Night Kills by John Lutz Page A

irregular spray that could go on for several more uses.
    She looked at herself in the vanity mirror. What? Was she getting paranoid? No one was getting in here. No one had the key, except for the super, a man in his sixties. She had to smile. Mr. Mercurio would hardly be wearing her clothes and using her cosmetics. He’d split all the seams if he tried to wriggle into the polka-dot dress. A vision of the dignified, mustached, and paunchy Mercurio struggling with her wardrobe almost made her laugh out loud. No, he was definitely not a suspect.
    Of course, you never knew about people.
    Yeah, she thought. Some people suspect things that never happened.
    She had to admit it was possible that she’d hung her clothes in the closet exactly as they were. Same way with the cosmetics. The mind could play tricks. Memory was a joker.
    The phone jangled, jarring her out of her thoughts. Not her cell phone. She ran to the table near the sofa, where the land line phone rested.
    It was David.
    The receiver pasted to her ear, she dropped onto the sofa and sat slumped in a cushioned corner. “The oddest thing just happened,” she said. “When I opened my closet it struck me that some of the clothes weren’t where I’d hung them.”
    â€œNever mind that,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about you.”
    She smiled. “I should hope so.”
    Their journey from acquaintances to lovers had been smooth and natural, and Shellie couldn’t imagine being happier. Their personalities meshed perfectly, which added to the sexual sparks. He left nothing to wish for, in any respect. David was a gentleman who knew his way around, both in and out of bed.
    Especially in bed.
    â€œI want you to move in with me,” he said.
    She was pleased but surprised. This was so fast. “I don’t know….”
    â€œI didn’t think you’d hesitate.” He sounded disappointed.
    â€œI mean, this is so sudden. I’ve been stuck in a routine: my apartment, my job—whenever I work.”
    â€œYou won’t have to worry about a job, darling. I’ll support you. I can afford it easily. I’d say I won’t even notice you’re around, only I’ll notice you all the time, even when I’m not home.”
    â€œI don’t know, David….” But she did know. She’d already made up her mind.
    â€œTwo apartments,” he said. “All that money unnecessarily spent on rent.”
    She laughed. Didn’t he know she was already convinced? “We’ve left the subject of love and we’re talking about money now.”
    â€œI didn’t mean—”
    â€œI’m only kidding, David. Of course I’ll move in with you. It makes perfect sense. Why should we rotate where we spend our nights?”
    â€œI don’t care where they’re spent as long as we’re together. I thought about giving up my apartment and moving in with you, taking over the rent payments.”
    â€œThis place is a broom closet compared to your apartment.”
    â€œThat’s what I decided. You deserve better, darling.”
    â€œDavid, I’ve got better. You.”
    â€œYou know I love you.”
    â€œI do know that. It’s more important than my address.”
    â€œTomorrow?”
    â€œNobody makes up their mind and then moves tomorrow , David. I need time to pack, decide what I want to keep, put things in boxes.”
    â€œGet busy. I’ll come over and help you.”
    â€œWhy so fast?”
    â€œI don’t want you to change your mind.”
    Â 
    Within four days, Shellie was totally moved into David’s apartment. He’d paid the remaining time on her lease, making the real estate agency that managed the building happy. A small moving company transferred the things Shellie wanted to keep. What was left was bought and moved out of her old apartment by an estate liquidation company. Most of it would probably turn up