Free Aaron Conners - Tex Murphy 02 by Under a Killing Moon

“I find that hard to believe. What kind of work?”
    “I’m a private investigator.”
    My date flashed me another smoldering look. “What a coincidence. I’ve been looking for a good private investigator.”
    “No kidding.”
    Alaynah nodded playfully. “If you’re any good, I have a little something I’d like you to take a look at.”
    She wasn’t very subtle, but she certainly had grown up. A part of me was quickly forgetting the image of her as a gangly teenager. Unfortunately, that particular part of me was the one that usually got me into trouble.
    Like she was reading my mind. Alaynah sat back in her chair, a perfect picture of posture. She’d either shelled out for surgery or had blessed genes. “So what does a PI do for fun?”
    I felt like a little kid trying to stay awake - my eyes kept drifting down and snapping back up to her face. She might not have minded, but I was still trying to handle this situation with a bit of decorum. And don’t forget, I told myself, you hate women. With some effort, I focused on her eyes.
    “Oh, the usual…long walks in the rain…playing with puppies…badminton.”
    Our waiter arrived and deposited our drinks with a flourish. We raised our glasses, and Alaynah volunteered a toast. “To old acquaintances and new experiences.” I nodded and we drank. Things were looking much too promising.
    “Tell me, what’s it like to work for the richest man in the world?”
    Alaynah shrugged. “It pays well. I’m actually planning on going back to school, maybe get a doctorate.”
    “Really. What do you want to be when you grow up?”
    “I haven’t decided. I think it might be fun to teach. Probably history. It’s always interested me.” Alaynah took another sip. “So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”
    “I’m pretty much locked into the PI gig. This fedora was an occupational investment.”
    “OK, if you weren’t a PI, what would you want to be?”
    I considered. “A philanthropist.”
    Alaynah’s face lit up and, for a moment, I was again reminded of little Ally Moore. I glanced down briefly, and the image evaporated. Alaynah flipped her hair back and raised her glass again. “Here’s to us both being happy and getting rich.”
    It was a worthy toast, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath. I took a long drink of scotch.
    It was silky smooth, with a peaty nose and a long, oaky finish. Between the scotch and the company, I was happy for the time being.
    Alaynah set her glass down and glanced away. When she turned back, an expression of disgust was on her face. She leaned forward and whispered, “Who let the goyles in here?”
    I turned to see a young couple entering the lounge. There was no mistaking that they were Mutants. I picked up my drink and saw Alaynah staring in the direction of the couple. Her reaction to the Mutants left me stunned. Goyle, short for gargoyle, was an extremely derogatory term, coined by Norms. I’d heard it used before, but not by anyone I knew personally. Of course, most of my friends were Mutants, but that didn’t matter. I glanced at Alaynah, and she looked different to me.
    She leaned forward again, her voice low. “I can’t believe they’d come in here. This is almost embarrassing.”
    “Yeah, it is.” I drank the rest of the scotch. “Listen, I’ve got to get going. Thanks for the drink.”
    Alaynah stared at me, a confused look on her face, as I stood up and put on my overcoat.
    “Is everything OK?”
    I didn’t feel like climbing onto a soapbox. “Everything’s fine. I just forgot about an errand I have to run. I’ll see you later.”
    The Mutant couple were seated nearby, and I nodded to them as I passed. They were holding hands and looked like they were in love; the girl smiled back at me. It made me glad. I turned toward the door and almost bumped into a waiter carrying a tray with something on fire. I was reminded of Louie’s special spicy chili. The carnal pangs I’d experienced earlier suddenly