The Dark and Deadly Pool (20 page)

“We’ll need her for a few minutes,” Detective Jarvis told them.

“It’s all right,” Mrs. Bandini said, graciously giving him permission. “As long as I have one minute in which to introduce her to my grandson, Eric Canelli.”

“One minute,” Detective Jarvis said, and he walked over to the office with the attorney. Fran just dropped into the nearest chair and stared at his shoes.

Mrs. Bandini motioned, and out of the pool climbed one of the most gorgeous guys I’ve ever seen. On a scale of one to ten, he was a thirty-five. His hair was black and thick, and his eyes were as blue as the pool when it’s lit at night. His smile was straight out of a dentist’s magazine. I looked up, up, up. He had to be six feet four. Mrs.
Bandini hadn’t been lying. She hadn’t even been exaggerating.

“Hi,” he said to me. “I’m glad to meet you. They told us it was your day off, so we didn’t think you’d come in.”

“It’s perfect that it’s your day off,” Mrs. Bandini said. “I’ll make dinner reservations for all of us at Vargo’s. Would you like that?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, and tried to look at least a little bit sorry just to be polite. “I’ve got a date for tonight.” I stepped next to Fran’s chair, put a hand on his shoulder, and gripped it tightly.

“But—” Mrs. Bandini’s mouth opened and stayed open.

“Okay,” Eric said, “I’ll see you around.” He walked back to the pool and dived into the water. Another good thing about Eric Canelli. He wasn’t slow to get a message.

Detective Jarvis motioned to us. Fran hopped up and took my hand. We hurried to join Jarvis in the health-club office, where he was explaining something to the attorney. I didn’t care what they were talking about. I just cared that Fran was holding my hand as snugly as I was holding his.

Fran moved closer as we came to a halt, and murmured, “You turned that guy down for me?”

“He may be tall and handsome,” I said, “but he’s not you, Fran. And you’re the one I want to be with.”

The telephone rang. Everyone else seemed to be busy, so I automatically reached over and answered it.

“Liz!” Tina exploded into the phone. “There is the most fantastic hunk out there in the pool! He’s unbelievable!”

“Do you want to meet him?” I asked. “Come down, and I’ll introduce you.”

I hung up as Detective Jarvis was saying, “If you don’t mind, we’ll leave the two of you alone here for a few minutes. We’re going to get Mr. Boudry. We want him to be in on this.”

“Not at all,” Fran said, and after they left the office he whispered to me, “Ways of being alone with you is something I’m planning to work on.”

I liked that. I was thinking exactly the same thing.