Free Too Darn Hot by Sandra Scoppettone

she asked.
    “I’m fine with the coffee. Thanks.”
    She left.
    “She’s a little brusque,” George said.
    I smiled, thinking I’d like to give the broad one in the chops. “Have ya met Claire often?”
    “Once or twice.”
    I’d been right. She lied about knowing him.
    “Can ya think of any reason Claire would say she’d never met ya?”
    “She said that?”
    I nodded.
    “No. I can’t imagine why she would.” He looked hurt.
    “Maybe I misunderstood,” I said.
    He didn’t say anything and looked down at his coffee.
    “So where did you gents go on boys’ night out?”
    “Where
didn’t
we go?” He was looking chipper again.
    “Meanin ya hit all the spots?”
    “That’s right. From the Biltmore to Tony Pastor’s and everything in between.” He laughed then snorted.
    “So ya musta been feelin no pain by the time ya went home.”
    “You could say that.”
    I saw that he was proud of that dubious accomplishment.
    “What happened when the night ended?”
    “I went home. I’m not sure where they went. I guess you can tell why I’m not in the service.” He adjusted his cheaters.
    “Your eyes?”
    “Legally blind without these. Otherwise I’d be over there giving those Huns a run for their money.”
    Every guy who wasn’t in the war wanted to be. And they all acted like they were Superman. If they only knew. I wished I could have Woody’s letters printed in some paper. They wouldn’t be so eager to get into it then.
    “This David Cooper was in the service, too?”
    “Army. A private like Charlie.”
    “And ya never saw or talked to either one of em again.”
    “No. I knew Charlie was planning to spend his time with Claire and I had no reason to be in touch with Cooper.”
    “Any ideas why Charlie would be missin?”
    “None at all. To tell you the truth, I don’t think he
is
missing.”
    “What’s that mean?”
    “I’m not sure I should tell you.”
    “George, if ya have any idea about where Charlie Ladd is, I think ya better tell me.”
    “Coffee and cheese Danish,” the waitress said, and plunked it down in front of me, a slurp of java jumping the lip to the saucer. “Eat up.”
    “Brusque,” I said.
    “Very.”
    “So what about Charlie?” I squashed my cig in the ashtray.
    “Well, we did have some female company that night.”
    “And?”
    “Charlie seemed pretty taken with one of the girls.”
    “I don’t suppose ya know her name?”
    “I do. It was Ida Collier. She was some dish.”
    “And ya know where I can find her?”
    “Well, not exactly.”
    I hated
not exactly.
“Ya mean ya don’t have an address but ya know kinda?”
    “That’s right. She lives in town. I think she said Greenwich Village. You know those types.”
    “Yeah, sure. Real immoral.” I took a bite of Danish. Very nice.
    “Exactly.”
    “So what yer sayin is that Charlie mighta flown the coop for Ida?”
    “Might. He was pretty damn interested in her.”
    “And what about Private Cooper? He interested in some babe, too?”
    “I’d say he had a minimal interest in someone called Gloria Lane. She was pretty, too, but not like Ida.”
    “How about you, Georgie. Don’t tell me you were left out of the activities.”
    “I’m married.”
    “And?”
    “I don’t cheat.”
    “No offense intended.”
    “None taken. Is there anything else? I need to get back to my office.”
    “This Cooper character. He act any special way toward Charlie?”
    “I don’t understand what you mean?”
    “Was there any tension between them?”
    He put his head back and stared at the ceiling like there was gonna be an answer up there.
    “George?”
    “I’m trying to recall.”
    “Lemme know when ya do.” This guy was getting my goat.
    He came back from mining the ceiling for info. “There was something odd about Cooper. Not odd, exactly. Quiet. He kept up with us drink for drink but he barely spoke at all. I thought he was a bit sulky.”
    Sulky.
Who says sulky about a guy?
    “Could ya describe