Page 25 of Killing Time

But Devynn was efficient with her purchases, gathering up several packs of curlers, a handheld hair dryer, hairpins, hairspray, a powder compact, and a flat cake of mascara. Because Charles had given him all the money and he hadn’t yet handed some over to Devynn, Seth ended up paying for everything, but that was fine. Whatever she could do to blend in more would only be a good thing.

Afterward, they headed back to the hotel, where she stored all her purchases in the bathroom and came back to the window where Seth stood.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said, and he raised an eyebrow.

“About what?”

“About where Jasper has Ruby stashed. I find it hard to believe that he would keep her at his place, but maybe if he has a basement or a guest house or something where the neighbors wouldn’t be able to spy her, then it might make some sense. The problem is, we have no idea what his house even looks like.”

Seth couldn’t help sending her a worried glance. “I hope you’re not suggesting we drive by there like we did the house on Park Street. We got lucky earlier today, but now that we know where Jasper lives…and that several other Wilcoxes live on that same street…I’m not sure that’s a very good idea.”

However, she only smiled. “We may end up having to do that very thing, but I thought we could try something different first. Do you think they might have the architectural plans for his house at City Hall? In my time, every new house has to have permits — as well as any house that’s getting extensive remodeling that involves moving walls around and stuff — but I don’t know whether that was the practice in the 1940s.”

“I have no idea,” Seth replied. “But I suppose that’s something we can check out tomorrow when the city offices areopen. Unfortunately, I don’t know how much more we can do today.”

A certain glint entered her clear blue eyes, and she stepped close and twined her fingers with his. “Oh, I can think of a few things…if you’re up to it.”

His body stirred at her touch, and he pulled her to him and bent down to press a kiss against her lips. Voice a murmur, he said, “Oh, I’m definitely up to it.”

“Don’t you dare laugh,” Devynn warned him as she exited the bathroom the next morning.

He could never think her anything less than beautiful, but he had to admit that she did present a somewhat comical sight with her long hair bound up in those pink curlers.

“I won’t laugh,” he said gravely, even as his mouth quirked a little. “How long do you have to wear those things?”

Her shoulders lifted. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve never used them before. In my time, we use electric curling irons and flat irons, but I didn’t see anything like that at the five-and-dime. I used the dryer to get my hair to where it was just damp and then used it again after I put in the curlers, but I can tell it’s still not dry. Maybe another half-hour?”

That didn’t sound too bad. They’d awoken fairly early, only a little after seven, and even though they’d made love again before getting in the shower, it was now barely eight-thirty. Seth had no idea when the city offices opened, but even if they were now officially within business hours, he knew he and Devynn would have plenty of time to get breakfast and head over before ten o’clock rolled around.

Well, assuming her hair didn’t take forever and a day to dry.

She must have seen some concern in his expression, because she added, “But I’ll do my makeup and get dressed and everything while it’s drying, and then I’ll take it down at the last minute. It’ll be fine.”

“I’m not worried,” he said, and went over to her so he could give her a good, hearty kiss before she put that red lipstick on again. While he had to admit she looked beautiful in it, he still wasn’t thrilled with the way it got smeared all over his mouth anytime they did much more than exchange a light peck.

And with the way his body seemed to react to her whenever she was near, it was damn hard to restrain himself to a single chaste kiss.

After their embrace ended, she pressed her finger against his lips and smiled again before heading into the bathroom, where she could attend to the rest of her preparations. He was already dressed, so he went over to the window and pulled the draperies aside a bit so he could take a look at the streets below without allowing anyone to actually see inside their hotel room.

A much busier view met his eyes, which was about what he’d expected. People hurried to and fro on the sidewalks, intent on getting to work, and the streets, while not choked with cars, definitely showed much more activity than they had on Sunday afternoon.

Because he knew Devynn would be occupied for a while, he called out, “I’m going to head down to the lobby to see if I can get the address for City Hall.”

“Sounds good,” she replied.

He caught a glimpse of her leaning toward the mirror and brushing mascara on her lashes. Again, he wasn’t sure whether she really needed such a thing when he thought her eyelashes were already plenty long and thick, but he supposed that was just another part of trying to blend in and look like an ordinary woman from the late 1940s.

Except for the part where no one who looked at her could ever think she was even close to ordinary.

A different man was on duty at the front desk, which Seth supposed made sense. However, the new clerk was accommodating enough, and again handed over the phonebook so he could verify the address for City Hall and write it down on a piece of notepaper he’d brought with him.

After thanking the clerk and heading upstairs, Seth slipped back into the hotel room. Now Devynn was fully dressed and made up, although her hair was still in curlers.

“Did you find City Hall?”

He nodded. “Yes. The phonebook says it’s on Aspen Street.”

She didn’t seem particularly surprised by that information. “I guess it’s where it’s always been, although I know they built a whole new complex about twenty years ago. They probably didn’t want to move the place because they didn’t want people to have a hard time finding it.”

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