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Adventures of Dash Karp and Cat Flynn
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== Chapter 10 "Dressing for Dinner" == '''''CAT''''' She knew she was blushing but she cast a look his way, eyes of bluest blue wreathed in raven lashes. "I didn't say I wanted an apology Dash," and the smile that curled was a rare glimpse at the gypsy without pretense of oddity. She rose from the couch, keeping the cloak wrapped tight. "I hope they put my clothes here," walking barefoot into her room, she saw clothing, though not her own, laid out. It was a dinner dress in sapphire blue and from the look of it, they were determined to capitalize on the gypsy idea, the skirt very full and the top a bandeau with a sheer panel to the low waistband. She gathered it up and headed for the shower. "Do we have to eat with them?" frowning, pretty sure she was happier not to, though realistic options were few and far between. Dropping the cloak, she stepped beneath the hot water, steam filling the room. '''''DASH''''' "We cannot be rude to our garcious host, Catarina," I gave a flippant answer from my room. It was obvious I was not going to get to the opera, but if Gladys was at diiner, that should count for something, right? She had been trying to hire me for some time now to go find a relative in Africa. I didn't want to flat out say no, but I was also in no hurry to go chaing down rumors of of a white man raised by apes. I looked over the clothes laid out for me. Not quite my style, though certainly of contemporary fashion. A brown suit though? Not my best color. The suit I originally put on this morning was hanging in the closet all nice and pressed. Now I was wondering if there was some significance to the brown suit for dinner. Just another reminder I was quite lost here, but had to keep my head for my own sake as well as Cat's. Catarina. I had to remember to call her Catarina. '''''CAT''''' She finished her shower and dressed, taking a moment to note that her dress was in the closet, a small handkerchief tied within the neckline inside. She checked, all of the cash and the brooch still intact, a bit surprised to be truthful. "Well, if they try to feed me anything weird I am sticking it in your napkin," teased as she emerged, heels adding three inches of height, though that still left her well below his height. "Well, on the bright side, at least we are out of those cloaks," almost adding that they could have rid themselves of the cloaks earlier, a bit scandalized by the thought but she just grinned. '''''DASH''''' "I rather thought gypsies ate weird stuff all the time," I teased back. Well at least her mood seemed more relaxed and on the surface I could my mood relaxed as well. I was good at that. But undrneath I was a cauldron of boiling thoughts and plans and contingencies. I rushed into the shower, sudsing up, rinsing off, jumping out, brushing teeth and a quick shave. I didn't bother to check for my gun in my suit because I simply didn't expect it to be there. I did dress in the dull brown suit with the dull brown socks and the dull brown shoes and a glimpse in the mirror had me wondering if this was some psychological ploy by Lorenzo. Or maybe he hoped I would appear less appealing to the women. I did have a way with women and I was rather proud of that. Perhaps Lorenzo was aware of my relationship with Gladys, or noticed how Magdelena looked at me. Perhaps he wanted to get his hands on Cat. Now that thought bothered me a bit, but certainly I had no right to be possessive. I was never possessive with women. If, by some chance, Cat had interest in Lorenzo, well who was I to stand in the way? The suit came equipped with a gray bowtie, of all things, and I emerged from my room still tying it. When I saw what Cat was wearing, my fingers fumbled on the tie and I had to start over. "Its obvious they like you better than me." '''''CAT''''' She was not self conscious as a rule, though his comment about them liking her brought a soft chuckle. "Hm, pretty certain I do not want them to see me as anything other than a plain Jane Dash. With these people...." she shook her head. "so you know that one woman then, yeah?" she smiled, bothered by the fact that the fact bothered her. She eyed his suit, "though I do have to say, that is not your color." She used the small wall mirror to apply the deep wine colored lipstick. "And we eat well, not like you lot here thank you kindly," her accent making the statement jovial over irritable, though the wink his way helped. '''''DASH''''' I finished the knot on the tie and smirked at myself in the mirror. "Well, this is better than that cloak," then I looked to her, "though I am sure Lorenzo and the dusky fella will still be staring at you." There was a cigarette case and lighter on the end table by the couch and I helped myself, inhaling deeply and enjoying it immensely. "Yes, I have known Gladys for a couple years. She comes from old English money, though her branch of the family tree settled here some thirty years ago. She's become a contributor to the Explorers