Chapter Six

"I've always loved Oklahoma." Martin hummed a few bars from Oh What a Beautiful Morning in a pleasant tenor, waving his fork gently to the rhythm.

Claudia grinned at him from across the table. "Yeah, it's a real feel-good show. This is the second time I've seen it. I'm glad you enjoyed it too."

"I did. It was wonderful!"

They sat companionably at a table in the restaurant overlooking Times Square. Martin looked at Claudia, thinking how the soft glow of candlelight enhanced her pretty features to real beauty. Her dark eyes took on a sparkle that matched her shimmering black dress as she raised her glass to him. "Thank you for treating me to dinner. I'm really enjoying tonight."

He raised his own glass. "Thank you for treating me to the show. And I'm enjoying being with you."

She flushed slightly as they touched glasses. "I feel the same. A shame we couldn't get around to doing this earlier."

Martin nodded slowly. The moment seemed to stretch. "Have you ever been to Oklahoma?" he asked, to break the awkward silence.

"Once, barely. My cousin Paula lived in a town called Bartlesville, near the Kansas state line." Her lips twitched. "We're a big country, Martin. Not many Americans get to visit every state in the Union."

"Of course. I keep forgetting just how big this country is."

"Oh yeah! I know it's huge. It's just that living here tends to make folks forget until we have to travel anyplace. That's why we have good air services across the country." She popped some risotto into her mouth and chewed for a while, looking at him with a considering expression. "What about you, Martin? Have you traveled much?"

"A little. I've been to Paris a couple of times, Dublin, Budapest; once as far as Thailand."

"I'd love to see Paris," she said wistfully.

"Best to be there with somebody. It's true what they say; it's a city for lovers."

"Were you there with a lover?" she asked in an arch tone.

"No, only my wife," he replied, then winced and pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Ouch! That sounded terrible, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it did!" she said with a wink. "Never mind, Martin, I knew what you meant. When did you go with her?"

"Five years ago." He toyed with the stem of his wine glass. "It was a last-ditch attempt to save something which wasn't worth saving by then. We got divorced the next year."

"Why did you break up?"

"She was having difficulty in accepting my abilities. Then she met a chap where she worked and they had an affair for a few months until I found out. We tried a reconciliation, went to Paris as a kind of second honeymoon." He grimaced. "I'd forgotten the football…the soccer World Cup was being played there that year. The whole place was in an uproar, with noisy fans all over the place." He drank more wine. "Not exactly conducive to rekindling a dying romance."

"I can imagine!" She chewed her lip thoughtfully for a moment. "Still, at least you tried. A woman can respect that. Do you have any children?"

"No." Martin shrugged. "Jenny didn't feel ready to commit to children."

"Perhaps it was for the best. Divorces can be hard on kids. Would you like to have children?" She flushed slightly. "I mean, would you've liked to have had children?"

"Oh yes." He smiled gently. "I'd love to have kids, someday."

She smiled back. "So would I—someday. And what about you since your divorce? Has there been anyone else in your life?"

"Oh, I had a couple of dates, which went nowhere. To be honest, I wasn't ready for another relationship."

"Until now?" she said lightly.

"Perhaps," he replied with a little smile. "If the right woman comes along."

Her eyes sparkled as she turned to her meal once more. "You never know."

"And what about you, Claudia Mackenzie?" he asked. "What's your story?"

She chuckled. "Oh, I'm the daughter of two parents, one man, one woman…"

"Seriously!"

"Oh, yeah." She shrugged. "Okay, I'm twenty-nine years old, stand five-nine in my bare feet, weight mind-your-own-business, vital statistics take-a-guess…"

Martin laid down his fork and looked at her and she laughed. "Okay, okay! Seriously. I was born in Indianapolis, capitol of Indiana, to my parents Andrew and Marcia. I have an older brother, Tom, a lawyer who lives in LA, and a younger sister, Caroline, who's a nurse and still lives at home. I can tell you, it isn't easy being Claudia-in-the-Middle with those two." She lifted one shoulder. "It was one reason I left home, got this job here."

"I have an older brother." Martin grimaced. "Much as I love him, I know what you mean."

Claudia winked. "Yeah."

"What do your folks do?"

"Dad's worked as a manager on the railroad since I was very small; my Mom's a high school teacher. What about your folks?"

"My father died ten years ago. He had his own horticulture business. My mother's still alive. She runs a bed and breakfast on the North Norfolk coast."

"That's cool. What does she think of your line of work?"

"At the Tax Office?"

"No, silly!"

Martin laughed. "Just trying to dodge the question! She's not as worried as she used to be. My father was a devout churchgoer, who didn't like my 'mucking about in things we're not meant to know.' It got worse when I told him the afterlife is open to all, regardless of religion—or lack of it."

