Alice stifled a fake sob as Grady sat down beside her on the bed, leaning over.
“How you doing, sweetheart?” he asked, stroking her hair.
“Don’t look at me.” Alice peeked at him with one eye, hopefully bloodshot. “I look awful.”
“No, you don’t, you look beautiful. You are beautiful.”
“I tried to get some work done, but no dice.”
“Forget work, for now.” Grady’s hand moved down her back, and he rubbed it lightly. “I knew you were going to crash. You were holding together too well.”
“I feel silly. He was just a dog and I have so much to do.”
“Don’t feel that way.” Grady segued from rubbing her back to kneading it with strong fingers, but Alice told herself not to get turned on.
“I miss him already.”
“I know. Me, too. You’ll feel crummy for a while, there’s no avoiding it and no denying it.” Grady kept kneading her back. “My mother used to say that you have to let bad news sink into your bones. You absorb it, and all the losses and setbacks in your life become a part of who you are.”
Oh give me an effing break.
“How about I go downstairs and make us something to eat? If you’re still awake when I’m finished, it’s there for you. How’s that sound?”
“Good, great. Thanks.”
“No problem.” Grady eased off the bed, and if Alice was going to find out about his secret phone call, this was the time to see if he’d tell her or hide it.
“You were gone so long, I was a little worried. Did you have trouble finding the bodega?”
“No, it was where it always was, with the same surly guy behind the counter. I forget his name.”
Strike one for boyfriend. “It’s not the best neighborhood around that store. I thought something might have happened.”
“Nah, I’m fine.” Grady walked toward the door, his tone suspiciously casual.
Strike two. “I’m just being paranoid. I don’t want any more surprises today.”
“No way.” Grady was leaving the room, his footstep heavy on the hardwood at the threshold.
“You sure it’s okay with your office, you staying here?”
“Don’t worry so much. I’ll check on you in about half an hour. You want the light on or off?”
Strike three. “Off, please.”
“You got it.” Grady shut the light, and the bedroom went dark, leaving Alice alone with her thoughts.
So he hadn’t mentioned the phone call. The person he’d called was probably Mary. He could have followed up on her call, or worse, warned her of his suspicions. She didn’t know if he had reached her, but she couldn’t take any chances. She had her gun with her, but it would be too noisy. She was good with a knife, but he was strong. The clink of pots came from downstairs, so he had already started to cook his stupid specialty, which gave her an idea.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
She got out of bed, dug underneath for her cloth bag, and got what she needed.