Page 48 of My Killer Blind Date

‘Liam, hi!’

‘Margot.’ He chuckles. ‘I got the doughnuts.’

‘Oh! Yay. They’re great, right? Too bad you weren’t home … what did you say you were doing?’

‘Nothing that interesting. I thought you were at church?’

‘Oh! I got out early. Sunrise service.’ I improvise. I don’t know, it sounds like a real thing.

‘But I know I didn’t tell you my unit number.’

‘Oh, that! A really nice couple that I met told me.’ I pause. ‘They had some interesting things to say about you.’

He groans. ‘Patty and Reg. Yeah, they hate me.’

‘They did mention, erm … screaming. Loud, screaming women.’

‘I swear it’s not me. It’s the guy above me.’

‘Wow. The noise reaches them from up there?’

‘He plays his movies at movie-theater volume. I have the entire script of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre memorized.’ I can hear the grimace in Liam’s voice. ‘Not to mention, he walks like he’s doing military drills.’

‘OK.’ He’s lying, right? Then again, the footsteps I heard did have a very drillish vibe. ‘There was also a mention of smells?’

He laughs suddenly, in that full-throated way that I love. ‘Well, yes. I am an experimental cook. They’re probably alluding to the batch of sauerkraut I made.’

‘You make your own sauerkraut?’ And why is that kind of hot?

‘And kimchi, and kombucha. Fermented foods are really good for your gut.’ He pauses. ‘But this is a terrible segue into what I actually called to ask you. Dinner? Tonight? My place? I know you have work tomorrow, but I can make sure to wrap things up at a decent hour. I know you like to go to bed early—’

‘Already ate,’ I interrupt, pushing aside my regretful potato salad. ‘But we can do drinks? Dessert?’

‘Perfect.’

Holy shit we’re doing this. I’m actually, finally getting into his apartment.

‘Can I bring anything? Wine? Cookies? More doughnuts?’ I say, my voice going a bit squeaky, because, what if I do find a deep freezer? And there’s a body in it? That would be horrible but also amazing, right? Because I could actually solve this tonight. If I make it out alive.

There’s a brief silence, as if my rapid affirmative wasn’t what he was expecting. Then, his voice drops a key and he practically purrs, ‘Just your lovely self.’

*

As I approach Liam’s building, I take in my surroundings in the glow of the streetlights and lit-up restaurants. I was here this morning, but everything looks different at night. More enchanting – and more dangerous. Traffic is livelier than earlier in the day, and the local restaurants are hopping. My body feels alive too, like every nerve ending is the lit end of a sparkler. This is it. If there’s a clue to be found that will link Liam to the murders, it’s likely to be here, at his place.

I purposefully haven’t dressed up. Like this morning, I figure my strategy should be to put the brakes on any sexiness. Losing my mind is the last thing I’m going to let myself do tonight. Thus, I’m wearing the same sweatshirt and leggings I’ve been in all day. My hair is in the same messy top knot from earlier, and there’s not a drop of makeup on my face. Do I smell like BO? I didn’t check, but hopefully, yes.

At the apartment entrance, I ring the bell for 505 and Liam buzzes me in.

This time, I take the elevator.

He’s left his door ajar, so I let myself in. No weird noises yet. And no weird smells – quite the opposite; a delightful vanilla scent immediately greets me from a flickering candle in the entryway. In fact, there are candles everywhere – and soft jazz is playing, which should be annoying and cliche, but isn’t. I can already feel myself relaxing.

Nope! We are staying cold and firm. Think George’s block of ice, except it stays a damn block of ice.

‘Hello, hello!’ I call out, but there was no need – he’s right over there in the kitchen, his broad shoulders highlighted under his white tee. He’s stirring something at the stove.

I close the door behind me, but leave it unlocked, in case a 911 call is in my near future and the police have to crash in and save me.