Shaken by J.A. Konrath

hit on the girls unless the girl makes the first move.”
    “How often does that happen?” I asked.
    In the background, the bar broke out into cheers and applause.
    “Some of our clients are rich, powerful men,” Shell said. “Some are famous. Whatever two consenting adults decide to do privately has nothing to do with me or my business, and it’s all off the clock.”
    “Can you do this, Jacqueline?” Herb said.
    I stared at Shell. “Yes.”
    “You’d be living with the other girls. You might be away from home for a while.”
    I thought about my crappy Wrigleyville apartment. “Not a problem.”
    “If you have a pet, a cat—”
    I shook my head. “I hate cats. I’d never own a cat.”
    “Do you have any objections to starting tomorrow?” Herb asked. “Your captain said Homicide can have you on loan for as long as we need you.”
    I struggled to suppress a giggle. Me? Working Homicide? That had only been my goal since joining the force.
    “Tomorrow sounds fine,” I said, keeping a straight face.
    “Great!” Shell clasped my hands, in a way that was both formal yet intimate. “Welcome to Classy Companions.”
    “We’ll get started in the morning,” Herb said. “I can pick you up.”
    “I’ve got a car,” I said. It was a Nova, only a few years old.
    “Okay. Meet me at the station at eight a.m.”
    “Sounds good.” I glanced at Shell. “What should I wear?”
    “Something nice,” he said.
    “How nice are we talking, here?”
    “I’ll take care of that.” He gave my hands an extra squeeze. “I’ll meet you both tomorrow,” Herb said. “In the meantime, I’ve pulled the victims’ files. I’d like you to take a look, see if you spot anything we missed. I’m anxious to hear your take on this.”
    Herb pulled some files from his briefcase. He stacked them onto the table, pushing them over to me. If he’d called me the most beautiful woman on the planet, it couldn’t have flattered me more. My respect for Herb kept going up and up.
    “I’ll get started on these right away,” I promised.
    The waitress brought the bill to Herb, and he squinted at it, making a face.
    “We didn’t order thirty-two shots of tequila.”
    She smacked her gum and cocked out a hip. “Your friend did. The one who was sitting at the table next to you. He bought shots for everyone in the bar, but said for us to skip you guys because you were driving.”
    Shell smiled politely and took the bill. I looked around for Harry, but he’d wisely made a quick exit. Annoying as he was, the guy did have a certain lowbrow style.
    “See you tomorrow,” Herb said, standing up. “Partner.”
    He stuck out his hand. I shook it gladly. Herb nodded a goodbye to Shell, then left the restaurant.
    “He’s a good guy,” Shell said, running his finger along the edge of his beer glass.
    “Seems like it,” I agreed.
    “Has the metabolism of a hummingbird. Before we went to the morgue I watched him polish off three hot dogs with the works. I don’t know where he puts it. The guy should weigh three hundred pounds.”
    I tried to imagine thin-as-a-rail Herb weighing that much, but just couldn’t see it.
    “So tell me,” Shell said, leaning forward on the table so his knuckles brushed mine again, “what’s a nice girl like you doing in a career like this?”
    I’d been asked that before, but never like that. Most people wondered what was wrong with me for wanting to be a cop. When Shell asked me, I felt like my job impressed him.
    “Mom was on the force,” I said, leaning closer, letting our fingers meet. I liked it that Shell was confident enough to flirt with me, and wondered how far he would take it if I let him. “But she joined in the sixties. Women didn’t climb the ranks, and we didn’t get the due respect.”
    “Is that what you’re looking for? Rank and respect?”
    I answered without hesitation. “Yes.”
    “What rank are you shooting for?”
    “I’m going to make lieutenant by the time I’m