“Well, we think he’s been making off with some valuable items from the Society, but the FBI’s looking for proof of that, so don’t worry about it. But we also know for a fact he’s been running through the Blue Book widows for the last year and more. My guess is, he’s angling for a new wife-someone who will support him in the manner to which he’d like to become accustomed. So we want to get him where it really hurts,” Marty said with a sly grin. “And of course I thought of you, dear.”
Libby cocked a well-groomed eyebrow at her and grinned as our first course arrived. While listening to the conversation, I admired the artful composition of the food on my plate, the lovely plate itself, and the silverware that flanked it. I even admired the crisply pressed napkin that more than covered my lap. Then I tasted the food. I stopped listening to the conversation and diverted all energies to my taste buds. Amazing. I wondered if I was purring out loud.
When the second course appeared, it was more beautiful than the first course, almost too pretty to eat. It was with sincere regret that I turned my attention back to the other women.
“Libby, has Marty told you what we’re thinking of doing?” I said.
Libby seemed oblivious to the wonders on the plate in front of her. “I gather you want me to seduce him and wrangle all his secrets from him, after I’ve, uh, softened him up?”
I had to laugh at her turn of phrase. “Well, more or less. Anyway, we’d really like to see if he’ll talk about his assets-financial, that is.”
“And maybe record him,” Marty added.
Libby’s eyes sparkled. “Ooh, does that mean I get to wear a wire? Like on TV?”
“I don’t know the technology, but something like that,” I said, glancing at Marty for corroboration. She nodded enthusiastically.
“And I’d be working for the FBI?” Libby asked.
I frowned. “Well, indirectly. They don’t know about this, and we aren’t exactly planning to tell them, but we’ll turn over anything we find out to them.”
“Don’t worry-my cousin Jimmy is an agent in the Philadelphia office,” Marty added.
“What, little Jimmy Morrison, the one who couldn’t swim?”
“That’s the one.”
“Will wonders never cease. So now he’s a G-man?”
“He grew up.”
“I always wondered what happened to him. Government snoop certainly seems to fit.”
Marty looked mystified. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t you remember that time he spied on me and Arthur, oh, what’s his name? We were exploring the, um, wonders of nature in the boathouse one summer. I must have been about sixteen, which would make Jimmy, what, nine? He got a real eyeful. Maybe that’s how he got started on this FBI stuff.”
Marty laughed. “I’d forgotten about that. So he won’t hear anything he hasn’t heard before, if we tape you and Charles?”
“Ooh, Martha, you are bad. But you’re right. Nothing like keeping it all in the family, eh?”
As I swirled a piece of the excellent crusty French bread around my plate to capture the very last of the extraordinary sauce, I contemplated the bantering women before me. I wondered if they came from another species. Growing up with both money and connections, they seemed to have a different view of the world than I did. Not that they were putting on airs, and they were both being quite open about what had gone on between them and Charles, and that club now included me. I decided that overall I liked them. After all, it wasn’t their fault that they had been born rich. I could deal with that, as long as the fallout included meals like this one.
Dessert arrived, along with excellent coffee. Once again, I gazed in awe at the splendid composition on the plate before me. Was I really supposed to sully it with a fork? What a shame. But I managed. Libby and Marty were talking about various people I had never heard of. Yes, I could get used to this life…
Libby gestured imperiously to a passing waiter to refill her coffee cup, then said, “Okay, what specifically do you want me to do?”
Marty took the lead. “You’ve been seeing Charles on a fairly regular basis?”
She nodded. “It’s not like we have a standing date every Tuesday or anything like that, but yes, I’d say once or twice a week, depending on the social calendar.”
“Purely public dates, or have you met in private?”
“I’ve been to his place a couple of times, and he’s been to my place in the city once.”
“Where does he seem more comfortable?”
“His place, definitely.”
“Have you taken off your clothes there?”
Caught by surprise, I stifled a laugh. Libby tried to look outraged but failed, and ultimately gave in to laughter. “Yes, Marty, we’ve done the deed there.”
“You slut, you.” The two old friends smiled at each other. “Well, if you spend time at your place, we could wire the place rather than you. If you have to go to his place, and if you take off your clothes, it gets more complicated to hide any microphones.”
“So it’s more than just your prurient interest, I gather. All right. Look, I’m not all that familiar with your high-tech doodads, but I can tell you, since I have reached a certain age, I prefer to preserve a bit of mystery. In other words, I wear a nightgown. Oh, by the way, Nell, that white silk number was yours?”
I stared at her. “Uh, yes.”
“Charles thought he’d hidden it, but I’m a snoop. It’s very nice.”
“Thank you.” I blushed, then decided it was time to divert the focus away from the physical to the technical. “Uh, ladies, what about these listening devices? We can’t exactly call up James and ask to borrow a few.”
Marty waved a hand dismissively. “My sister’s eldest son is into that high-tech stuff. I’m sure he can set us up with what we need. I’ll give him a call later.”
I was not convinced but decided to wait and see. Then another thought struck me. “You know,” I began slowly, “I’ll bet I could get the bugs into Charles’s place.” I liked the idea. I could kill two birds with one stone: plant the bugs and break it off with Charles.
Marty stared at me. “I hadn’t thought of that. But what’ll you say to him to get you in the door?”
“Oh, I guarantee it’ll be a conversation he won’t want to have on the stoop.” I gave a moment’s thought to falling into Charles’s bed again and gagged. No, not after what I had learned over the last few days; not after what he’d done, or tried to do, to me. But I could go and tell him that whatever we’d shared was over. “I think I deserve one grand farewell scene. Besides, Libby reminded me that I want my nightgown back. That way I’d have the perfect excuse to get into the bedroom-to collect the stuff I left there. I could probably stick a bug somewhere in there.”
“What if he doesn’t let you in?”
“Well, it’s worth a try, isn’t it? If he won’t let me in, then Libby can take a shot at it. But I think he would be polite, at least. He’s never been deliberately rude. And I’ll bet he has a great farewell speech drafted already.”
“Might work. But it’s got to be soon. I’d better get those bugs, so we can figure out how they work.”
Libby faced us. “Assuming we get the thingamajigs to work, what is it you want to hear him say?”
Marty grinned at her. “Well, it’s going to look a bit odd if you drag him straight into bed and start trying to wheedle information out of him. String him along a little-turn up the heat bit by bit, let him think he’s making progress. Then turn the tables and ask him about his intentions-which should lead right into discussing his financial standing. He’s not stupid, he’ll have done his homework, and he’d expect you to ask that kind of question. Get him to lay out his portfolio. Think you can handle that?”