Senator Love Read Free

movie. No
talk passed between them as they concentrated on the band's rhythm.
    "The first Mrs. Langford," Monte said.
"Can't get them to go home once they've seen Paree." Voluble sober,
Monte seemed to be growing even more loquacious with his wine intake, which was
considerable. Problem was that the waiters, to keep the assemblage well
watered, were pouring heavy, leaving no glass untopped.
    "Tough when they lose their status," Fiona mused,
remembering her mother after her father had died.
    "There's some cache in being an ex-wife. You get to
keep the name, for example." He lifted his chin. "Like her."
    "And she goes to the best places."
    "She deserves it," Monte said, bending closer to
her ear. "Old Sam certainly unloaded her wagons. Now it's little Nell's
cross to bear." Fiona looked over at Nell, whose pose was of one deeply
interested in what the Ambassador had to say, while her eyes drifted frequently
to take in the sight of the Senator and Helga. On the surface, it seemed to
Fiona as quite innocent. Bunkie and Helga seemed to be doing most of the
talking.
    "Ten to one Sam and Helga are locked in an undercover
crotch hold," Monte said.
    "A regular gambler," Fiona said.
    "I don't gamble," Monte smirked.
    "Considering where he wants to go, you'd think he'd
know better," she whispered, surprised at her judgmental tone.
    "Can't kick the one-eyed monster," Monte sighed,
taking another deep sip of wine. She turned to look at him, slightly puzzled,
until she realized what he meant, then, like a doe-eyed virgin, she felt
herself blush.
    "Sorry to put it that crudely. The man's incorrigible.
Like tonight. Blatant stuff. In a minute he'll be asking all the girls to
dance, little Nell for openers. You included. A red herring for what he really
wants."
    "How does he manage it? A man in the public eye?"
    "That's old Bunkie's job. He's the staff man in charge
of nooky. Plays the role, though. Beard, pimp, arranger. Also does the kiss-off
routine when things get too hot. Valuable job in this town."
    "And nobody knows?" Fiona asked.
    "We try to keep it in a tight little group."
    "Then why are you telling me?"
    She turned to him. He shook his head and smiled.
    "You're a cop. I trust you."
    After a while the Senator stirred and asked his wife to
dance. As Monte had predicted, then came Bonnie-something, who had barely
uttered a word. On cue, Fiona came up on the dance card. Actually, the Senator
asked Monte's permission in the old-fashioned way. Monte shrugged his consent.
Fiona snickered her distaste. I dance with whomever I please, she told herself
pugnaciously, then let the Senator lead her to the dance floor.
    Close up, she felt the tightness of his body, his absolute
sense of confidence in the way he held her. His dance technique, a bit heavy on
the pelvis, was a blatant flirt.
    Actually Monte had spoiled her discovery. The Senator was a
natural seducer. She would have liked to find that out for herself.
    "You're the prettiest homicide detective I've ever
met," he whispered, pulling her closer for the compliment. Was he making a
move? she wondered. "Maybe someday you can tell me how you do it."
    "Do what?"
    "Find the killers."
    He twirled her around the floor, chuckling. Despite the
warning bells, she felt strangely comfortable in his arms. She even felt, she
allowed herself to admit, tiny tingles in the right places. Son-of-a-bitch had
the stuff, she decided, providing him with a nickname on the spot. Senator
Love. Hands-down that was it. Senator Love.
    "Odd work for a politician's daughter, cops," he
said as they moved around the floor. The sexual statement made, he moved to a
more cerebral subject. Even his way of putting her on hold was a class act.
Often, he would nod and smile at the other dancers.
    "What did your father do?" she asked.
    "A minister, actually."
    "Well then," she said, leaving the idea
unfinished. He quickly caught the innuendo.
    "We do only the possible and leave the miracles to
God."
    Peripherally, she could see