Fair Game Read Online Free PDF Page A

whisper, closing his eyes and leaning against the wall, feigning weakness.
    “Knock it off,” Martin said tersely.
    “Did you see that skin, that hair? Jesus, help me, I’m a dead man.”
    “Will you shut up, for Christ’s sake? They’ll hear you,” Martin said savagely under his breath.
    Capo stared at him incredulously. “What’s the matter with you, man? You had a hormone transplant or something? That is one good-looking woman.”
    “You’d look good too if you had a team of servants waiting on you hand and foot the way she does,” Martin said darkly.
    “A team of servants didn’t give her that figure. Come on, Timmy, the privileges of rank irritating you again?”
    “She was talking to us like we were a couple of waiters sent by some caterer she’d ordered up on the phone.”
    “I don’t feel that way. I thought she was very nice. You’re too sensitive.”
    Martin shot him a skeptical glance.
    “Oh, I get it,” Capo said. “Everyone else may be taken in by her, but not you, Timmy. You’re too smart for that, right?”
    “I just don’t think it’s a good idea to make fools of ourselves the first day on this job, so will you can the discussion of her assets?”
    “The other one’s not bad either,” Capo observed, ignoring him. “Not in the same league with the candidate’s kid, but not bad. I think she probably bites, though. She looks awfully efficient.”
    “Capo, this may come as news to you, but we are not here to rate the female members of the Senator’s entourage,” Martin said testily.
    “Ah, so she did get to you,” Capo said, smiling slightly. “Which one of them do you want to go with tonight?”  
    “The Senator requested you,” Martin replied shortly. “He wants the higher-ranking body with his daughter.”
    “I guess chivalry isn’t dead.”
    “Guess not.”
    “I’d love to escort Lady Ashley,” Capo said, sighing, “but if my wife sees a newspaper picture of me within five feet of that delicate dish, I’m going to wind up divorced. I’m safer going with the Senator.” He walked to the portable bar in the corner and got himself a soft drink. “Want one?” he said to Martin, unscrewing the cap.
    Martin shook his head.
    “Well, now we know how the other half lives,” Capo said, taking a deep swallow.
    “You’ve been here five minutes,” Martin replied dryly. “I don’t think that’s long enough to learn much.”
    “I got a look at her ladyship. That’s enough. She belongs in one of those magazine ads, wrapped in a mink. If I weren’t a happily married man ... madonna mia, o sole mio.” He downed another swallow of his soda.
    When Capo lapsed into Italian it was always a bad sign. “She’s got a boyfriend, Romeo,” Martin reminded him. “James Dillon. His name was on the list they gave us of people allowed free access to the Fairs.”
    “Oh, I haven’t read all that stuff yet.”
    “Well, do it. Dillon is some lawyer type whose daddy has a big-deal firm down in D.C. She met him at Georgetown.”
    “You remembered all that, did you?” Capo said mildly.
    “We’re supposed to remember all of it. That’s why they gave us the information, Tony. Now, stop trying to be cute, because I’ve seen that act before and it’s wearing thin, okay?”
    Capo surveyed him for several seconds in silence and then said easily, “Settle down, Tim. I was just kidding about the girl. I thought as long as we were on this joke assignment we might as well have a little fun. But if you’re going to turn into Sergeant Friday, I can play that game too. Any way you want it.”
    Martin met his friend’s gaze, and then shrugged.
    “I must be a little more ticked off about this thing than I realized,” he said.
    “Something’s bugging you, buddy,” Capo agreed.
    Martin dropped into one of the needlepoint chairs and stretched his long legs in front of him. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
    “Two months of following her and her father around the