The Fifth Witness - Michael Connelly [163]
“Okay, so you get her tonight and you go out to the bar by yourself?”
“Maybe I was looking for you, Haller. Ever think of that?”
I turned on my stool so my back was to Aronson and I was directly facing Maggie.
“Really?”
“Maybe. I thought you could use some company. You’re not answering your cell.”
“I forgot. It’s still off from court.”
I pulled the phone and turned it on. No wonder I hadn’t gotten the call from Herb Dahl.
“You want to go to your place?” she asked.
I looked at her for a long moment before answering.
“Tomorrow’s going to be the most important day of the trial. I should—”
“I have till midnight.”
I took a deep breath but more air went out than came in. I leaned toward her and then tilted so that our heads were touching, sort of like how they touch sabers before a fencing match. I whispered in her ear.
“I can’t keep doing things this way. We have to go forward or be done.”
She put her hand on my chest and pushed me back. I was afraid of what my life would be like with her completely gone from it. I regretted the ultimatum I had just set out because I knew that if forced to make a choice she would pick the latter.
“What do you say we just worry about tonight, Haller?”
“Okay,” I said so quickly that we both started laughing.
I had dodged a bullet I had fired at myself. For now.
“I still have to get some work done at some point.”
“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”
She reached to the bar for her drink but took mine by mistake. Or maybe not by mistake. She sipped and then screwed up her face in disgust.
“That tastes just awful without vodka. What’s the point?”
“I know. Was that some sort of test?”
“No, just a mistake.”
“Sure.”
She drank from her own glass now. I turned slightly and looked back at Cisco and Aronson. They were leaning toward each other, engaged in a conversation and ignoring me. I turned back to Maggie.
“Marry me again, Maggie. I’m going to change everything after this case.”
“I’ve heard that before. The second part.”
“Yeah, but this time it’s going to happen. It already is.”
“Do I have to answer right now? Is it a one-time thing or can I think about it?”
“Sure, take a few minutes. I’m going to hit the head and then I’ll be back.”
We laughed again and then I leaned forward and kissed her and held my face in her hair. I whispered again.
“I can’t think of being with anybody else.”
She turned in to me and kissed my neck, then pulled back.
“I hate public displays of affection, especially in bars. Seems so cheap.”
“Sorry.”
“Let’s go now.”
She slid off the stool. And took a last sip of her drink while standing. I pulled my cash and peeled off enough to cover everybody, including the bartender. I told Cisco and Aronson I was going.
“I thought we were still talking about Opparizio,” Aronson protested.
I saw Cisco surreptitiously touch her arm in a not now signal. I appreciated that.
“You know what?” I said. “It’s been a long day. Sometimes not thinking about something is the best way to prepare for it. I’ll be in the office early tomorrow before going to court. If you want to come by. Otherwise, I’ll see you in court at nine.”
We said our goodbyes and I walked out with my ex-wife.
“You want to leave a car here or what?” I asked.
“No, too dangerous to come back here after dinner and being in bed with you. I’ll want to go in for one last drink and then it might not be the last. I have the sitter to relieve and work tomorrow, too.”
“Is that how you view it? Just dinner and sex and getting home by midnight?”
She could’ve really hurt me then, said I was whining like a woman complaining about men. But she didn’t.
“No,” she said. “I actually view it as the best night of the week.”
I raised my hand and clasped the back of her neck as we walked to our cars. She always liked that. Even if it was a public display of affection.
Forty-eight
You could feel the tension rise with each step as Louis Opparizio made his way to the witness stand on Tuesday morning. He wore a light tan suit with a blue shirt and maroon tie.