Page 53 of Line of Sight (Second Sight #4)

I PRESSED the intercom button for Amy’s apartment, shivering a little. It was a cold night.

A moment later Amy’s tinny voice came out of the speaker. “Who is it?”

“Frosty the snowman if you leave me standing out here much longer.”

There was a pause, followed by a buzz and a click. I went inside and climbed the stairs to the third floor. When I reached it, the door to the right-side apartment opened, and she stood there, staring at me, her gaze incredulous.

“When you asked me not to call you again, I thought that was the last time I’d hear from you. So why are you here?” She lowered her gaze, then bit her lip. “Especially bringing flowers.”

They weren’t much, something I’d picked up from a gas station, but I wanted her off guard.

I smiled. “You’re going to interrogate me standing here on your door mat?”

She cocked her head, then stood aside to let me in.

I held out the flowers. “For you.”

Amy frowned. “Why?”

I shrugged. “I thought you might need something to lift your spirits. Not that I had any idea if they needed lifting. I just saw them, and they whispered, ‘Buy us for Amy.’ I have something else for you too.” I reached into my messenger bag and removed a packet.

She glanced at it and burst out laughing. “My God, you have a good memory. I used to eat Baker’s sweetened coconut by the handful in college.”

I gave her my most relaxed smile. “Then I hope it tastes the same.”

We went into her living room, and I complimented her on her taste. Judging by her expression, she bought the fake praise.

Still gullible as hell.

She opened the packet, then jerked her head up to stare at me once more. “Why don’t you try some first?”

I laughed. “Fine, if it’ll make you happy.”

Maybe she wasn’t as big a fool as I’d thought.

She poured some into my palm, and I grimaced. “I’m only doing this to make you happy, okay? I hate coconut.” I ate it, pulling a face as I swallowed. “Oh dear Lord, it’s as vile as I remembered.”

Amy smiled, then helped herself to a large handful. She rolled her eyes. “Oh my God. It does taste the same.”

I snorted. “And now that we’ve established I’m not here to poison you, can I have a drink?”

She flushed. “Sorry.” She went over to her liquor cabinet. “What’ll you have?”

“Whatever you’re having.” I steeled myself.

Amy chuckled. “You might regret that. Coconut rum.”

I raised my eyes to the ceiling. “Tell me you’ve got some bourbon.”

“You’re in luck. I don’t even think it’s been opened.” She poured out two drinks, then joined me on the couch.

I raised my glass. “To the future.”

We clinked, and she sagged again the cushions. “I sounded bad, didn’t I? On the phone, I mean.”

I let out a heavy sigh. “As soon as I hung up, I regretted my choice of words. That’s why I’m here. To apologize.” I emptied the glass, coughing a little. “Damn, that hit the spot.”

Amy grinned. “I think you needed that. Want another?”

“If you’re offering.”

I waited until her back was to me before I added the drug to her glass and swirled it around. As she turned to face me, I grinned. “You know what your rum needs? A little umbrella and a couple of maraschino cherries.”

She smiled. “You know what? You’re right.

No umbrellas, but the cherries I can manage.

” She peered into the cabinet, and I gave her glass another swirl.

Then I sat back and watched as she speared three cherries with a cocktail stick.

She rejoined me and dropped them into her glass.

She handed me my second drink and took a long sip from her own.

Amy glanced at the window. “I think it’s cold enough to snow.”

“Great. I’ll have to play dodge the snowball with my neighbor’s brats.”

A lie, of course. No children lived within one hundred feet of my apartment, and as for the house, there weren’t any neighbors to speak of. But I chattered on about anything and nothing, putting Amy at her ease.

Watching as the drug started to take effect.

There was enough Rohypnol in there to render her unconscious in a short space of time. I waited, watching her eyelids close. I had to be quick. I had to make sure she heard me, not that she’d remember any of it.

I leaned forward.

“It wasn’t the coconut in the packet that you should have been concerned about.”