Bluff Ch. 04

"You guys were kissing when I rang the bell," Tricia giggled. "I can tell. That's why it took you so long."

"Time to play piano, Tricia."

***

Alex sat on the edge of the sofa, the sounds of explosions and gunfire filling the room.

"We just have to start asking around who knows her," Simon said, clicking away at the PlayStation controller. The rapid gunfire faded to synthesized doom-and-gloom music as the controller hit the carpet with a plastic thud. "Bugger! I didn't even see that guy! And who the fuck names their daughter Hank?"

"What about Hank?" Travis asked, coming back into his den with three bottles of beer.

"What? You know her or something?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. Hank – bookstore Hank, right?"

"I don't know where she works."

Simon interjected, "I seriously doubt there's dozens of girls running around called Hank."

Travis laughed. "Yeah, good point."

Alex smiled, but his pulse was pounding in his ears. He leaned forward on the sofa, fighting the urge to yell at them to shut up and tell him about Hank. Before he could ask anything, Simon piped up again.

"She good-looking?"

"Oh yeah, she's a little bit of all right. Manages the Book Nook in the mall; she's friends with Jackie Gracen's brother, George. They were at Andrew's party a couple months ago."

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle." Simon nudged Alex's ribs. "All this time, eh buddy?"

The Book Nook. Of course. He'd half driven himself crazy over the past week trying to place the voice he'd heard as she left his house. He covered his face with his hand, how could he not have placed it? She was the woman who touched his arm all the time when he ordered books in Braille.

He leaned forward in his seat and said to Travis, "Tell me everything you know about her."

***

A thin layer of condensation built between the receiver and his palm. Alex's finger lingered on the raised bumps of the last button – a minute nervous twitch and he had dialed. His finger jerked up to disconnect but the phone was ringing already. He could feel sweat forming on his upper lip and barely heard the voice answering the phone over the ringing of blood in his ears.

"Thank you for calling The Book Nook, how may I help you?"

His voice caught in his throat, he almost hung up. His mouth moved but no sound would come.

"Hello?"

Alex found his voice, rather proud that he didn't sound like a complete tool when he asked, "May I speak to Henrietta Walker, please?"

A slight pause. "You are."

"Hello, Hank."

"Who is this?"

"No. I'm not going to tell you my name." He could hear her starting to laugh. A good sign. "But you had an appointment booked for a piano lesson tonight."

"I did? But I don't play piano."

"No? Well, I assume that's why you're taking lessons, then."

"Cheeky monkey."

"Be here at 7:30. You know the address."

He could hear her voice as he pulled the phone away from his ear and clenched his teeth as he hung up on her.