Free Night Kills by John Lutz

one to the other, “why don’t you two come up to my place and have a drink? Afterward, I’ll drive you home. I really do want to get to know you, Shellie. Everything I hear is so positive. Like, finally, you’re the one. ”
    Shellie felt a warm rush. That was always what she’d wanted to be to some man, what she was now—special, the one. She could hear David saying it to his sister. “She’s the one, Gloria.”
    â€œMaybe some other time,” is what he was saying to Gloria now.
    Shellie tugged at his arm. “It’s okay, David. We have time.”
    He was shaking his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
    â€œWhat are you, ashamed of me?” Gloria asked. She seemed amused by the idea.
    â€œYou know better than that, Gloria.”
    â€œThen don’t be so damned secretive, David. The way you’ve been bragging about this woman to me, I should think you’d want us to get to know one another.” Her dark eyes fixed on Shellie. “I mean it, Shellie. This brother of mine is gaga for you. We really should talk about him for a change.”
    â€œShe has a point, David.”
    He moved closer and looked down at Shellie. There was a strained expression in his face she hadn’t seen before. The wine, maybe. They’d certainly had enough of it. “You’re sure?”
    â€œIt sounds wonderful. Your sister!” Family. “We really should get acquainted.”
    After a slight hesitation, he smiled. “Okay. As long as you two don’t gang up on me.”
    He opened the big sedan’s rear door and let Shellie enter first. Then he took a seat beside her. There was over a foot of space between them on the seat. It was as if David didn’t want to demonstrate his affection for her in front of his sister by sitting too close.
    As Gloria pushed the selector to “drive” and the car pulled away from the curb, Shellie noticed a pungent, brackish smell.
    â€œDo you smoke?” she asked Gloria, without thinking. “Not that I mean to pry.”
    â€œIt’s that obvious?”
    â€œI’m afraid so. Unless somebody else who smokes has been in the car recently.”
    Shellie saw Gloria’s right cheek change contour in the shadows, maybe a smile.
    â€œI thought you might be asking for a cigarette,” Gloria said.
    â€œNo, I don’t smoke. Not that it’s any of my business whether or not you do. I wasn’t meaning to be judgmental.”
    Gloria laughed, concentrating on her driving and looking straight ahead. She had the long neck and erect posture of a ballet dancer, as if an invisible string were attached to the top of her head and constantly tugging her upright in case she even thought about slumping. “That’s okay. You caught me. Tobacco’s my only vice. I’ve been trying to quit. David will tell you, I’ve tried off and on for years.”
    â€œThose damned things are going to kill you, Gloria,” David said.
    Gloria managed to shrug her narrow, hard shoulders as she spun the steering wheel to make a sharp right turn.
    â€œThat’s okay,” she said. “If they don’t, something else surely will.”

10
    Life could be so good it almost hurt. It prompted Shellie to nestle close to David as Gloria jockeyed the big Chrysler north on Broadway. The car drove smoothly and seemed to glide over the potholes that dotted the street. The evening had cooled, but the warmth of the car’s interior, and of the wine she’d earlier consumed, made Shellie deliciously drowsy.
    The sound of a blaring horn jolted her alert. She opened her eyes and realized Gloria had been the one leaning on the horn.
    A cab that had pulled past the Chrysler was swerving in front of it, seemingly inches off its front bumper.
    â€œJerkoff!” Gloria said softly but vehemently.
    â€œNew York cabbies, that’s all,” David said lazily. “You