Harlequin's Shadow

Chapter 17: Along the Gumdrop Path

Neal heard the murmur of voices when he unlocked the front door of June's mansion.

"We're in the game room," Mozzie called out as Neal tossed his fedora onto the newel of the staircase.

"Music room, please!" June quickly corrected.

Ever since June had offered Mozzie the use of a corner of her music room for a game niche, it had become a running battle over what to call the space. The once small nook now threatened to swallow the entire chamber. The latest addition was a poker table which had been installed in front of the grand piano. Mozzie's original niche was reserved for video games. Sheet music was forced to share the bookcase with gaming paraphernalia.

Neal found Mozzie and June sitting at the poker table with a game board in front of them. Tonight had been reserved for a classic: Candy Land. The wine of choice was a South African Pinotage.

Neal slung off his jacket. "I'm reporting for duty. Tell me which sink sprang the leak and I'll hop to it."

Mozzie's hand hovered over a red gingerbread man marker. "Did we catch you at an inopportune moment? We'll need a full account. You'll get extra points for diagrams."

"Help yourself to wine first, dear," June said. "And Mozzie, don't attempt to move your figure out of Molasses Swamp. I've already noted your position."

Neal poured himself a glass and sat down at the table. He surveyed the game board for a moment. "Bianka and I had a delightful excursion to the Peppermint Forest but our time in the Ice Cream Sea was severely curtailed when I received your emergency call about the plumbing disaster. Bianka was quite solicitous, especially when I mentioned valuable antiques were being threatened with inundation."

"And which Peppermint Forest did you pick to wine and dine the fair but treacherous Bianka?" Mozzie asked.

"La Grenouille. Suffice it to say, she was impressed." That was an understatement. The Upper East Side establishment was one of the top French restaurants in Manhattan, both in terms of the quality of the cuisine and the costliness. During the halcyon days with Adler, he and Kate had often dined there. Raquel Laroque had selected it for an intimate dinner with him in February. The restaurant had become his preferred location for dangerous liaisons. When he'd gone there with Kate, he didn't realize she was playing him. With Raquel, they pretended to flirt for Keller's benefit. Now it was Bianka's turn.

After all the practice he'd had, he could easily be awarded a doctorate in flirtation. Bianka thought she was conning him but he'd turned the tables on her. He was no longer the same innocent kid Klaus remembered, and the day would come when his adversary realized it.

"Up to now you'd only gone to rock clubs or the occasional concert," June said. "Didn't she wonder at the extravagance?"

"I told her it was a celebration for all the painting we'd done over the summer. Classes will begin next week." He chuckled. "I didn't have to work very hard. She accepted the invitation readily. I'm sure she'll include the menu prices in her report. La Grenouille will be further proof of what a spendthrift I've become."

"It was an excellent choice," Mozzie said. "Klaus is a connoisseur of fine food. He'll appreciate the setting. The banquette seating, the soft lights, the fresh flowers, the art on the walls—what better ambiance for l'amour?"

"And Bianka took full advantage of it. She invited me to her apartment afterward. It was the first time I'd seen it. She has a small studio in a grad student building off Amsterdam Avenue. She put on music, we sat on her couch ..." He let a shrug convey the rest. "Then June called."

Mozzie leaned forward. "First base? Second base? Home run?"

"Let's just say she's eager for more."

"This weekend?" June asked.