Covert Exposure by Valerie J. Clarizio Page A

like
hearing the elves talk about her like she was some sort of female
piece of meat to be used and discarded once they were done having
their fun with her.
    One of the elves let out a chuckle. ”I really
wouldn’t mind tapping that. She looks all innocent like all the
time. I bet she’s still a virgin.”
    “Oh yeah, hot and tight,” the other elf
commented.
    Spinelli nearly blew a gasket at the sound of
those words and it took every bit of strength he could muster not
to storm into the locker room and beat some manners into the
elves.
    Miller piped in, “What’s the story? Have
either of you asked her out?”
    “Nah, she’s hot and all but she’s a little
older and I can’t really picture her partying and having fun. She’s
probably one of those homebodies with four cats or something. I’m
guessing she plays scrabble and drinks tea.”
    “But what if she’s not like that at all?”
Miller asked. “You could be missing out.”
    The elf thought for a moment, “Nah, I’m
pretty sure she’s all pure and innocent like. Plus it’s no use
anyhow. I think she might be going out with that older guy who
plays Santa on the weekends.”
    “What makes you think that?”
    “She was like waiting for him to come out of
the locker room the other night and then they left together. You
gotta wonder why she’d go after a loser like that.”
    “What’s with the Santa guy? Why’s he a
loser?” Miller couldn’t help but ask.
    “Well, he’s like, I don’t know, at least in
his thirties and he’s working as Santa,” the elf replied. “What the
hell, can’t he get a real job? And he’s the worst Santa I’ve ever
seen. It’s like the kids scare the hell out of him or
something.”
    Marsh and Walker roared with laughter as the
elf rambled on and on about what a loser Spinelli was. Spinelli,
hearing it all through his earpiece, did not see the humor.
    Spinelli lurked behind a marble pillar as
Miller and the elves left the locker room.
    “Hey, you guys want to go get a beer?” Miller
asked.
    He watched the elves and waited for their
response. The elves looked at each other for a moment and then back
at Miller. “We can’t. We’ve got a biology final at eight tomorrow
morning,” the taller of the two elves replied.
    “Oh, okay. Maybe next time,” Miller replied
as he broke away from the elves and headed toward the parking
ramp.
    Spinelli continued to tail the elves. Just
like the night before they walked up to the security gate at the
Greek restaurant and Loukas the Greek’s muscleman opened the gate
and let the elves pass through.
    Spinelli entered the van. “Well that didn’t
work. Something’s going on in that restaurant and we need to find
out what it is. We’ll try this approach again tomorrow night.”
    Spinelli couldn’t help but notice the
shit-eating grins on Walker, Marsh and Miller’s faces. “What?
What’s so funny?”
    “Just you. You ’loser’ old man. And what’s
this? The mighty Spinelli is afraid of a bunch of four-year-olds,”
Walker teased before his uncontrollable laughter echoed throughout
the van. Marsh and Millers laughter chorused Walker’s.
    Spinelli flashed a hard-eyed scowl at Miller.
He figured with him being new and all he could somewhat intimidate
him. It worked and he stopped laughing.
    “So, I’m going to work undercover again
tomorrow night?” Miller asked.
    “Yes,” Spinelli replied.
    Miller’s eyes lit up. “Great, I hope to hell
this Shannon chick is working tomorrow. Christ the way the guys
were talking she must be freaking hot.”
    Spinelli’s hard-eyed scowl at Miller grew
harder. He pointed his finger in Miller’s face. “Listen here,
you’re not here to pick up chicks. This is not fun and games. There
have been two murders, two lives taken. Furthermore, she is not a
chick. Show a little respect.”
    Walker leaned between Spinelli and Miller
causing Spinelli to unlatch his glare on Miller. “Hey, the kid
didn’t know.”
    Miller’s eyes were