Gladyss of the Hunt by Arthur Nersesian Page B

Bernie had always been a gentleman in the past. His lashing out was a recent development. Privately, though, I felt like maybe Bernie was right. What right did I have to expect anything? I was a giant blonde virgin freak who couldn’t even get Eddie O’Ryan in the sack. Being with Annie for the next few days slowly restored my ailing self-confidence. Once I spotted a cardboard box in the top drawer of her desk. When I asked her what it was, she handed it to me. Inside I saw the long piece of plastic I recognized instantly.
    â€œYou’ve got Hermione’s wand!” I said. waving it like the character does.
    â€œOh my God, you’re a Harry Potter fan too?”
    We both started laughing, comparing notes. She confessed it was her kids who got her into it. She told me how she had stood on line for three hours when the last book was published. Trying not to blush, I told her I had bought it on the second day. We were two of the three million people who bought a book written for children on the very first weekend it had come out.
    Annie could be as tough as Bernie, but without being an asshole about it. When one ex-con we stopped thought he could screw with us, two defenseless chicks, she knocked him against a wall, kicked his feet apart and warned him that if she got stuck by a needle while patting him down, he’d spend the rest of his life pissing through a tube.
    â€œThere’s one in my back pocket,” he warned her. “But I just got it from the Exchange. Please don’t toss it.”
    She let him remove the syringe and place it carefully on the ground. He was instantly grateful.
    By the week’s end, we had nearly exhausted the entire list of suspects. Most of them had either vanished, were dead, or were back in jail doing hard time. The rest had solid alibis. That Friday I was just too cold and exhausted to go to yoga. Even though I needed to unwind, I dragged my skinny butt home to bed, where I lay on my back and stared at the small square of wall I shared with Maggie until it seemed to be staring back. At least it was quiet. She wasn’t home. I had started to drift off when my cell chimed.
    â€œI just heard Burnout got mugged,” O’Ryan said.
    â€œYeah, last Monday.”
    â€œPoor guy. Must be embarrassing,” O’Ryan said, his voice shading into sarcasm.
    â€œTry saying that with a little humility,” I shot back.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” he asked playing dumb. “I was being sincere.”
    â€œWhat do you want, Ed?”
    â€œActually it’s almost Valentine Day, so I was wondering if you wanted to grab some chow and finally have that big romantic night we were supposed to have.”
    I remembered how the last time I saw him I had invited him up. I’d changed into a skimpy miniskirt, but instead of making a move he’d confessed he was dating someone else and that he’d lost his New Year’s Eve hard-on once he saw a picture of me and my twin brother.
    Despite all that, I was about to say yes when I suddenly remembered. “Oh shit! Tonight is the night!”
    â€œWhat night?”
    â€œI’m supposed to meet him.”
    â€œMeet who?”
    â€œThe great Noel Holden. Tonight is when he’s finally returning home from the North Pole for a pre-premiere party.”
    â€œAre you fucking kidding me?” he blurted. “You’re rejecting me for that big fruit?”
    â€œI’m not rejecting you for anything,” I explained. “It’s work, remember?”
    â€œDo us both a favor,” he said lowering his voice. “Believe me when I say he’s not the killer and let’s have some fun.”
    â€œWe’ll have some fun tomorrow night. I’m just going to get his prints and that’s it.”
    â€œIs he coming to your house?” Eddie asked as though planning a stakeout.
    â€œHe’s suppose to pick me up on the corner in a private car,” I