Page 17 of Lion & Lamb

Only now did Veena remove her sunglasses. She placed them on the table between them. Cooper knew her secret. She didn’t wear shades to be mysterious. It was the intensity of her jade-green eyes. When Veena Lion looked at you, you felt as if she were gazing into the secret chambers of your soul. This made most people supremely uncomfortable.

But it worked the other way around too. Veena’s eyes often betrayed what she was really thinking. “You’re working for Francine Hughes,” she said, pure delight in her eyes.

“Technically, herlawyershired me.”

“No need to get technical with me, Cooper.”

“Oh, I know. I just didn’t want you getting all jealous, imagining a scene that never happened.”

“You mean the scene where the hot grieving superstar heaves her bosom in your direction and plies you with alcohol until you swear to her that you’ll find her husband’s killer?”

“Eh, something like that.”

“Speaking of…”

Their drinks arrived. Veena coldly noted the presence offourblue-cheese-stuffed olives. While she no doubt preferred overkill to the alternative, Veena liked her directions to be followed to the letter. The server was trying too hard, and the slight hint of disapproval in Veena’s eyes made Cooper smile.

“And for you, handsome, a Citywide Special,” the server told Cooper as she set an oversize tumbler and a pint glass in front of him.

“Which here at the Rittenhouse is defined as…”

“If you can guess what’s in that glass,” the server said, “the drink’s on me.”

“You know,” Veena said, “it’s not technically a double entendre if your meaning is painfully obvious.”

“I’m sorry? I—”

Cooper interrupted. “Challenge accepted! But if I get it right, I’m still paying five bucks. Otherwise, it’s just not a Citywide Special.”

“You’ve got a deal.”

Veena rolled her eyes.

Cooper sipped at the shot like a hummingbird sampling the nectar of a daylily, paused to consider, then unceremoniously knocked the rest of the shot back.

“The fluid in that glass,” Cooper said, “was definitely alcohol.”

The server laughed, maybe a little too much, and left Cooper and Veena to their libations. Cooper raised his pint glass and turned to Veena. “Shall we toast?”

“To what?”

“To working another case together.”

“We’re not working this case together,” Veena said. “In fact, we’re working for opposing sides. You remember, don’t you? Prosecution on one side, defense on the other?”

“Ah, but we’re still on the same side.”

“And what side is that?”

“The side of truth, no matter what.”

Chapter14

10:01 p.m.

“TRUTH IS,this case is a flaming garbage fire,” Veena said, then downed half the martini. It was cold and bracing and exactly what she needed.

“Please,” Cooper said. “Not with us working together as a team.”

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