Hornet's nest by Patricia Cornwell

Author:Patricia Cornwell
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Police, Mystery & Thrillers, Fiction, Charlotte (N.C.), Women Sleuths, Policewomen, Authors, Charlotte (N.C.) - Fiction, Detective, Police Procedural, Detective and mystery stories, Police - North Carolina - Charlotte - Fiction, American, Mystery & Detective - General, Charlotte, Mystery & Detective, Policewomen - Fiction, American Mystery & Suspense Fiction, Fiction - Mystery, North Carolina, General, Suspense, Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural
ISBN: 9780399142284
Publisher: New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, c1996.
Published: 1996-12-13T20:00:00+00:00

"Police officials have to be careful of things like that," Hammer reminded the publisher, whose paper would have been the first to print a story about Hammer's V. I. P status or any other special favors possibly resulting in one establishment getting more police protection than another.

"Truth is, I don't eat much red meat anymore," Panesa added.

They were passing the Traveler's Hotel, upstairs from the Presto Grill, which Hammer and West had made rather famous of late. Panesa smiled as he drove, reminded of Brazil's Batman and Robin story. The hotel was a horrific dive. Hammer thought as she looked out her window. Appropriately, it was across Trade Street from the city's unemployment office, and next door to the Dirty Laundry Cleaner & Laundry. No eating or drinking was allowed in the lobby of the Traveler's. They'd had an axe murder there several years earlier. Or was that the Uptown Motel?

Hammer couldn't remember.

"How do you stay in shape," Panesa continued the small talk.

"I walk whenever I can. I don't eat fat," Hammer replied, digging in her purse for lipstick.

"That's not fair. I know women who walk on the treadmill an hour every day, and their legs don't look like yours," Panesa observed.

"I want to know precisely what the difference is."

"Seth eats everything in my house," Hammer was out with it.

"He eats so much, I lose my appetite on a regular basis. You know what it does to you to walk in at eight o'clock, after a hellish day, and see your husband parked in front of the TV, watching " Ellen," eating his third bowl of Hormel chili with beef and beans?"

Then the rumors were true, and Panesa suddenly felt sorry for Hammer.

The publisher of the Charlotte Observer went home to no one but a housekeeper who prepared chicken breasts and spinach salads. How awful for Hammer. Panesa looked over at his peer in satin and beads. Panesa took the risk of reaching out and patting Hammer's hand.

"That sounds absolutely awful," the publisher sympathized.

"I actually need to lose a few pounds," Hammer confessed.

"But I tend to put it on around my middle, not my legs."

Panesa searched for parking around the Carillon, where Morton's Of Chicago steak house was doing quite a business without them.

"Watch your door there. Sorry," Panesa said.

"I'm a little close to the meter. I don't guess I need to put anything in it?"

"Not after six," said Hammer, who knew.

She thought how nice it would be to have a friend like Panesa. Panesa thought how nice it would be to go sailing with Hammer, or jet skiing, or do lunch or Christmas shopping together, or just talk in front of the fire. Getting drunk was also a thought when, normally, it was a big problem for the publisher of a nationally acclaimed newspaper or the chief of a formidable police department. Hammer had overdone it with Seth now and then, but it was pointless. He ate. She passed out.

Panesa had gotten drunk alone, which was worse, especially if he had forgotten to let the dog back in.

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.