After Hours Read Free Page B

her office, then returned to her desk to make a telephone call.
    A broad smile softened her round face when she heard a familiar greeting coming through the earpiece. “I need a favor, darling.”
    A deep chuckle caressed her ear. “Does your husband know you’re flirting with strange men?”
    Reaching for a pencil, Karla made squiggly lines on the pad filled with other doodling shapes. “No, but Ronald doesn’t have to worry about us.”
    â€œAre you sure about that, Karla? Surely you’ve told the poor man that I’ve been lusting after you since the first day we walked into the lecture hall at law school.”
    â€œI told him, but he knows nothing will come of it.”
    There was a pause before the ADA at the Mercer County prosecutor’s office said, “I know you didn’t call to talk about Ronald. What’s up, darling?”
    â€œI need you to run a trace on a potential client.”
    â€œHas he been indicted?”
    â€œNo. I’m talking about a woman who’s hiding from her abusive boyfriend.”
    â€œGive me her name and address and I’ll call you back.”
    Karla gave him the information she’d gleaned on Adina. “Please run her through the Bureau’s database while you’re at it.”
    â€œWhat do I get for this?”
    â€œAre you trying to bribe me, counselor?” she teased.
    â€œDamn straight, counselor. How about dinner?”
    She smiled. “You’re on.”
    â€œI’m paying this time, Karla.”
    â€œRemember, Henry, that I’m the one with the expense account.”
    â€œThat’s because civil servants don’t have the luxury of expense accounts.”
    â€œThat’s why I’m paying.”
    There came another pause on the other end of the line. “I’ll call you when I get the info on your client, then we’ll set up a time to reconnect.”
    â€œThanks, Henry.”
    Karla hung up, tucking several strands of hair behind her right ear, her mouth tightening into a hard, unattractive line. Henry had continued to come on to her even though she’d been married to Ronald for the past six years. Perhaps if she hadn’t admitted, when she’d had too much to drink, that she and Ronald were swingers, then perhaps Henry would have given up his relentless pursuit.
    She occasionally slept with other men and Ronald other women, but only with the other’s consent. Even if she wanted to sleep with Henry, she wouldn’t because she didn’t want to shit where she had to eat. She’d learned a long time ago to never mistake business for pleasure.
    The phone rang, startling Karla. She picked up the receiver when she saw the display. “What do you have, Henry?”
    â€œShe’s clean.”
    She resisted the urge to jump up and cut a dance step. “Thank you, Henry.”
    He chuckled softly. “You’re quite welcome, Karla. I’ll be in touch.”
    â€œYou know where to find me.” She ended the call, then retrieved her cell phone and punched in the numbers on speed dial. The man who answered her call was one Ronald would approve of her sharing his bed. It took less than five minutes to tell him what she needed.
    All she had to do was messenger the birth certificate to make the impossible possible with a single telephone call. Adina Jenkins was about to become Dina Gordon.

CHAPTER 5
    A dina closed her eyes, feigning sleep when an elderly man attempted to initiate conversation. She didn’t want to talk—especially not with a stranger. All she wanted was to return to Irvington and the motel room that had become a safe haven. And she wouldn’t feel safe until she closed and locked the door behind her.
    The rocking of the train and the click-clacking sound of the rails lulled her into an almost hypnotic state and she was able to recall every detail of her last night in Brooklyn. It’d begun the instant she called