GLORIA HEADS OUT OF THE GNN building and merges with the sea of pedestrians heading south. She walks down two blocks and turns west on Fiftieth Street before taking out her prepaid and dialing.
“Yes,” comes the taut baritone. And with it, that jolt of desire and longing.
“She’s going out to North Dakota this weekend.”
“I thought the filming was done.”
“It is. She’s going alone. To look into the Marcus murder.”
He curses in Russian—he loves to show off his fluency. “That was grossly mishandled. Marcus was supposed to be dealt with before she reached the hotel. The deliveryman was incompetent. Well, he won’t be incompetent for long.”
“I offered to accompany her, but she wants to go alone.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep a close eye.”
Gloria comes to a pocket park and walks in. She goes to a wall and huddles facing it, lowering her voice. “I miss you. When will I see you?”
“You know I never mix business with pleasure.”
“I thought I was both.”
His voice softens. “Of course you are. Good work. Keep it up.”
And then he hangs up and he’s gone and Gloria is overcome by a wave of loneliness. Well, it will all be over in due time and then . . . then she will be rewarded with James’s love—oh, James, my James—and all those years of being the Good Little Girl, the best in class, hand up at every question, polite and discreet and dull . . . those days will be over and she will verily play in the fields of plenty with the man she lives for.
Gloria smiles to herself and then heads over to the food kiosk, where she orders a double bacon cheeseburger and onion rings. She’s always had a fierce appetite.