Page 47 of Sinful Crimes for the Artistically Inclined
“Oh. Okay.”
“What’s your name?”
She stole a glance at the sunglasses woman, furtive somehow, and whispered, “Althea.”
“I’m Joe.”
She gave a soft smile in response, then her face fell again as the woman slapped Percy’s arm over some little joke he’d made, and he, cloyingly, made almost the same joke again, eliciting a dramatic show of mock outrage from her.
“I’m guessing she’s your employer?” Joe asked.
The girl twisted her lips. “She is.”
He surveyed the scene a little longer as Percy led the woman back to the altar, then Joe made a snap judgement. “If I was working here tomorrow, or in a few days, would that be helpful?”
Althea cast her eyes over with a sharp flash. “Is that something you could do?”
“Yeah. If anyone needed me to.”
“Althea!” The woman’s voice shattered the relative quiet, and Althea was up and walking to her like a dog playing fetch. “Purse.” Althea gave her the handbag from which she withdrew a large, thick, white envelope. Then she said, “Box.” Althea turned and walked all the way back, almost to whereshe had been sitting by Joe, then she picked up a large white box.
Joe caught her eye and mouthed silently, “Tomorrow?”
He received a slight nod, then the woman’s voice called, “All of you, outside.” Althea smiled briefly at Joe, and she and the two security guards were gone.
The woman squeezed Percy’s arm again, asked for a moment, and walked over to the bishop, who had been quietly busying himself throughout the entire ordeal. She handed him the envelope, for which he thanked her politely, then he walked through a heavy wooden door into a back room. She made her way over to Percy, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek. “I will expect you at eight.”
He shook his head apologetically, well aware of Joe’s gaze. “I have an early flight tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll help you stay awake for it,” she declared, her voice oozing sex.
Percy remained calm and charming. “I really can’t. Another time.”
“Well… It’s either tonight or…” She threw her hands up as though there were no other possible option. “Or right now.” Her tone fell back to sultry as her eyes consumed him. “I’m not letting you get away this time, Doctor Ashdown.”
Joe thought he might implode if she said his name like that one more time, then he became more furious still when Percy said, “Then tonight it is,” adding smoothly, “you know I like to be asked twice.”
“Oh, Doctor Ashdown…” (Joe clenched his fists.) “You are so funny!”
And she turned and left the cathedral.
Finally alone together, Percy smiled widely over at Joe, and Joe looked daggers straight back at him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CIGARETTE BREAK
Joe walked swiftly past Percy to the corpse of Saint Martin. Percy followed and watched as he noiselessly lifted the glass at the front of the case and pulled the Saint’s middle finger up. There was a loud click, and Joe wrenched the entire case back, revealing a dark staircase that led down into perfect black.
Percy burst out laughing. “It’s too ridiculous to be true.”
“After you, Doctor Ashdown,” Joe said dryly, to still more laughter from Percy, who pulled a small torch from his pocket and skipped quickly down the stairs. Joe pulled the coffin back overhead, and they were successfully sealed in. “What the hell was that?” was the immediate question.
“What?” Percy said, a few feet ahead already.
“What do you mean ‘what’? You flirting with that woman upstairs right in front of me.”
“Well, I would have introduced you, but you were very firm that I should pretend to not know you.”
