Ropes of Lies: A Dirty Liars Novel by Kathy Noumi

Author:Kathy Noumi [Noumi, Kathy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 5 Point Publishing, LLC.
Published: 2018-02-06T18:30:00+00:00

DrumBar sat on the eighteenth floor of the Raffaello Hotel. It claimed the title of swankiest bar in Chicago, in my book. Knowing we’d be coming here, I changed after lunch, casual wear didn’t seem fitting for this place. Sporting a fresh plaid navy suit and thin silk tie I headed up in the elevator.

When you walked into DrumBar, the room empowered you with its masculine decor, lush seating, and dark wood. It recalled a time when men in suits would go to private, invite-only drinking lounges. It was like free time travel back to the fifties and early sixties.

Nathaniel and I made our way to our favorite table and plopped down on the leather sofa. After I followed suit, a striking waitress dressed in a fitted vest and tight black pants appeared. “What can I get you gentlemen?”

Nathaniel perked up. “I’ll get a Glenlivet, neat.”

“And I’ll have a Johnny Walker on the rocks.”

“Black or Blue Label, sir?” she asked.

“Blue.”

The waitress smiled at us both. “Very good. I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

She strode away. Nathaniel turned his attention back to me. “All right, down to business. Why the fuck do you look like someone crapped on your cupcake? It can’t be just because of…”

I ran a hand over my hair. Where the hell did I begin? The gala? The FBI? Miss Melanie Eden Black? City Net? Uptown? I had never felt so overwhelmed in my entire life.

“Crap on my cupcake would be better than the ton of shit I’m shoveling with a plastic spoon.”

He cocked his right brow. “Is it a chick?”

“That would be an understatement.” I paused. “Remember that conference we went to? In New York, before you met Lauren?”

He narrowed his eyes like he was flipping through the pages of a book in his head. “I think so . . .”

“Remember the girl? From P & L?”

He shrugged with raised palms. “Sure?”

“We had a thing, and let’s just say it ended badly.”

“Man, what does this have to do with today?”

“Here you are, boys. A Glen, neat.” She placed Nate’s drink in front of him. “And a Blue Label for you. Anything else I can get you?”

I reached into my pocket, pulled out my Amex, and threw it on the table. “Open a tab and keep ’em coming.”

She reached down picked up my card, her eyes widening. “Sure thing, Mr. Winthrop.” She sauntered away, hips swaying like a pendulum, a newfound pep in her step.

“You, sir, just made her panties loose with your fucking platinum card.”

I shot him a don’t-fuck-with-me-right-now glare. “Not interested.”

He held up his hands. “Just sayin’. You don’t have to get your panties in a twist. If I weren’t with Lauren . . .” He dropped his hands and smirked at me.

“You’re—”

“Shut up and get back to whatever the hell is bothering you.”

“What’s bothering me is Eden,” I whispered between gritted teeth. “I saw her at the Eco-Developers Foundation gala. Then later that night I unintentionally poached Thompson. He’d called me, and I didn’t know he’d been her client.

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