mac, we can talk about it another time, since you say you're so busy. Oh yeah, I got some of those French condoms, you know, the ones that are real slippery and ribbed?"
I thought I'd be smart and not say a single word to that. I don't think I even breathed for at least ten seconds. I watched Cal leave the cottage, heard the soft roar of the BMW's engine.
"Well," Laura said, eyeing me, then the toast crumbs all around Cal's plate. "I guess that took care of my idea of actually questioning her."
I grinned at her, grabbed her, and jerked her into my arms. I was kissing her when Savich and Sherlock walked back into the room.