Club, so I have been 'encouraged' to not upset her." Actually saying it aloud sounded rather sleezy and I almost felt like a gigolo for a brief minute. I wanted to switch the topic to her and ask my questions, but just then I wasn't sure what I really wanted answers to. "So, how did you come up with that whole 'Sands of Time' thing? Getting us sent to Atlantic City works out as well as anything. I was afraid we'd be sent globetrotting for the stone d...." I caught myself! "Err, the Missile of Eros." '''''CAT''''' She, too, helped herself to a cigarette, casting a mild lifted brow his way when he almost spoke of the item in cruder terms, amusement in blue eyes though she did not comment aloud on that. "Come up with it? Well, it is a bit like eavesdropping on a nearby conversation I suppose. I just deliver the message," a small shrug was seen, absolutely at ease about her skills. "Do you really think he will send us both to fetch it?" a nervous draw of teeth along lower lip revealed her concern, tied to his comment about Lorenzo and the dusky man. "Do you know what the darker skinned man, Arnav, is doing here? Do you know Magdalena?" Glances now and again at the door, then seeking a clock. Nervous was one word for it. '''''DASH''''' I blew a couple of smoke rings, then began a different sort of search of the room. There were no windows, but there was a bar and I set my cigarette in an ashtray. "I'm hoping I can get Lorenzo to let you be sent back to Applewhite while I go to Atlantic City and come up with some story to explain why it wasn't there," because I truly did not believe it would be found. "Want a drink, Catarina?" I was already pouring myself a stiff scotch without ice since no ice was present. "I never seen Maggy or Arny before, but my gut tells me they're shadey." My gut was also a bit less certain of Gladys now as well, but that was another issue. After a snort of the scotch, I took up the cigarette once again. "So what conversation were you eavesdropping on?" '''''CAT''''' She frowned, a hand going to a curve of hip, well displayed in the style of dress, "and if I do not want to go to Applewhite, the man I have never met?" She nodded, the same hand shifting to slide through black hair. "Yes please," and she was pacing some, smoke exhaled smoothly as she did so. "Shady does not quite seem to sum it up, hm?" His last question drew a glance of blue gaze. "Khazzan was speaking to me, I relayed his message to the group." She chuckled, "it used to startle me when others could not see or hear some things, but I have grown used to it I suppose." '''''DASH''''' I poured just a finger's worth of scotch into a tumbler for her and carried it over to her. "I apologize, Catarina. That was rather presumptuous of me. Once I get you out of here, you are, of course, free to go where you like." I then took a step, doing my damndest not to leer or stare. That little number Lorenzo chose for her was rather fetching and she more than just pulled it off. "However, please remember there is still an offer on the table for the Irish Crown Jewels that Applewhite would like to discuss with you. But if Lorenzo comes through with the five large he promised," I shrugged, "that's sure enough to set a lady like you up in tarot cards for a good while." I took another hit off the cigarette then snuffed it out in the ashtray. "So Khazzan actually spoke to you?" Uh huh. "What exactly did he say to you? How does it work? How did he come all the way here?" Even if I was giving her the benefit of the doubt - which I wasn't quite there yet - these were legitimate questions. '''''CAT''''' She took the drink, meeting his gaze as she lifted it to her lips and swallowed some. "A lady like me, hm?" again, it was amusement that danced in blue depths. "Has it truly never occurred to you that it is you I wish to stay with?" She almost managed not to blush, but failed as she turned to pace. "I have not forgotten, and hope you recall that I have not agreed to sell or give anything to your friend," she took another small sip. "So this Explorer's Club is sort of a money club, hm?" His questions about Khazzan were not ignored, she simply needed to figure how to explain something that even among her own people was hard to fathom. "He did, as far as I could tell from the energy. The fact that I held and fed his skull helped hone in on him, so to speak." '''''DASH''''' Fed his skull? I wasn't even going there. "I think it would have been even more presumptuous if such a thing had indeed occurred to me," I chuckled and swallowed back the rest of my scotch and set the empty tumbler on the bar. "I just wanted to remind you that there was an offer there. An offer you need do nothing about, Catarina." Now why would she want to stay with me? Well, not that it was unusual, but I had certainly not meant to lead her on. "The energy, you say?" Applewhite would be fascinated with the gypsy girl, and while I did hope she would agree to meet with him, if she chose otherwise, I would absolutely see to her wishes. "Catarina, I really don't understand that sort of thing. I prefer to deal with