Alarums. Part 13

'Since I don't have any useful talents.'

Smiling, Pen sat on the couch.

'Let me get you something to drink,' Joyce offered. 'Wine would be great.'

Leaving the room, Joyce said over her shoulder, 'Pen's a writer.'

'I write mysteries,' she said. 'But I've only sold one so I'ma It was just a short story.'

'That's terrific. As I understand it, the world's full of would-be writers who've never had anything published.'

'Do you have any ambitions along those lines?'

'Nope. I'd rather spend my time reading good stuff than writing lousy stuff. Do you have a normal job?'

'I don't know how normal it is, but I'm a certified shorthand reporter. I spend most of my time trotting around to law offices to take down depositions.'

'It must be a good source for story ideas.'

She nodded. 'I've met some very strange people. The main thing, though, is that I can pick and choose a.s.signments. I only work when I want to - which is most of the time because I do like to eat, pay my rent, little things like that.'

'No desire to be an attorney?'

'That'd be a full-time career. I don't have room for it.'

'Wouldn't leave you time for your writing?'

'Not enough. And I'd rather write.'

'I'd like to read your stuff.'

'It ain't Updike.'

'Ah, but is it Hammett?'

'No. It's pretty good Pen Conway, though.'

A grin spread over Bodie's face.

Joyce came in carrying a bottle of white wine and a gla.s.s. She filled the gla.s.s for Pen, gave herself a refill, and sat down. 'I guess I should start thinking about supper.'

'Don't,' Bodie said. 'I'll save you the trouble, if everyone likes pizza. I know Melanie does.'

'Where is Melanie?' Pen asked.

'Still asleep. I was in LA a couple of years ago and had this great pizza at some place not far from here.'

'That must have been La Barbera's,' Pen said.

'Right, that's the place. Is it still around?'

'Sure.'

'Why don't I drive over and pick one up?'

'Oh,' Joyce said, 'that's a lot of trouble.'

'No more trouble than you making something for all of us. Besides, I've really got a craving for that stuff. It's the best pizza I've ever tasted.'

'If you feel that strongly about it,' Joyce said. 'The least I can do is call in the order. What kind should we get?'

'Melanie doesn't like mushrooms.'

'How about salami?' Pen suggested.

'Mushrooms on half.'

'Sounds good to me.'

Joyce took a sip of wine, then left to make the call.

'Maybe you could give me directions,' Bodie said.

'I can do better than that,' Pen told him. 'I'll go with you and act as navigator.'

'I'd be glad to have you along. Maybe you'd better stay here, though. Melanie might come down while we're gone, and I don't think she'd like the idea that both of us went off without her. Besides, you might be needed as a referee.'

Pen frowned.

Bodie glanced over his shoulder as if to make sure that Joyce wasn't returning. 'Melanie wasn't too happy about finding that Harrison fellow here. She thinks there was maybe some hanky-panky going on.'

'It crossed my mind, too,' Pen admitted.

'Anyway, I don't know whether she'd say anything, but it might help the situation if you're around.'

'I suppose you're right.'

Bodie sat up straight and drank the last of his beer. 'So. How do I get to La Barbera's from here?'

'Easy.'

While she was explaining the directions, Joyce returned, opening her purse. 'They said it should be ready in half an hour.'

'This is my treat,' Bodie told her.

'No, really, I insist.' She took out a twenty-dollar bill. Bodie waved it off. 'No way,' he said, and Joyce didn't argue.

When Bodie was gone, Joyce said, 'He seems like a very nice young man.'

'Yeah. I'd say Melanie lucked out. She's been involved with some awful twerps.'

'I wouldn't know about that.' Joyce sat down and took a sip of wine. She turned sideways, sliding a knee onto the couch and resting an arm on the back. 'I'm glad she's staying. It's awful that it took something like this to get her here, but maybe we'll finally have a chance toa mend fences. It would be nice if she could like me.' Joyce smiled a little sadly. 'Why couldn't she be more like you?'

'Melanie sees things differently.'

'Don't I know it? I'm young enough to be Whit's daughter, a cold-hearted gold digger and a s.l.u.t.'

'That about sums it up.'

'I love Whit.'

'You'd have a hard time convincing Melanie of that.'

'I shouldn't have to,' Joyce said. 'But it would be such a relief if she could learn to accept me. We don't have to be buddies. Justa I can feel the chill. Even when she's trying to act pleasant, there's always this chill.'

'I know.'

'Like I'm a spider, or something, and she'd like to step on me.'

CHAPTER TEN.

Pen climbed the stairs and went down the corridor to Melanie's room. She knocked lightly on the door.

'Who is it?'

' Me. ' She entered and shut the door.

Melanie, on the bed, was covered to the chest. Her shoulders were bare.

'I wanted to make sure you were awake. Bodie went to get pizza. He should've been back by now, buta'

'Where'd he go?'

'La Barbera's. He's been gone over an hour. Hope he didn't get lost.'

'Did he go alone?'

Pen nodded. 'I offered to show him the way, but he thought I should stay here with you and Joyce.'

'Joyce,' she muttered.

'Try and be nice to her, okay?'

'Nice. Sure. What do you think Harrison was doing here?'

'I don't think you should jump to conclusions.'

'Did you happen to notice the master bedroom?'

'No.'

'Well, I did. The bed's been used.'

'That doesn't prove much. If she had anything to hide, don't you think she would've tidied up after herself?'

'That's what Bodie said.' Tossing the covers aside, Melanie crawled off the bed. She walked casually toward the corner of the room where her suitcase lay open on the floor. There were no tan lines on her skin. Apparently, she still believed in avoiding the sun. Areas of her back, b.u.t.tocks and calves had a red hue from lying in bed.

They forced Pen to remember the coroner's slides.

Post-mortem lividity.

Dad. What if hea The hospital would have called.

'You always were pals with that b.i.t.c.h,' Melanie said, squatting beside the suitcase.

'She's all right.'

Melanie found panties. She stood up, stepped into them, and turned to face Pen. She looked like a bizarre stranger: her sunless skin, her black hair, her black choker, her black lace panties. ' Harrison does get around,' she said.

'Cut it out.'

'I guess you and Joyce have quite a lot in common.'

'For G.o.d's sake, Mel.'

Melanie laughed softly. Shaking her head, she turned away and crouched over her suitcase.

The redness behind her shoulders had faded a little.

'I guess I should wear something decent for the hospital,' she said.

'Unless we make a stop by my apartment on the way over, I'm stuck with what I've got on.'

'Bodie thinks we should be staying with you.'

'The offer's still open,' Pen said.

'Do you want us to?' Melanie took a frilly white blouse from her suitcase and put it on.

'You'd probably be more comfortable here,' Pen admitted. 'Besides, you already told Joyce you'd stay.'

'That can be changed.'