Bill Pronzini - With an Extreme Burning

ELEVEN

He asked, “Have you read this, Amy?”

“Oh, the Gay Talese book.”

“It looks interesting.”

“It's okay, I guess.”

“You prefer the political type of investigative reporting? Woodward and Bernstein?”

“Not really. No.”

“But you didn't like Thy Neighbor's Wife ?”

“It's not that I didn't like it, exactly.”

“What then, exactly?”

“Well, you know, the subject matter.”

“Sure, I understand. It's difficult to relate to a subject that you've had no experience with.”

“I've had experience with it,” Amy said bitterly.

“You have?”

“You know, my parents' divorce.”

“Oh, right. I'm sorry, Amy.”

“Well, I've learned how to deal with it.”

“Of course you have.”

“Anyhow, he's a good writer. Gay Talese.”

“I think so, too. Should I buy the book?”

“Well, it's worth reading.”

“A book about sex is always worth reading.”

“If it's not just sleaze.”

“Graphic in parts, is it?”

“Not as graphic as a lot of novels.”

“Don't tell me you read sexy novels.”

“Sometimes. Don't you?”

“I confess: now and then.”

“Don't you think I'm old enough?”

“Do you think you're old enough?”

“Sure I do.”

“Then so do I. You're a mature young woman. And sex is a very important part of life, isn't it.”

“Yes.”

“Very very important,” he said.

He was leaning on the counter, casually, his face not more than eighteen inches from hers. Their eyes were locked. Amy couldn't have looked away if she'd wanted to, and she didn't want to. He had gorgeous eyes, with the longest, sexiest lashes. Looking into them, up close like this, made her weak.

“Aren't you going to let me have it?”

“Let you … what?”

“The book,” he said, smiling. “I can't buy it if you don't ring it up.”

“Oh … the book.”

She had to force her gaze to the used copy of Thy Neighbor's Wife; and she was fumble-fingered when she opened it to look at the penciled price on the front endpaper. Her cheeks felt hot. He knows how I feel about him, she thought. He must know. Why else would he have started talking about sex?

It was quiet in the bookshop, so quiet she could hear the quick beat of her heart. There was nobody else there; Mr. Hallam had gone out a little while ago to run some errands. Just the two of them, alone together. It was the second time he'd come in this week, and on Monday she'd been alone in the shop, too. As if he'd been hanging around outside for just the right time to walk in.

“What's the damage, Amy?”

“Damage? Oh.” She rang up the price; the computerized register added the sales tax automatically. “Eight sixty-three,” she said.

He gave her a ten-dollar bill. His fingers brushed over her palm, seemed to linger there for an instant. It was like being touched with something electric. She could feel her nipples getting hard as she made change, as she put the dollar bill, the quarter, dime, and two pennies into his hand. Her turn to do the touching and lingering, with the same electric results. He noticed without seeming to notice. He was just so cool. Except for his eyes. There was nothing cool about his eyes.

“I won't need a sack,” he said.

“You can have one if you want. We have lots of bags.” The words just popped out of her mouth. God, what a stupid thing to say!

“Not necessary.” He picked up the book, took a few steps away from the counter, stopped, and turned to face her again. “I just had a thought,” he said.

“Um … thought?”

“When I finish reading this, maybe we can discuss it—analyze it. Would you enjoy that?”

“Yes. I would.”

“Just the two of us.”

“Just the two of us. Where?”

“Oh, we'll find someplace quiet.”

“… All right.”

“And we can talk about you. I'd like to know more about you, your plans, how you feel about different things.”

“So would I. I mean, I'd like to know more about you, too.”

“Well, then, we'll definitely do it. As soon as I finish reading the book.”

“Are you a fast reader?” That just popped out, too.

He laughed. “Not too fast, not too slow. I like to savor things, the good things in life. Don't you?”

He didn't give her a chance to answer. He turned again and sauntered out.

There was a stool behind the counter; Amy sank down on it. Her nipples were still hard, her palms damp. The way she felt … it was like the first time she'd gone all the way with Davey, right before, while he was taking off her clothes. Pure body heat.

I really must be crazy, she thought.

She closed her eyes and imagined what it would be like making love with him, with a man instead of a boy.

It was a quarter after five when she turned her Honda onto Shady Court. Mom wasn't home yet; the driveway was empty. Amy parked in front in case she decided to go out again later on.

There was a package on the front porch. Wedged in between the screen door and the house door.

UPS, she thought, must be for Mom. She bent to pick it up, was surprised and pleased when she saw that it was addressed to Ms. Amy Bracco and Ms. Francesca Bellini. She didn't recognize the writing; it had been done with a black felt-tip pen in a funny kind of back-slanted block printing. There was no return address. And UPS hadn't brought it either. At least there was no UPS sticker on the brown wrapping paper.

A present for both of them? But from who … whom? It was about the size of a dress box and it had been sealed with filament tape. Whatever was in it, it didn't weigh much: the package was so light, it might have been empty. Maybe it was a joke. Amy shook it up close to her ear. No, she could hear something moving around inside. A mystery. Good, she liked mysteries. Especially the kind you could solve in about three minutes.

She let herself in, took the package into the kitchen, and set it on the table. In the utility drawer by the sink was a pair of scissors. She was about to start cutting the filament tape when the phone rang.

She turned toward it, caught for an instant between the lure of the package and the summons of the bell. Then she remembered Mom's orders to let all calls go on the machine, because of the weirdo. She stayed where she was, waiting. The volume on the machine was turned up as far as it would go, so you could listen to anybody leaving a message.…

Dad. When she heard his voice she felt a mix of pleasure and anger, the same as always. More pleasure than anger now—she'd pretty much forgiven him for walking out on her and Mom—but forgiving wasn't forgetting. And loving your father didn't mean you had to like him one hundred percent either, not the way you had when you were a little girl.

He was calling for her, not Mom. She moved fast and got the receiver up before he finished with his message. “Daddy, hi, I'm here.”

“Princess. Perfect timing.”

“Did you say something about this weekend?”

“Wondering if you had any plans.”

“No plans. Why?”

“Not going anywhere with your mother?”

“She has to work and so do I.”

“Well, how'd you like to spend part of the holiday with us at the Dunes?”

“You and Megan?”

“Tony's coming, too.”

Oh, God, Tony.

“He's driving up Saturday night,” Dad said. “With his new girlfriend, so you don't have to worry about him putting any more moves on you.”

“That'll make it pretty cramped.”

“We'll manage. How about it, princess?”

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning. You could drive here then, or come up tonight and stay over.”