Candles burned in the lingering twilight. Our table stood on the flagging between her house and the pool. The white columns around the water were lit and the scene made me think of a European set for a Jackie Collins miniseries. Rome or Monte Carlo, maybe. We crooned endearments to each other. Until Ryan waddled around a corner, dragged up a chair, and helped himself to a drink. “Don’t look so surprised, Beauty. You must have known I’d be paying you another visit. Got anything else? I don’t like wine.” “You shouldn’t be drinking.” “It’s nice you’re concerned, but save the doctor shit for the suckers who don’t mind losing a kidney.” “Jack told me you had the strangest notion.” “Notion nothing. You’re performing illegal operations. There’s no two ways about it.” “You have a videotape?” “I got a witness.” Bella laughed. “Maybe he can’t pick your face, but that don’t make what he saw any less useable. Leastwise for me. How does an Egyptian beetle sound?
