Ghost of a Chance

“I guess we can go next week then,” he said, trying not to sound too disappointed. He wasn’t much for walking around and looking at things. That was pretty much what his job was, and museums were nothing but that. Still, Jessica would be there the whole time, so it wasn’t exactly time wasted.

It was a bit of a busman’s holiday, though.

It took Alex a full five minutes for his brain to start working, though whether his mental torpor was caused by the food or his company, he couldn’t be sure. When at last his synapses finally did start firing, he stood up so fast he sent his chair tumbling across the private room.

Jessica just stared at him with wide eyes.

“What’s the matter?”

He didn’t answer, just stepped around the table, leaned down, and kissed her square on the mouth. If he hadn’t been numb he imagined she would have tasted sweet.

“Thank you,” he said. “I’ve got to find a phone.”

Before Jessica could object or protest, he raced out through the curtain into the dining room.

“Is everything all right, Mr. Lockerby?” the robed man who had been serving them asked. Alex intended to ignore him but something in the man’s face made him stop. He remembered who this man’s boss really was, and while he doubted Danny’s father cared one whit about whether or not Alex enjoyed his meal, this man didn’t know that. For all this waiter knew, Alex was an important guest, and the consequences for failing to make him happy could be dire.

“I’m sorry,” Alex said, stopping to put a reassuring hand on the man’s arm. “I’ve just been called away to work. My companion and I will be leaving as soon as I make a telephone call.”

The man’s face blanched, confirming Alex’s suspicions.

“Please tell Mr. Chow that the food was wonderful, the service was superb, and the dumplings were exquisite.”

The man’s smile bloomed back to his face and he nodded.

“Thank you,” he said with a bow.

“Now, where can I find a telephone?”

* * *

Alex made two phone calls, using up most of the change left in his pocket. The first was to Gary Bickman. Alex had to use every bit of leverage he had with the little Brit, but he finally convinced him to have Andrew Barton meet Alex at the Central Office.

His second call was to Iggy, delivering pretty much the same message. Alex did spend an extra few minutes explaining his reasoning to the doctor just to make sure he wasn’t crazy.

“You’re crazy,” Iggy said. “Call in a tip to the cops and go back to that beautiful woman.”

Iggy always could see the right of things.

“You know I can’t do that,” Alex said. “Just meet me there as soon as you can.”

Iggy said that he would, and Alex hung up.

“That was a quick phone call,” Jessica said when he returned their dining room a moment later. “You want to explain what that was all about?”

“Nope,” he said, picking up his chair. “That’d be work talk, and we promised no more work talk tonight.” He picked up his fork and speared a dumpling. Honestly, he was glad, after this week of failures. He didn’t want Jessica to know his plan in case he failed again. Of course if he failed again the world would know because he would definitely be going up on an obstruction charge.

Or three.

“We do need to go,” he said, picking up his hat and putting away the battered cigarette lighter.

Jessica just looked at him in bewilderment for a long moment, then her playful, sexy smile came back. She set her napkin aside and stood up.

“All right,” she said. “Keep your secrets, but I’d better hear all about it on our date next week.”

Alex promised to tell her everything, and she nodded, then stood.

“I am a bit disappointed, though,” she said, fixing him with a challenging stare. “You’re cutting our meal short and all you can manage by way of apology was that quick peck on the lips? I should think you’d be more gentlemanly than that.”

Alex’s brain was firing on all cylinders now, but it still took him a long second to sort out what she’d said. Embarrassed at the lapse, he stepped up in front of her, lifted her chin with his finger, leaned slowly down and kissed her.

Everything he’d missed in that first brief kiss exploded through him. The touch of her lips was electric, and he felt her hands slide up his arms and over his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tightly against him.

After what seemed like an all too brief eternity, he let her go. As she stepped back, he wanted to say something, something witty or clever like the movie actors did, but nothing came to him. When she saw the struggle in his face, Jessica smiled.

“Did you smear my lipstick?” she asked.

“I’m afraid so,” he said, noting that it was now spread beyond the borders of her lips.

She reached up and patted him on the cheek.

“Good boy,” she said, her smile positively wicked. “Now where, exactly, are we going?”

She pulled a mirror out of her handbag and fixed her lipstick. Alex waited for her to finish, then offered her his arm and she took it.