Flinch Factor, The Read Online Free PDF Page B

hadn’t been an issue before.”
    â€œNaked?” Benny shook his head in wonder.
    â€œHe’d strip down to nothing but his work boots and his iPod, which he wore on a strap around his waist, and he’d dance and paint the day away.”
    â€œSo what happened?” my mother asked.
    â€œAbout three months ago he painted a den that had one of those hidden surveillance cameras. When the husband got home that night and reviewed his videotapes, he was not pleased. He fired Nick and dropped off a copy of the surveillance tape with the cops. According to Linda, Nick went down to the police station and got everything taken care of.”
    â€œWhat happened to the painter?” my mother asked.
    â€œCharges were dropped. Nick continued to use him on jobs, too, but only after he agreed to comply with the new dress code.”
    â€œYou saw the tape?” Benny asked.
    â€œThe cops gave it to Nick. Linda showed it to me.”
    â€œAnd?” Benny said, eyes twinkling.
    â€œInteresting.” I smiled. “It would have been better with a soundtrack, because he was really swaying those hips.”
    â€œAnd?” Benny said.
    I shrugged. “Lots of movement down there. Reminded me of a cowboy doing rope tricks.”
    â€œYou said this naked painter is gay?” my mother asked.
    â€œAccording to Linda. And he seemed pretty flamboyant on that tape. Like one of the Village People. And in his emails to Nick.”
    â€œWhat kind of emails?” Benny asked.
    â€œBusiness, actually. A total of three. Confirming job sites and schedules. But he called Nick ‘darling’ in two of them, and he signed off once with the phrase ‘kisses and misses.’”
    â€œDo you think he and Nick had a relationship?” my mother asked.
    â€œI hope to find out tomorrow. He’s working on a job in U City. He agreed to meet me after work at Blueberry Hill.”
    Benny said. “Anything else?”
    â€œI found five possible girlfriends.”
    â€œNick’s girlfriends?” my mother asked.
    â€œApparently. At least according to his sister. Nick occasionally talked to her about his social life. She was always bugging him to get married. She remembered three names he mentioned to her: Brenda, Ruth, and Barb. She didn’t know any of their last names. When I went through his customer files this morning, I looked for those names. I think I identified all three. His secretary gave me two more names. An interesting group. I called them all today and set up meetings with each of them tomorrow.”
    â€œDo we know any?” Benny asked.
    â€œYou know at least one of them.”
    â€œWho?”
    I gave him my lawyer look. “This is confidential. You can’t tell anyone.”
    Benny mimed zipping his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”
    â€œEspecially since these may not be girlfriends. There may be nothing romantic about these relationships. Even if he’s heterosexual. And especially if he’s gay. These could just be lady friends.”
    â€œFine,” Benny said. “I understand. Now which one do I know?”
    â€œRuth,” I said.
    â€œI do?”
    â€œShe’s on the law school faculty.”
    â€œRuth?” He frowned. “He was banging someone on the—hold on.” His eyes narrowed. ‘”Ruth Parnos?”
    I nodded. “Professor Parnos.”
    â€œRuth?” he said, incredulous. “I thought she was a dyke.”
    â€œI’ll find out tomorrow.”
    â€œRuth Parnos?” He leaned back in his chair. “No way.”
    â€œYou might be wrong, Benny.”
    â€œFor chrissake, she drives a Subaru Outback.”
    I couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you talking about?”
    â€œCome on, Rachel. Don’t give me that Little Miss Muffet shtick. A chick behind the wheel of a Subaru Outback is one of the two most reliable indicators.”
    I gave him a weary sigh. “And