Twelve Red Herrings (41 page)

“I accept your
terms,” I told her. “And I won’t even add any conditions of my own if we can
begin the agreement tomorrow evening.” Once again Anna didn’t reply
immediately. “I’m not sure I know what I’m doing tomorrow evening.”

“Neither do
I
,” I said. “But I’ll cancel it, whatever it is.”

“Then so will
I,” said Anna as I drove into Parsons Green Lane, and began searching for
number forty-nine.

“It’s about a
hundred yards down, on the left,” she said.

I drew up and
parked outside her front door.

“Don’t let’s
bother with the theatre this time,” said Anna.

“Come round at
about eight, and I’ll cook you some supper.” She leant over and kissed me on
the cheek before turning back to open the car door. I jumped out and walked
quickly round to her side of the car as she stepped onto the pavement.

“So, I’ll see
you around eight tomorrow evening,” she said.

Tll look forward
to that.” I hesitated, and then took her in my arms. “Goodnight, Anna.”

“Goodnight,
Michael,” she said as I released her. “And thank you for buying my ticket, not
to mention dinner. I’m glad my other three would-be suitors only made it as far
as the car pound.” I smiled as she pushed the key into the lock of her front
door.

She turned back.
“By the way, Michael, was that the restaurant with the missing waiter, the
four-and-a-half-fingered chef, or the crooked bartender?”

“The crooked bartender,”
I replied with a smile.

She closed the
door behind her as the clock on a nearby church struck one.

Contents

Also
by the same author:

TRIAL
AND ERROR.

CHEAP
AT HALF THE PRICE.

DOUGIE
MORTON’S RIGHT ARM!

DO
NOT PASS GO.

CHUNNEL
VISION
.

SHOESHINE
BOY.

YOU’LL
NEVER LIVE TO REGRET IT.

NEVER
STOP ON THE MOTORWAY.

NOT
FOR SALE.

TIMEO
DANAOS.

AN
EYE FOR AN EYE.

ONE
MAN’S MEAT...