Peter Decker 3-Book Thriller Collection: False Prophet, Grievous Sin, Sanctuary

Decker nodded, wondering just what—if anything—Lilah was trying to hide. Could be just the natural confusion of the victim. Lots of victims imagined things because they were so frightened and addled.

Hollander said, “You want my unasked-for advice, forget about her images. Go back to good old-fashioned legwork and evidence.”

“We’d better do it quickly,” Decker said. “Don’t want to displease Morrison.”

“Did you finally talk to him?” Marge asked.

“Yep. He was all right. But the message was clear.”

“Above all, no bad press,” Hollander said.

“Preferably no press at all,” Decker said.

13

The knock on the door was tentative, then firm.

Christ, what now?

“It’s open.”

Squeaking hinges followed by the door closing shut.

“You got a moment, Mike?”

Ness remained immobile, face covered by his forearm, legs stretched out, feet hanging over the side of the bed.

“Mike?”

“I hear you. I hope it’s quick.”

No response. Ness heard pacing. He lifted his arm from his eyes and propped himself up by his elbows. “Sit down, Jeffs. You’re making me nervous.”

Ness watched Eubie Jeffers drag a chair next to his bed and sit. Jeffs was still dressed in his tennis whites, his finger gripped around the handle of his racket. A thin sheen of sweat coated his café au lait face. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Guy was as jumpy as griddled butter.

Ness’s eyes went from Jeffs to his surroundings. The room was furnished with old leftover junk. The bedspread was torn, the dresser’s paint was peeling, and the carpeting was thin. There was only one tiny window in the whole place and that looked out to the pool filter. Still, living wasn’t costing him a dime. And after years of struggling, that was worth a lot.

“You gonna tell me what’s bugging you or is this gonna be twenty questions?”

“You talk to the lady cop yet, Nessy?”

Ness broke into a smile. Jeffers’s hazel eyes were oozing anxiety. He was biting his lower lip.

“She trip you up or something, Eubie?”

“That’s bogus. I’d never hurt Lilah. I’d never hurt anyone. I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

“You’re a motherfucker, Jeffs. That’s what you are.”

Jeffers cast his eyes downward and moved onto the bed. “Can you say I was with you last night?”

“No.”

“It’s important.”

Ness burst into laughter.

“Mike. Please!”

Ness sprang up and grabbed Jeffers’s chin. “Fuck you, man! Hear what I’m saying? Fuck you!”

Jeffers felt tears in his eyes. “If it gets out, I’m gonna lose my job, Mike! I’m delinquent on the one credit card I have left. I’m two months behind on my rent. You gotta help me!”

Ness let go of Jeffers’s chin with a shove. “You make me sick, know that?”

“Please! I swear this time will be the last.”

“How many white women do you have to pork before you stop feeling black, Jeffs? Hundred’s not enough? What do you need? A thousand? A mill—”

“Mike.”

“Jesus Christ!” Ness sat up cross-legged on the bed and shook his head. “Jeffs, I already told the lady detective that I was alone all night. Which I was. If I start changing my story, start trying to cover your ass, she’s gonna look at me with ye olde jaundiced eye.” He looked up. “Stop worrying. If you had nothing to do with Lilah, the cop’ll leave you alone.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with Lilah, Mike. You know that. But what if the lady cop starts talking to the lady I was with? Mike, if that happens, the lady’s gonna get mad. You know how secrecy is to the people who go here It’s part of the game. If she tells Lilah, Lilah will see it like last year all over again. This time for sure I’ll lose my job—”

“How much she pay you for stud service?”

“You can have it all, Nessy.”

“I didn’t ask for it. I just asked how much she paid you?”

Jeffers paused. “Fifty.”

“You lie like a politician, Jeffs. Try again.”

“Two hundred.”

“Two hundred?” Ness laughed. “Tell the lady I’ll do her in blackface at half the price.”

“Mike—”

“Why does the detective think you were with a lady last night?”

“I … she caught me off guard, Mike. I don’t think as quick on my feet as you do. I knew I was coming off bad so I told her the truth. Or part of it. That I was here last night with a married woman giving her a private tennis lesson. I said I kept it secret ’cause I didn’t want it getting out that I was giving the lady a discount.”

“Why didn’t you just say you were with Natanya?”

“I didn’t think of her.”