"You think?" Claudia asked dubiously.

"It's been my experience, yes."

She grinned. "Now that won't please some folks!"

Martin shrugged. "It didn't please my father! It wasn't easy for my mother, trying to keep the peace between us. Now, she's more relaxed about the idea."

"The pressure's off."

"Exactly."

They paused as the waiter brought their dessert. "Ah, zabaglione!" Claudia smiled, looking at her dish. "Nice, although I would cheerfully kill for a good frozen custard. That and chocolate."

Martin laid down his spoon. "My name's Martin, and I'm a chocoholic…" he said solemnly.

She laughed. "Yeah? That is so cool! I don't meet many guys who understand chocolate; it's more a woman thing."

"Oh, I love it!"

"Good for you!"

They ate companionably, enhanced by small talk and the occasional warm glance, until the table was cleared and Claudia stood up.

"I know a bar near my place. We could go there for a night-cap."

"I'm with you."

* * * *

They took a cab to the bar, driving through a slushy night, the wet streets gleaming like oil under the millions of city lights. Claudia nestled close to Martin, who put his arm around her with a sense of wonder at how natural it felt.

"Do you like this city?" he asked, turning his head slightly to catch the scent of her hair.

"It has good and bad points, like anywhere else. On the whole, yeah, I do." She turned to look up at him. "You'll have to come to Indy sometime, though. They call it the Big City with the Small Town atmosphere, and that's true. Maybe, if I can get some time off and you can stay over, we could go together?"

His heart gave a strong beat. "I'd like that. My visa won't run out for a while, so I'm safe from the authorities."

"Yeah, there is that to think of." He felt her shiver against him and held her closer. "Since 9/11, everything's been so tense here."

"Were you here that day?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah. That Tuesday, I was in the office working on the paperwork for a sale, when someone yelled that there was a fire in one of the World Trade Towers. You could just see them from our floor." She grimaced and looked up at him. "We were all at the windows watching when that second airliner flew into the East tower. Martin, I've never, ever, felt such a sense of horror, of revulsion, of sheer uselessness in all my life! How could anyone do something like that?"

"I can understand how you felt," he said softly, remembering that time.

"Those next few days were a nightmare. We all did what we could. I donated blood, which I hope helped somebody. Yet there was such a sense of anger, of fear. I went to bed that night and cried my eyes out."

"Understandable. It was similar in London when 7/7 happened."

He held her close, wishing he hadn't raised the subject and trying to think of a way to comfort her. "At least you know there is an afterlife. However cruel the loss in this world, there is survival afterwards."

"Yeah, I have to hold on to that." She kissed him gently. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"You're a nice guy, Martin."

Before he could reply, they arrived outside the bar and the cab swung up to the curb. Claudia hesitated before opening the door. "I hope we're going to get out in the right century this time!"

* * * *

Later, much later, he walked with Claudia to her door. She unlocked it, then turned to take him in her arms. "I've really enjoyed tonight," she said softly.

"Me too."

She kissed him, a long, tender kiss, and he felt her hands running slowly up and down his back. Martin responded in kind, even going so far as to stroke her butt lightly, savoring the closeness of her, the warmth, the feel of her breasts against his chest. Having a desirable woman in his arms had the inevitable effect. After years of celibacy he felt his growing arousal with embarrassment, but Claudia raised no objection, even snuggling a little closer to him as they kissed.

At last he groaned and pulled away. "Oh, Claudia! I've really enjoyed tonight." He stroked her long hair and gazed at her wistfully. "I don't want it to end, but I really should get along to the hotel and set to work."

"Back to the case, huh?" Claudia smiled gently as she held him and looked into his eyes. "Martin, I'd love to invite you in anyway, but I'm not the kind of girl who goes all the way on a first date." She squeezed his hands. "I hope you understand?"

His lips quirked. "I think I do. You'll have to excuse my…erm, reaction."

"I do." She tapped him lightly on the nose. "And if you're good, I could find it in my heart to help you out there sometime—but not tonight. It's been wonderful being with you." She pecked him on the lips. "And tomorrow's another day, right?"

"I look forward to it, Claudia," he said earnestly.

"Good man." She kissed her finger, then pressed it lightly against his lips. "And goodnight."

She opened the door, stepped inside her apartment, and was gone, leaving Martin staring at the bland wooden door. The tiny spot of light in the peephole blacked out and he smiled and blew a kiss at it. A soft double knock sounded, Claudia's acknowledgement at seeing him.

With a light heart, Martin headed down the corridor. Tomorrow would be another day.