Love in E Flat by Kate Sweeney

out her cell and called Edie and explained what she thought of doing. “So?”
    “You’re going to follow her?” Edie asked tentatively.
    “Well, yeah. No?” She knew Edie mulled this over—if the silence was any indication. Her impatience set in as she looked at the clock on Nick’s dashboard again. Lou had a clear vision of Edie pacing and biting at her bottom lip. “Today, Edie,” she said sarcastically.
    “I’m thinking, I’m thinking,” Edie said. “Okay, pick me up first. You have plenty of time.”
    Lou snapped her phone shut and looked at Nick, who watched her in the rearview mirror. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m curious.”
    Nick raised an eyebrow. “I hope you know what you’re doing, and she doesn’t see you.”
    Reaching forward, Lou patted him on the shoulder. “That’s where your expertise as a cabbie comes in.”
    “This is not good.”
    “Don’t be a pessimist. It doesn’t suit you.”
    She gave him Edie’s address, and they were off—in more ways than one.
    Nick honked once he pulled in front of Edie’s brownstone. As she flew down the steps, Lou laughed. “We’re on a stakeout, and she’s in high-heel leather boots.”
    Nick laughed along. “But she looks good. My wife loves her column. So does our neighbor. They talk about it all the time. Look forward to readin’ it. But it’s girl stuff.”
    “Yeah, not like manly sports stuff,” Lou said, “written by a girl.”
    “I see your point.”
    Right behind Edie was John, looking just as eager as he bounded down the stairs. He too was impeccably dressed. “At least he’s not wearing a tie,” Lou said, shaking her head. “Are we all gonna fit in this cab?”
    “That is one big man.” Nick laughed and jumped out to open the door.
    “Well, thank you,” Edie said breathlessly.
    “I’m Nick. I’ve be chauffeuring Lou and her Russian beauty around.”  
    “You poor man. I’m Edie and this is my husband, John.”
    “Nice to meet ya.” Nick shook the offered hand.
    “Same here. So we’re tailing the Russian beauty, eh?” he asked.
    “Get in the cab, John,” Lou called out while glaring at her laughing colleague. “What are you doing?”
    “John was home. I couldn’t very well leave him out of this,” Edie whispered. “He gave me those big doe eyes. What could I do?”
    “Hi, Lou.” John slid in the backseat.
    Lou grunted painfully as Edie scooted over. They were crammed like sardines. John was no lightweight. But he was a good dresser, Lou thought. He was tall, too tall, and big, too big, for this cab. A former football player at Illinois, John now was a real estate and carpenter guru. He made a good penny buying up old rundown buildings, renovating them, and renting them to lower-income families. Big business hated him because he was so successful—making big money by investing in the little guy. Lou smiled, thinking how John Trent was a good soul but a lousy middle linebacker.
    “Hi, John. Slow day?” Lou asked.
    John laughed, trying to get comfortable in the confined seating. “Ya don’t mind me tagging along?”
    “Mind? Why would I mind? Let’s just get going before my legs start to cramp.”
    Edie slapped at her knee. “Oh, don’t be such a downer. This will be fun. I hope we don’t wind up in jail. We’ll go out for a little Christmas cheer afterward. Our treat.”
    “It will be your treat.”
    Nick started the cab and looked at Edie over his shoulder. “My wife loves your column.”
    “She does?”
    “Don’t sound so stupefied, honey,” John said. “It’s bad form.” He gently sniffed the air. “God, you smell good.”
    “Thanks, sweetie.” Edie took off her leather gloves and ran her fingers through her hair; Lou noticed the perfectly manicured nails. “So tell me again why we’re doing this. I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
    “I know it ain’t,” Nick said over his shoulder.
    Edie cocked her head. “I like him…”
    “Oh, it’s fine,” Lou said.