A Caress Of Twilight   ::   Гамильтон Лорел

She wore a maid's outfit, complete with apron, though the skirt was suitably long and the shoes suitably sensible. She offered us all drinks, which we refused. Only Maeve kept drinking wine-dark Scotch. She'd started with ice, but when it melted she didn't replace it. Although she finished off a fifth of Scotch while we watched, there was no change in her. She was fey and we could drink a lot without getting even the least bit tipsy, but a fifth of Scotch is a fifth of Scotch, and I hoped she'd drunk enough to quiet her nerves and would stop there. She didn't.

"I'm going to have rum and coke. Would anyone else care for anything?"

"No, thank you," I said.

"I know that the men are working, yours and mine, so they shouldn't drink. It might spoil their reflexes." She put a little bit of the old Maeve Reed purr into her voice, a pale imitation of her usual suggestive-ness. Apparently, I hadn't broken her completely. "But you and I can indulge."

"I'm fine, but thank you for offering."

A small frown appeared between those perfect brows. "I really do hate to drink alone."

"I'm not much for Scotch or rum."

"We have an extensive wine cellar. I'm sure we could find you something to suit your tastes." She smiled, not the dazzling smile she'd started the visit with but a smile nonetheless. It was an encouraging sign, but I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, Maeve, but I really don't drink this early in the day."

"Early," she said, perfectly plucked eyebrow arching. "Honey, this isn't early by L.A. standards. If it's after lunch, it's perfectly acceptable to be drinking."

I smiled, gave a small shrug. "Thanks, but really, I'm fine."

She frowned at that, but nodded at the maid, who went off toward the house, to fetch Maeve's drink, I assumed.

"I really do hate to drink alone," she said again.

"I'm sure you've got a husband around here somewhere."

"You'll be meeting Gordon later after we've finished our business." There was no teasing now.

"And what business would that be?" I asked.

"It's private."

I shook my head. "We went over this with your flunky earlier in our office. Where I go, my bodyguards go." I glanced at her own personal wall of muscle. "I'm sure you understand that."

She nodded impatiently. "Of course I understand, but could they all sit just a little farther back so we could have some. . girl talk?"

I raised my eyebrows at the girl talk, but let it go. I glanced at Doyle and Frost. "What do you guys think?"

"I suppose we could sit at the table in the shade while you and Ms. Reed have your. . girl talk.