Killer Calories

“Then the swimsuit didn’t work as well as I’d hoped.”
    “It works very well. If you didn’t wear it to seduce me, I’d say you wore it to distract me while you pump me for information. And, if that’s true, you made an excellent choice. I’m definitely distracted.”
    Again, he laughed, but this time he looked a bit embarrassed, which told her that her instincts had been right. “How did you know?” he asked.
    “Because that’s why I chose this particular suit.” She pointed to her abundant cleavage. “Is it working?”
    “So well that I’m going to have to wait a while before I can climb out of this tub without embarrassing myself.”
    In the interest of keeping a clear head, she didn’t dare think about the brevity of his swimsuit or the consequences of any male reactions to her charms.
    “Enough pleasantries,” she said. “You invited me here to find out something. What is it?”
    “I’d like to know why you’re here.”
    “You already asked me that.”
    “Yes, you said it was to drop some pounds and get into shape.”
    “Is that so hard to believe?”
    “For you? Yes. You’re already in great shape, and I have a feeling you’re one of those rare, lucky people who actually likes themselves... every single pound. Am I right?”
    She laughed. “Yes and no. I do like myself... all of me. But luck had nothing to do with it. Believe me, in a society that insists a grown woman have the body of a prepubescent girl, you have to work hard to achieve any degree of self-acceptance. Appreciation of your own flesh isn’t something you attain by ‘lucking out.’ ”
    Finished with her soliloquy, she drew a deep breath and waited for his reply. He smiled at her, thoughtfully, then said, ‘I stand corrected. But you haven’t changed my opinion of why you’re here.”
    “Which is?”
    “I think you’re visiting the Royal Palms in an official Opacity. It’s just a bit too coincidental that within forty-eight hours of Kat’s death, a former police detective and current Private investigator shows up.”
    Her mind ran through a list of several untruths to tell him. They varied from little white fibs to downright dirty black les- But she knew he wouldn’t believe any of them, so what was the point?
    “The only question is...” he continued, “...who hired you? Are you working for some individual, the insurance company, or your ex-partner—the guy who questioned me all afternoon?”
    He even knew that Dirk was her ex-partner. Savannah found this a bit unsettling. She much preferred to know other people’s business to having them know hers. Dr. Ross was a tad too informed for comfort where she was concerned.
    “That isn’t the only question,” she said. “There’s another: Why do you want to know?”
    “If you’ll answer mine, I’ll answer yours,” he replied with a sly grin.
    I’d rather play, You Show Me Yours, I’ll Show You Mine , she thought. But she resolved to stick to business. At least for the moment.
    “Okay,” she said, “but you won’t believe me when I tell you.”
    “Try me.”
    She donned her most innocent, convincing look, meant to instill confidence and trust. “I don’t know who hired me.
    His smile evaporated. “You’re right. I don’t believe you.
    “You don’t have to. But it’s true. They hired me anonymously, and they haven’t bothered to identify themselves yet.
    He mulled that over for several moments, then said, “Who do you think it is?”
    “I haven’t a clue. In fact, I sorta hoped it might be you-
    “Sorry. I’m innocent.”
    “Are you?”
    His grin returned. “Absolutely. Can’t you tell?”
    “No. I have a hard time reading you. I’ll bet you’re good at poker.”
    “Good? I’m excellent.”
    “And modest.” She chuckled with him, then fixed him with a blue laser stare. “Now it’s your turn. Why do you care who I am or why I’m here?”
    “Because, in spite of what I told you the other day, I don’t think Kat’s death was an accident. I think she might have been murdered. And if she was, the cops are going to figure that out sooner or later. When they do, I think they’re going to come after me.”
    “You? Why you?”
    “Because I had an excellent motive.”
    Savannah could feel her pulse rate crank up a notch. “And that was...?”
    “I loved her. And I couldn’t have her,” he said with a sigh. “Isn’t that the best motive of all?”
    Savannah shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s the best one.