No easy way out Read Online Free PDF

mask, but don't
turn around until you count to five."
    "All things considered, don't you think this is a little silly,"
came his dry rejoinder.
    "Oh, darling Bandit, it is a party." She fluttered her lashes
and pouted prettily. "Humor me, please."
    He sighed and gave a resigned shrug. "All right, honey, but I'm
a fast counter."
    Virginia gave him a warm smile and pressed a quick kiss at the
corner of his handsome mouth. Her last smile was the brightest, the
last kiss the sweetest.
    She moved to stand behind him, carefully edging back toward the
marble staircase that led to the grounds. She watched his fingers
move to unknot the scarf mask, then she slipped off her high heels,
turned, and silently fled down the steps.
    Her feet were swift, sure vehicles carrying her down the
twisting incline. Bramble bushes reached out and snagged her body
as if to block her escape.
    Virginia heard his shout and quickly increased her speed. The
queue of cars loomed before her like a massive metal serpent. She
ran in the direction of Diane's yellow VW, crouching low when she
heard the ringing of the Bandit's shoes on the pavement and the
increasing anger in his voice. Bumpers and fenders shielded her
from his view; her stockings were tattered silken threads that were
welded to her perspiration-soaked legs.
    Virginia sneaked a look and relaxed when she spied the Bandit's
tall figure turn and run in the opposite direction. Quickly she
pulled open the car door and slithered into the cramped backseat.
She yanked the bunny ears from her hair and pulled an old blanket
over her trembling body. Here she lay, uncomfortably curled on the
tiny seat, gnawing her lip till it bled, and praying the Bandit
would give up his search.
    CHAPTER THREE
    "I've brought my own coffee. I've tasted yours," a disgustingly
cheerful voice announced.
    A pair of bleary, mascara-glued eyes squinted in hurtful
contemplation at the shining stainless-steel percolator. Virginia
stumbled over the rumpled foyer rug and fell against the door. Her
swollen tongue tried to moisten a mouth that tasted like a million
Q-Tips. "What . . . what time is it?" The words irritated her vocal
chords.
    "Nearly noon," Diane Stephens answered promptly. She strode
across the darkened living room and broke open the tight cocoon of
drapes, letting the lilac walls bloom in the sun. She eyed her
friend's twisted, inside-out wine cotton housecoat over misbuttoned
matching pajamas with amusement. "Ginger, you're going to have to
party more often; no one gets hangovers anymore." Her tongue
clicked against the roof of her mouth. "Come on, girl, a couple of
cups of caffeine will perk you right up."
    Virginia pushed her tumbled brown hair back off her face. Her
fingers stuck to the strands and came away streaked with spray
gold. She groaned loudly. "I feel like death warmed over." Her bare
feet shuffled a path through the white shag carpet into the dining
room. "It was all those Kamikazes. The Japanese could've won the
war with that drink." She collapsed onto an antique pink side
chair, yawned, then closed her eyes. The blond, red-jump-suited
figure continued to dart in and out of the kitchenette clanking
cups and spoons.
    Diane wriggled into an opposite chair, slid one steaming cup
toward Virginia, and lit a cigarette. "Well?"
    "Well what?" A pair of dull, iridescent blue eyes peered into
the aromatic liquid and tried to find ambition and comfort in the
dark depths.
    Diane made a hissing sound. "I've been on pins and needles for
the last eleven and a half hours. You were tight as the proverbial
clam last night. I want to know why you were hiding in the backseat
of my car." She sucked in a lungful of low tar and nicotine smoke.
"I want to hear everything."
    "Everything?" Virginia shuddered and drained her coffee in three
burning swallows. She held out her mug for a refill and drank the
second cup more cautiously. Caution, she winced in silence. What
happened to that last night?
    "God, Ginger, you can be