Critical Space Read Online Free PDF Page A

enough, then cut off further discussion by saying that she didn't want to be pressured. She asked me not to ruin it.
    So I tried not to ruin it.
    That didn't keep me from saying, "Hi, honey, I'm home," though.
    Her smile broadened and she came down the hall toward me, so I moved to meet her. We caught up with each other at the kitchen and necked briefly, and then she pulled off the kiss and I put my face into her shoulder, and we held one another like that for a bit longer. She was wearing a black tank top, and her skin was warm and smelled of the oatmeal soap she now kept in my shower.
    "Never,
ever,
say that to me again," Bridgett said.
    "Let's go to bed," I told her shoulder.
    "Hmm." She moved her mouth closer to my ear, and I heard her teeth clink against my earrings. "Tempting, but you've got company."
    I let her go, straightening my glasses to see Natalie waiting at the end of the hall, watching us. She was in slacks and her blazer, and she didn't look very happy, and I guessed that she'd come from work.
    "Hey, Nat."
    "Atticus."
    I opened the refrigerator and got myself a bottle of Anchor Steam, then offered one to each of the two ladies. They said no. I had a swallow, then dropped into one of the chairs at the table and began removing my necktie.
    "That Skye Van Brandt's autograph?" Natalie asked.
    "She's got a hell of an arm." I smoothed the tie down on the table, trying to get the creases out.
    "Her manager called this afternoon, screaming his head off," Natalie said. "Says you walked out on her. Then Skye called, asking where you were, if you were coming back, sounding pretty distraught..."
    "She's an actress," I said. "She gets distraught if her makeup isn't right."
    "She's a movie star, actually," Natalie corrected. "Then her agent called, and he got shrill with me, saying that Skye couldn't work like this, whatever that means. Then Skye called back, but this time she had a bitch on, and when I told her I hadn't been able to reach you..."
    "I shut off my phone."
    "So I'd gathered. When I told her I hadn't been able to reach you, she called me several four-letter words, in a variety of combinations, then hung up. Then her manager called back and said you were fired. So, essentially, as a result of whatever happened in El Paso, I was verbally abused by the Skye Van Brandt organization this afternoon. Would you like to tell me what happened in El Paso, Atticus? Because I'm really curious."
    "You know I wouldn't just walk out for no reason," I said.
    "I do," Natalie said. "I also know that Skye Van Brandt's a spoiled brat, and that you should have been done with the job two days ago. Did she do that?" She indicated my forehead with a manicured nail.
    "With an ashtray."
    "Why?" Bridgett asked.
    "I wouldn't carry her luggage."
    They looked at each other. Bridgett began to giggle.
    "That's nice," I said. "I'm glad you're amused, because I sure as hell wasn't. Aside from the pain that comes from being beaned with a glass ashtray, I nearly lost consciousness, I had blood in my eyes, and I couldn't see."
    "You poor thing," Bridgett said.
    I ignored her, speaking to Natalie. "She made it impossible for me to protect her."
    "By walking out on her you left her exposed," Natalie said.
    "To what? Back strain? Skye Van Brandt didn't need a PSA, Nat, she needed a babysitter. I was for show, that's all. And, for the record, I wasn't fired -- I quit."
    "It could make it hard for us to get more work."
    "You mean more of that kind of work, and no it won't. We bill them as normal, and if they make a stink, we'll let them know our attorney will be in touch."
    "You'd sue over this?" Bridgett asked.
    "Of course not," I said. "But they won't dare trash our reputation, and if they get even the least bit snarky I've got no qualms about threatening them with a civil suit for assault."
    "Ooh, he
is
pissed off," Bridgett told Natalie.
    "Damn right I am."
    "You might want to get that under control," Natalie said. "We've got clients coming into