A Year of Holidays with Nick and Carter Volume 1 by Frank W. Butterfield

Author:Frank W. Butterfield [Butterfield, Frank W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: detective, gay, holiday, San Francisco, mystery
Publisher: self-published
Published: 2020-03-04T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

The Top of the Mark

999 California Street

Tuesday, February 13, 1951

A quarter past 7 in the evening

"Now, how did we get here again?" That was me and it was the third time I'd asked the question. We were standing by the bar and both drinking martinis. We'd driven ahead, at Mrs. Kellerman's request. She'd said they would call a cab.

Marnie giggled. "I still can't get over how you sound when you talk like that."

"You can't? What about me?" I asked with a grin. "It was all I could do to keep from laughing. Where'd you get all that from?"

"I was thinking about that snooty Mrs. Uppington on Fibber McGee and Molly, but I tried to tone it down."

I laughed. "You were good." I took a sip of my drink and asked, "Now, what do we do next?"

"Like I said, you should get Georgia, the wife, to dance with you. I'll think of things to talk about with Mrs. Kellerman. You'll have to dance with her at least once, you know."

I nodded. "Anything for Carter."

She smiled. "Yeah. Don't forget. This is your Valentine's Day gift for him." She looked at me for a long moment. "But, seriously, Nick, I have a terrible feeling about Georgia."

I nodded. I'd had a knot in my stomach since we'd walked into that house on Portola. And it hadn't gone away. "Yeah, doll. Me too."

. . .

"Mr. Williams, may I introduce, Georgia, my daughter-in-law?"

I gave her the biggest smile I could muster and shook the gal's outstretched hand. She was attractive but not pretty. She was wearing very heavy makeup, but it couldn't really hide the bruises under her left eye and along the left side of her face. While her mother-in-law was wearing an expensive dress cut in the latest style, Georgia's outfit was dowdy. That was the best word for it.

I said, "It's such a pleasure to meet you, Georgia." I didn't even bother to call her by her last name or ask her permission to use her first. It felt like using her married last name was an insult she didn't deserve. I knew I would have to keep my face focused on hers. I would never hit a lady, but that didn't mean I wasn't tempted when it came to her mother-in-law.

Right then, Marcel, the maitre d', approached. "Mr. Williams? Your table is ready."

We followed him to a table in the window. I'd slipped him a fifty to guarantee that spot. Mrs. Kellerman and Georgia sat on one side with Georgia by the window. Marnie and I sat on the opposite side with me across from Georgia. It really was one of the best views in town but all I could focus on was Georgia and getting her out of that house.

As we looked at the menu, I heard Georgia whisper, "Oh, Mother, I just couldn't..."

I figured that was about the prices, so I turned to Marnie and asked, "What was it you had last time with Mrs. Snell?"

Marnie frowned slightly and then said, "Why, it was the Lobster Thermidor.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.