Sidney Sheldon by Are You Afraid of the Dark?

sardonic look. “Save it. You don’t even remember her.”
    He was embarrassed. “Well, I—”
    “It’s all right. I just attended her wedding.”
    Tanner was relieved. “Ah. So, Ginny is married.”
    “Yes, she is.” There was a pause. “But I’m not. Would you like to have dinner tomorrow night?”
    Tanner took a closer look at her. Even though she was not up to his standards, she appeared to have a nice body and seemed pleasant enough. And this was certainly an easy lay. Tanner thought of his dates in baseball terms. He would throw a woman one pitch. That was it. If she didn’t hit a home run, she was out.
    She was watching him. “I’ll pay.”
    Tanner laughed. “I can handle it—if you’re not a world-class gourmand.”
    “Try me.”
    He looked into her eyes and said softly, “I will.”
     
    T HE FOLLOWING EVENING , they dined at a trendy restaurant up-town. Paula was dressed in a cream-colored, low-cut silk blouse, a black skirt, and high-heeled shoes. As Tanner watched her stride into the restaurant, it seemed to him that she was a lot better looking thanhe had remembered. In fact, she had the bearing of a princess from some exotic country.
    Tanner stood up. “Good evening.”
    She took his hand. “Good evening.” There was a self-assured air about her that was almost regal.
    When they were seated, she said, “Let’s start over, shall we? I have no sister.”
    Tanner looked at her, confused. “But you told me—?”
    She smiled. “I just wanted to test your reaction, Tanner. I’ve heard a lot about you from some of my friends, and I became interested.”
    Was she talking about sex? He wondered whom she had spoken to. It could have been so many—
    “Don’t jump to conclusions. I’m not talking about your swords-manship. I’m talking about your mind.”
    It was as though she had been reading his thoughts. “So, you’re—er—interested in minds?”
    “Among other things,” she said invitingly.
    This is going to be an easy home run. Tanner reached over and took her hand. “You’re really something.” He stroked her arm. “You’re very special. We’re going to have a good time together tonight.”
    She smiled. “Are you feeling horny, darling?”
    Tanner was taken aback by her bluntness. She was an eager little thing. Tanner nodded. “Always, princess.”
    She smiled. “Fine. Get out your little black book and we’ll try to find someone who’s available for you tonight.”
    Tanner froze. He was used to making sport of women, but none of them had ever mocked him before. Tanner stared at her. “What are you saying?”
    “That we’re going to have to improve your line, love. Do you have any idea how trite it is?”
    Tanner felt his face getting red. “What makes you think it’s a line?”
    She looked him in the eye. “It was probably invented byMethuselah. When you talk to me, I want you to say things that you’ve never said to any woman before.”
    Tanner looked at her, trying to conceal his fury. Who does she think she’s dealing with—some high school kid? She was too damned insolent for her own good. Strike one. The bitch is out.

Chapter 15
    T HE WORLD HEADQUARTERS of Kingsley International Group was located in lower Manhattan, two blocks from the East River. The compound occupied five acres of land and consisted of four large concrete buildings, along with two small staff houses, fenced in and guarded electronically.
    At ten o’clock in the morning, Detectives Earl Greenburg and Robert Praegitzer entered the lobby of the main building. It was spacious and modern, furnished with couches and tables, and half a dozen chairs.
    Detective Greenburg glanced at the assortment of magazines on a table: Virtual Reality, Nuclear and Radiological Terrorism, Robotics World …He held up a copy of Genetic Engineering News and turned to Praegitzer. “Don’t you get tired of reading these in your dentist’s office?”
    Praegitzer grinned. “Yeah.”
    The two detectives