Bad Girls Finish First by Shelia Dansby Harvey Page B

from having to go further. But it wasn’t working out that way.
    â€œMichael said that you seem interested in my past. Is that true?”
    Minshew found a tiny piece of his voice. “Well, I . . . I think it’s newsworthy, that’s all.”
    â€œJerry, I don’t mind letting you know me better, but I don’t want my information going public. I’d like for whatever I tell you, or show you, to be our secret. Can we do that?” Raven spoke as though she were talking to a child. “Why don’t you sit down?”
    Minshew just stood there, mouth agape.
    â€œGo on, sit.” Raven motioned toward the sofa. Minshew sat and Raven walked up behind him.
    She slowly rubbed his bald, disfigured head. “From what Michael told me, you’ve discovered that I’m a naughty girl, who’s done some naughty things. I can’t lie, Jerry, I am a naughty girl. The worst. But I’m also good, and very smart. You know what I mean?”
    When Minshew didn’t reply, Raven patted his head and said, “I know. Kind of hard to talk right now, huh? That’s understandable. But we’ve got to figure out a way to communicate, Jerry. Because before I let you know what I’m all about, we’ve got to reach an agreement about the paper’s endorsement. Now I’m going to ask you a series of questions, and if you agree with me, just nod yes, okay? If you disagree, shake your head no. Let’s begin.
    â€œDo you think Michael is more qualified than Sweeney to be governor?” Raven fondled Minshew’s ear as she spoke.
    He shook, No.
    â€œWrong answer,” Raven said. She squeezed Minshew’s earlobe.
    â€œOuch! That hurts!” he said, pulling away and grabbing his ear.
    â€œI can’t help it if you gave the wrong answer, Jerry.” Minshew had halfway turned around to look up at Raven, but she took both hands and turned his head face forward. Raven would do what she had to do, but she didn’t have to look at the pig while she did it.
    â€œI didn’t mean to hurt you.” Raven again massaged Minshew’s earlobe. “Let’s try again, and this time be honest. Do you think Michael’s more qualified than Sweeney to be governor?”
    â€œYes.”
    Raven rolled her eyes, leaned down, and gently sucked Minshew’s earlobe.
    â€œGood.” She massaged Minshew’s temple and whispered in his ear. “Question number two. And this is a very important question, Jerry, so pay attention. Is there any chance, any at all, that I can do something to help you convince your colleagues at the paper to endorse Michael?”
    â€œYes.” Now that he’d been shocked into speaking by having his ear pinched, Minshew barely waited for Raven to finish her sentence before he answered. He’d thought about saying no, to see what Raven would do. When she squeezed his earlobe it hurt, but not in a bad way; the way she punished him for saying no was almost as good as the way she rewarded him for agreeing with her. But he was in a hurry to get to the ultimate question and the ultimate reward, so he didn’t have time to say no.
    Raven used one hand to unfasten her bustier. She leaned her cool bare breasts against the back of Minshew’s head. Surely this ought to do it , she thought. Although he groaned and sank into the pleather sofa like a wounded animal, Minshew held on.
    â€œWhat do you want me to do?” Raven asked.
    â€œAnything. Just, please hurry!”
    â€œWell then, I’ll skip the details of my past life and give you the big picture. Show you what I’m about. If you’re happy—well, happy isn’t the right word; satisfied , I should say—if I satisfy you, Michael gets the endorsement and my past is forgotten. Agreed?”
    Minshew squeezed his already-closed eyes even tighter and murmured, “Agreed.”
    She licked Minshew’s bald spot, and suddenly he was thankful