Simple Intent by Linda Sands Page B

table of tough guys. They were attempting to lift Berger and pass him through the crowd. 
    Reilly made his way back to Sailor. A redwood of a man blocked his path. Reilly reached up to tap the man’s shoulder. “Excuse me.”
    The giant turned around. “Yes?”
    “Sorry, I just wanted to get through.”
    Sailor heard Reilly.
    The large man stepped aside, his arm knocking a waitress who went sprawling, dropping her tray of crabmeat canapés and staining the white dress of a guest. 
    Sailor pulled Reilly closer. “Kenneth Reilly, this is Jeremy Strom.” 
    The men shook hands. Reilly winced.
    “I was just telling Jeremy how you left me standing here all alone.”
    “Me? Where’s your escort?”
    Sailor shrugged, finished another glass of champagne.
    Strom answered for her. “Mister Deluca was called away, and that’s okay by me, pal, I never would have had the distinct pleasure of meeting this fine gal, if you two hadn’t abandoned her the way you did.” 
    Reilly couldn’t take his eyes off the huge man before him. He was as big as a linebacker, as handsome as a movie star, but had a voice that sounded like Sylvester the cat. Reilly didn’t know whether to laugh at him or cheer for average guys with normal voices everywhere. “How do you know Detective Berger?”
    “I work for Deluca. Used to be in the old days, Berger was the kind of guy you kept close. Know what I mean?” Jeremy tried to wink, ended up blinking both large cornflower eyes.
    Reilly nodded knowingly. The band began to play a loud dance tune, fortunately rendering all conversation impossible. Reilly mimed sipping a beer then waved goodbye. Sailor replied by scratching her cheek with her middle finger.
    Reilly made his way to the bar. Waiting for his beer, he searched the crowd. His eye landed on Gina, the youngest one at a table of white-haired women. As she leaned forward to speak to one of the women, her dress fell away from her chest.
    “Nice, eh?” The man on his left elbowed him, hard.
    “Excuse me?’ Reilly turned to the voice.
    Hiram Berger squinted his bloodshot beady eyes, tried to still his body’s sway by leaning into the mahogany bar. 
    “I said, nice. As in, her tits are nice. Don’t you think?”
    “I wouldn’t know.” Reilly ran his eyes over the room. “I was just looking for my friend.”
    “I saw you talking to her, earlier.” Berger took a long pull on his beer. “Haven’t I seen you around?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “Yeah well, I’m getting older, the memory is going. Probably why they retire us at this age. Nobody wants a cop with a bad memory, right?’ Berger at his own joke, spilling beer on his pants.
    Reilly forced a smile. Berger made him uncomfortable. There was something creepy about him. Like a caged hyena, he seemed harmless enough, until the raw meat hit the concrete.

    Maria watched Berger give some good-looking kid a hard time at the bar. Still a jackass, aren’t you, Detective? Nice choice for your party. The loud Hawaiian shirt, tuxedo pants and sneakers. Look at you: fat, balding and now a has-been, too. She smiled.
    “What are you thinking about, darling? Do you feel okay?” Doc asked.
    “I’m fine. I was thinking how happy you make me.” Maria lifted Doc’s hand to her cheek, kissed his palm. What the hell was she doing here? It was loud and busy and smoky, and the waiter had probably lost her note to Berger. 
    She should have said no, and accepted the consequences, should have made Lou and Deluca do their own dirty work. She was tired. Too tired. She wanted to go home, but when a woman in a rainbow dress approached she realized she was cornered. It had been years, but Maria would have known her anywhere. Mrs. E. Patrick Shanahan, Kate.
    Doc stood with Maria to greet the woman. The ladies exchanged air kisses, then Maria introduced Doc and there was another round of kisses. 
    Kate Shanahan smelled the way women with money smell. Rich. Her beaded dress bulged over an