Free The Amazing Harvey by Don Passman

blue eyes, and a slight overbite. Now that the lab coat was off, I saw that she wore a loose-fitting checkered blouse over denim jeans. Is she wearing a bra?
    The woman noticed me watching and held my gaze. Her mouth formed a little smile.
    I smiled back.
    She slowly rubbed her bare arm.
    We kept looking at each other as I walked over to her.
    I said, “You must work here.” Could I have possibly found a worse cliché?
    She smiled with that overbite. “Guess the white coat gave it away?”
    I laughed a little too much. “What do you do?”
    â€œLab work. Titrating liquids, capillary electrophoresis, and similar exciting things. What brings you to beautiful downtown Pacoima?”
    I looked down at the cracked pavement, then forced myself to look at her. “I’m working for a criminal lawyer. Dropping off some evidence for analysis.”
    She raised her head in an Ah.
    I said, “You worked here long?”
    â€œJust a few months. I left my prior job over a moral issue.”
    I took a step closer. “What happened?”
    She held out her hand. “I’m Carly Banks.”
    â€œHarvey Kendall.” I shook her hand. She didn’t let go of mine.
    She said, “Your hand’s cold.”
    â€œYeah. It’s about three degrees in there. That to preserve chemicals or something?”
    â€œNo. The lab director likes it that way. Took me a month to get used to it.”
    She was still holding my hand.
    I cleared my throat. “So, what happened to your other job?”
    She slid her hand out of mine, crooked her index finger in a “Follow me” gesture, and walked around behind her car. When I got there, Carly pointed to a bumper sticker: ABORTION IS MURDER.
    Uh-oh. Religious freak?
    She said, “I worked for two years at a university, doing stem-cell research. Then I came to believe that dealing with the aftermath of abortions was wrong, so I felt like I had to quit. When I left, I wasn’t exactly quiet about my feelings, and that didn’t go over so well with the academic community. Since they all know each other, I couldn’t get a research job, even outside the stem-cell area. So this was the best I could do. I’m sure things’ll quiet down in time. Meanwhile, I’m the only Ph.D. here at the lab.”
    â€œAll because you talked about your views on abortion?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œWhatever happened to free speech?”
    She twisted her mouth and raised her eyebrows as if to say, Don’t be naïve.
    I said, “You, um, said you ‘came to believe’ abortions were wrong. Was that … I mean, was it because of…”
    She smiled. “A religious awakening? No. I’m an agnostic.”
    I wrinkled my forehead. “So why did you take such a strong stand?”
    She walked back to the open door of her car. I hurried behind.
    Carly said, “I gotta run. I’m meeting someone.” She reached into the pocket of her blouse and pulled out a business card, then leaned inside the car and grabbed a pen. Carly wrote on the back of the card and handed it to me. “Here’s my cell phone. Buy me a cup of coffee sometime, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
    I looked at the card. Carly Banks, Ph.D., along with the Daniels Lab information. I flipped it over to make sure her personal number was really there. Nice handwriting.
    Carly gave me a smile with that overbite, her top teeth sensually touching her bottom lip.

 
    CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    Â 
    Next morning, when I walked into Hannah’s office, she said, “It’s five minutes after nine.”
    â€œMy watch says it’s nine exactly.” Give or take five minutes.
    â€œHarvey, you’ve been late both days you’ve worked here. I expect you here on time.”
    Prepare for disappointment. “Sorry.”
    She gave me a curt nod. “Don’t do it again.”
    *   *   *
    Hannah