Free The Devil's Analyst by Dennis Frahmann

unexpected turns, and bumpers you couldn’t avoid. He regretted the loss of Francesca’s dream, but knew better than to suggest that she try adopting again or to note that at age 39 she still might get pregnant herself (even though he had toyed with the idea of offering his sperm).
    One of the waiters walked into the kitchen. It was clear he was looking for the four of them. A moment later, Kenosha followed. The game was up. She walked up to Danny, “We’re looking for you. Josh says you need to mingle with the rest of the guests.”
    “I guess that’s a summons,” Danny said. “But I say let Josh entertain this circus himself. “
    Kenosha put on that reproving look at which she excelled. “Danny, this is a business event. You know that. Help me do my job. Be part of the party. In fact, I could use all of you out there.”
    Danny wanted to enjoy himself his own way, so he rebelled. “Francesca, you’ve been here so many times, but you’ve never really seen our entire house. What do you say to a tour?”
    “Why not? After everything others gossip about this house, I can’t pass up the chance to see it myself.”
    For a moment, Danny thought Josh would be pleased to know that people talked about their home. After all, the decorators had done a wonderful job, and the restoration fully showed the house’s marvelous bones. Kenosha’s glare grew more severe. Danny was reminded of Josh’s more immediate desires and that Kenosha wasn’t going to let him get away with his little rebellion.
    Francesca continued, “Maybe I’m a bad guest to say so, but this house has quite the reputation among a certain Hollywood set . . . you know, those who are into the ghostly and mysterious.”
    “What?”
    “I’m not joking. In my line of work, you hear all sorts of behind-the-scenes talk. Now, I don’t know whether it was at Spago or Michael’s. More likely at Musso and Frank’s. It’s an old-fashioned, noir kind of place. The story I heard was all about a crazy old director and his house filled with secret rooms.”
    “There are no secret rooms,” Danny said.
    Francesca just laughed. “Not that you found. Otherwise how could they be secret? Imagine what might be buried in this place! I heard everything that mattered was in the basement.”
    Kenosha and Danny exchanged looks. Each knew what the other was thinking. Maybe someone had tried to break in.
    Danny heard Josh exuberantly call, “There you are! I was beginning to think you abandoned me. Left alone to swim my way through an ocean of sharks.” He flashed his big smile to the surrounding circle of admirers to show that he was letting them all in on his silly jest. They might be predators, he seemed to acknowledge, but they swam together.
    After Kenosha forced the four friends out of the kitchen, Francesca touched Danny just as they reached Josh, “There’s someone from the paper I need to greet. It was so nice talking in the kitchen.”
    “Don’t go yet, Francesca,” Josh said. Surrounded by Linsky, Lopez and Endicott, Josh sported that happy grin of a man about to win a game. If only Danny could enjoy life as much as his boyfriend did. “I have to brag a little. Barbara just asked me to speak at her next BLINK talk.” Francesca, Stephen, and Wally murmured their congratulations. Danny knew this was a major deal.
    “And what would all those posers want to hear from Josh Gunderson?” Stephen asked. It was meant as a light-hearted jibe, but it annoyed Josh.
    Kenosha quickly jumped in. “Barbara thinks Josh has interesting insights on how the web is changing people’s decision making. She thinks that will change commerce.”
    “Indeed, I do,” said Barbara as she slightly tipped her glass toward Josh.
    Kenosha couldn’t help but show a self-satisfied smile. As the public relations lead, she originally pitched the idea to Linsky. The invitation was a coup for the company and for her. The financier Colby Endicott was also smiling broadly. His