what I can see and touch. Frankly, this whole set up here and Lorenzo and the other..." I shook my head, "I'm not too comfortable with it all." I would rather be running from a tribe of angry pygmies. "So please forgive my skepticism." I poured a bit more scotch into my tumbler and added some soda water to cut it a bit. "In any case, I usually work alone. It would be safer if you didn't go to Atlantic City with me." '''''CAT''''' She was quiet for a long moment as she went to sit on the couch again, ankles crossing demurely though that only added to the way the dress hugged her body. "It would only be presumptuous if it were untrue. In this case, it would have been prescient," and she quirked a smile, despite her job on stage she was anything but adroit at flirting, not when it was for real. A seductive smile under the spotlight was easy, required nothing. She nodded softly, throwing back the rest of her drink and extending the glass his way, "another please?" She watched him, he was certainly easy to watch and she shifted some, her voice soft and smooth. "Anything but skepticism is generally either someone who is desparate, whether for information or to impress me is irrelevant," and she laughed some, leaning back, "and I usually do not spend my days being kidnapped...twice...meeting lunatics and being threatened with death, or worse." She grinned some, "safer does not seem to be a choice here, other than what I have seen, which is that I am safer with you than without you." '''''DASH''''' She quirked a smile and I quirked a brow. But I did manage to pour a bit more scotch into her tumbler. "Take it easy with that stuff. You might need your wits about you at dinner." I set the bottle down and gave her a look and considered the pros and cons of taking her with me to Atlantic City. Another wild goose chase, I was sure.. "There's a lot of bad men in that shore town, Catarina. If I can get you to Applewhite's chateau, you'll be safer there than you would anywhere, believe me. Plus I jus' ain't useta takin' dames wit' me on cases, ya see?" I was practicing already for conversations with Jumpin' Joe Harrigan, who owned and operated Cleopatra's Barge. Harrigan seemed like a likable fellow. Rather disarming in a way that could make you forget he was a criminal. While Cleopatra's Barge was an above board and legit night club, Harrigan also owned several other speak easies as well, where the booze flowed and the women showed! '''''CAT''''' She took the drink and leaned back, accentuating the line of her body in the stunning blue. "I got the impression that the dames in your life are more of a dame in every town, no?" not upset by that, just acknowledging what seemed to be the case. "And if you do not think bad men lurk around most corners, well, actually, I don;t suppose you have to worry about that much," she pursed her lips some, considering her next words. "If my going with would impede your ability to work the dames, then I suppose that is how it must be. I do think, however, that I would be helpful." As she spoke there came a pounding on the bolted door and a rattle of the door handle. '''''DASH''''' It was generally more than one dame in every town, but I felt no need to brag. "It has nothing to do with the dames and everything to do woth the work," and I could hear my words coming out a bit clipped. I decided to slip the cigarette case in my pocket, not knowing if any smokes would be available at dinner. "How do you think you would be helpful, Catarina? You going to get the ghosts to give you passwords? Or do you plan to dance for Harrigan and distract him while I purloin the statuette and make good my escape?" I smiled, hoping the smile would lessen the sarcasm that was perhaps sharper than it deserved to be. Just then, there was a knock at the door, but before I could even ask who it was, the door swung inward to reveal the twins, Alice and Carol, standing in the hallway. "Oh my, you both look..." Alice started, but Carol finished, "....deliciously wondrrful." The twins smiled to each other and I nodded. "Very well, ladies...lead on." I offered my arm to Cat so that I might escort her properly. '''''CAT''''' His words were unexpectedly harsh and she could feel her cheeks heat as color spread. She felt her body tense, sitting up as the unexpectedness of his reply hit home. She was embarassed and that was something she was not used to feeling really. The smile did not ease the sharp ache of realizing she had been wrong, apparently. Too often the target of glances and whispers and snide laughter, his tone brought that back home and she could feel the stage smile replace the genuine one. "Think nothing of it." The opening of the door brought her to her feet smoothly, gaze shifting to the twins. If she was discomfitted by their admiring tone it did not show, "Dinner sounds like a wonderful plan." She would rather have walked on her own, but she took his arm in a featherlight touch, it would take someone who knew her well or looked carefully to know how she really felt about all of this.
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