G is for Gumshoe Read Online Free PDF Page B

skid row, the only reason to venture into the neighborhood around Sixth and Spring is to check out the wholesale gold mart for jewelry or the Cooper Building for name-brand clothing discounted to bargain-basement prices. For the most part, you’re better off speeding right on by.
    You’ll notice that I’m skipping right over the events of Thursday night. I will say that I did, indeed, stop by Rosie’s for the drink she’d promised, only to discover that she and Henry had arranged a surprise birthday party for me. It was one of those mortifying moments where the lights come up and everybody jumps out from behind the furniture. I couldn’t believe it was happening. Jonah was there, and Vera (the rat—who hadn’t breathed a word of it when I’d seen her earlier), Darcy and Mac from CFI, Moza from down the block, some of the regular bar patrons, and a former client or two. I don’t know why it seems so embarrassing to admit, but they had a cake and actual presents that I had to open on the spot. I don’t like to be surprised. I don’t like to be the center of attention. These were all people I care about, but I found it unnerving to be the object of so much good will. I suppose I saidall the right things. I didn’t get drunk and I didn’t disgrace myself, but I felt disconnected, like I was having an out-of-body experience. Reflecting on it now in the privacy of my car, I could feel myself smiling. Events like this always seem better to me in retrospect.
    The party had broken up at ten. Henry and Jonah walked me home and after Henry excused himself, I showed Jonah the apartment, feeling shy as a bride.
    I got the distinct impression he wanted to spend the night, but I couldn’t handle it. I’m not sure why—maybe it was my earlier conversation with Vera—but I felt distant and when he moved to kiss me, I found myself easing away.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?”
    â€œNothing. It’s just time for me to be alone.”
    â€œDid I do something to piss you off?”
    â€œHey, no. I promise. I’m exhausted, that’s all. The party tonight just about did me in. You know me. I don’t do well in situations like that.”
    He smiled, his teeth flashing white. “You should have seen the look on your face. It was great. I think it’s funny to see you caught off-guard.” He was leaning against the door, with his hands behind his back, the light from the kitchen painting one side of his face with a warm yellow glow. I found myself taking a mental picture of him: blue eyes, dark hair. He looked tired. Jonah is a Santa Teresa cop who works the missing persons detail, which is how we’d met almost a year ago. I really wasn’t sure what I felt for him at this point. He’s kind, confused, a good man who wants to do the right thing, whatever that is. I understood his dilemma with his wife and I didn’t blame him for hispart in it. Of course he was going to vacillate. He has two young daughters who complicate the matter no end. Camilla had left him twice, taking the girls with her both times. He’d managed to do all right without her, but the first time she crooked her little finger, he’d gone running back. It had been push-pull since then, double messages. In November, she’d decided they should have an “open marriage,” which he figured was a euphemism for her screwing around on him. He felt that freed him up to get involved with me, but I was reasonably certain he’d never mentioned it to her. How “open” could this open marriage be? While I didn’t want much from the relationship, I found it disquieting that I never knew where I stood. Sometimes he behaved like a family man, taking his girls to the zoo on Sunday afternoons. Sometimes he acted like a bachelor father, doing exactly the same thing. He and his daughters spent a lot of time staring at the monkeys while Camilla did God