Hooked

discount.”
    “Stop, damn it. Don’t make it something it wasn’t. I wasn’t taking advantage. I wanted you, no strings.”
    “Yeah, glad to hear prison isn’t a threat these days.”
    “If you thought I was hanging that over your head for sex, I wasn’t. I can’t remember wanting a woman more then,” he polished off his coffee, never taking his gaze off her, “or right this minute.”
    The man was as slick as black ice and as dangerous. Well, he’s not going to get me again. “You don’t have to say that. You need me; you’ve got me. You can call it no strings. I call it blackmail. Now, tell me how I get Benny to contract me, and let’s get this over with.”
    “Jesus, you’re hard.”
    “Yes. I am.”
    He didn’t say anything else. The breakfasts came. Walsh had ordered a western omelet and pancakes. Tawny hoped it settled like Play Doh on those magnificent washboard abs of his.
    Both ate without speaking until Walsh said, “Cooper comes into town twice a week. He eats lunch at the bar at Gruber’s Deli on 87 th and yaks it up with the owner. When I know which day, I’ll call you in enough time to get there. From our observations, he’s short a couple of girls these days. When he sees you, he won’t be able to resist making an offer. This time you’ll take it.”
    “Sounds simple enough. I’ll have to give him a hard time or he’ll be suspicious. One thing: I won’t be one of Benny’s after-hour playthings. Got that? That’s non-negotiable. If he balks, either find yourself another potential jailbird, arrest me, or let me off the hook.”
    “It’s not up to me. I’m just a worker bee. But if you skip town, we’ll find you and the feds will indict you on tax evasion. Find out what we want to know, and they’ll cut you a deal. You’ll probably get off with probation and, oh yeah, a nice tax bill.”
    “I wouldn’t expect any less. Let me ask you this. You could get Cooper on charges right now. Why go through all this?”
    “Because without proof, all we’d get him on is running a brothel. His girls might roll on him, but maybe not. I’ve had both male and female undercover cops get chummy with a few of the ladies, but no dice.”
    “Bet you could get one to talk.”
    Walsh smirked. “Too many of them know me.”
    “I bet.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” He wagged his head. “Never mind. I know.”
    Why was she being so snarky? He was doing his job. Then she remembered last night and wondered how many women Walsh had made love to the way he almost made love to her.
    “Benny’s a smart guy,” Walsh said. “I’m sure he’s covered his backside. We’ve no proof he’s blackmailing clients or if he even knew the dead girl. That’s what you have to find out.”
    “Now it doesn’t sound so simple.” She checked her watch. “I have to pay my bill and catch a plane.”
    “Bill’s paid, courtesy of your government, and I’ll drive you to the airport. Plane leaves in two hours.”
    So he did pay the bill. Wonder of wonders . “You guys know everything, don’t you?”
    “Not everything.” He started to say something else but didn’t.
    They finished breakfast and Tawny went to pick up her things. The desk clerk couldn’t have been more helpful. Walsh carried them out to the car parked in the drop-off circle. On the way, three men ogled her, even turned their heads to watch her from behind. She turned and gave them a teasing smile. Walsh frowned. She noticed.
    It took forty silent minutes to get to the airport. Walsh parked and carried her bag inside.
    “I’ll be back in the city later today. I’ll call you when we know something.”
    She took her ticket out of her bag, slapped it in the palm of her hand, and turned toward the counter. “I’m sure you will,” she said over her shoulder.
    * * * * *
    D amn, the woman infuriated him, strutting off in her high heels and designer suit that must have cost four figures. He’d met plenty of working girls in his job but never one like Tawny Dell. Smart and intuitive under her tough-talking exterior, she showed genuine warmth after the bathtub fiasco when he’d nearly lost it. She saw his weakness and didn’t capitalize on it. He doubted her clients ever saw her hard side. They didn’t back her into a corner to do what he was asking. Then he thought about the corner he had her in last night.
    He’d been kicking himself ever since he said those three stupid words. He didn’t even know why he said them.