J.D. Trafford - Michael Collins 02 - No Time to Die by J.D. Trafford Page B

Exact-a-mondo,” Kermit said.
    Jane smiled and shook her head.
    “He should know that ghost hunting isn’t my job any more.” Jane finished her pint of beer. “I’m not sure it was ever part of my job, but that’s all theoretical now.”
    Michael picked up the pitcher of beer. He filled Jane’s glass, and then topped off his own. He set the pitcher down, and then Michael slid out of the booth. He stood, picked up his glass, and raised it high.
    “A toast,” he said. “To unemployment.”
    They all clinked.
    “To unemployment.”
     
    ###
    The Box started to really rock at three in the morning. It was officially closed. The doors were locked, but Tyco allowed Kermit, Michael and Jane to stay while he cleaned up.
    With the other customers gone, Kermit jumped over the bar and found the stereo. He turned the dial until the radio tuned into a Miami salsa station.
    “ This is what we need.” Kermit clapped his hands, turned the music up louder, and then pulled Jane out of the booth. “Time to groove.”
    They spun around the dance floor, laughing through a few songs, and then the music slowed.
    Kermit looked at Jane and smiled.
    “ Sorry, darling, I think this other lady is the next one on my dance card.” He walked over to the waitress – otherwise weighed down by the world – and lightened her load.
    Jane, now standing alone, looked over at Michael.
    “A dance?”
    Michael got up out of the booth.
    “I was afraid you’d never ask.” 
    The radio station kept the music slow for another hour.
    Michael and Jane held each other, rocking back and forth. Occasionally, Jane would kiss Michael’s neck, his chin, and then his lips, working her way around.
    Michael didn’t stop her.
    It was the first woman he had held and had kissed since Andie. It felt good to be with someone again. It felt good to be close.
    Jane rocked up on her tip toes.
    “I’m tired,” she whispered in Michael’s ear.
    Michael kissed her, and then told her that he was taking her home.
    “That’s what I was hoping for,” she said.
     
    ###
    It was one in the afternoon by the time Michael and Jane woke up, but even then, neither wanted to get out of bed.
    Jane put her hand on Michael’s chest.
    “ It’s nice waking up with you.” Her voice was soft, still sleepy.
    Michael smiled. “It is nice.”
    “We don’t have to go anywhere do we?”
    Michael shook his head. He then pulled the thin bedsheet up, covering them. Then he pulled Jane’s naked body close to his. “This is yet another of the many advantages of being unemployed.”
     
    ###
    They didn’t leave Jane’s apartment for two days. If Michael and Jane hadn’t have run out of coffee or depleted most of their food supply, they probably wouldn’t have left the apartment at all.
    As they stood in the checkout line at Kwik-E-Mart, Michael put his arms around Jane and kissed the top of her head. He hadn’t felt this good in a long time, almost forgetting the people tracking his movements and searching foreign bank accounts.
    “ You want to go to Miami for a few days?” Michael asked. “I could get a room on the beach. We could sit in the sun and turn ourselves red. Maybe we could read trashy books or gossip magazines.” Michael pointed to the row of magazines by the cash register. “Looks like that one has a three-page spread on botched nose-jobs.”
    Jane smiled, and then her smile faded away.
    “I probably shouldn’t.”
    “ Why?”
    “ I still have clients,” Jane said. “I need to wrap up cases and transfer the ones that I can’t finish to another attorney, wind down the organization.” 
    “ Just a few days.” Michael started to unload their groceries, putting them on the small conveyor-belt to be scanned.
    “ The DNA test should also be done, so we need to inform Tommy’s family of the results and figure out what to do about the funeral.” Jane nodded, mentally going over the lists in her head.
    Michael knew what she was doing, because he used to do