A Tempest of Blondes

the corridor several doors away from Shanice's apartment, which was just a door away from

apartment, and the girls, giggling to each o

olade reached them. Platinum Linda threw him a luscious smile and turned to Shanice. "You didn't tell me you had a famous neigh

led. "You'

er head to Shanic

talking these days," Shanice mu

inda's smile held

, Linda?" Shanice

" Linda nodded towards

sitated.

e won't

mbled, crossing over to the

the lounge to flop on a settee. The prize money meant everything to him. He was a trailer park kid whose father had vanished from his construction site job when he was born, for

too damn good and he had Shanice and Robbie, and Jason had only Harry. Well, th

g Kolade's pad, and it was he who had rifled his private-eye father's knick-knacks for a bug and done th

so he could hear how it was all going. But there hadn't been enough time, and besides, Harry didn't dig for it. He

at today's Traty battle, but the team could do with the extra points Jason could earn. As for Kolade, by

*

ft him big time. Platinum Linda was all over him and he

d reached into his jeans pocket for his buzzing cell phone. He knew it

lade, wanting the pressure of sparkling

g Linda with the irritation in his voice. "I'm at Shanice's

glance with Shanice, she leaned over and slipp

averted to hide his smug look. "Linda Platte. Yeah... you heard

asked the inanimate rectangular miracle contraption, as if he wasn't overjoy

yours?" Li

ered. "The guy who's trying t

sed to be doing." He hoped he didn't sound to

art now,

d at his glas

Shanice," Kolade blurted out, ignori

it's done

nk up," Li

ve. He had goofed with that little remark asking Shanice back on the team. Why hadn't he just shut

ld do no such thing. He would delay until Robbie came. Robbie had to see he wasn't lying; he was with Pla

tance, but it was spiced with the sweet emptiness that got girls going, and it wasn't directed

me Robbie showed up, the living room was fill

n't touche

*

carried on this way, he dragged Kolade off. Of course, it was jealousy, rather than Traty concern, that actuated Robbie. For Kolade's lieutenant, like most U

ting two, Shanice snapped to her feet. "Y

ily. "It was you – you c

What a lo

ldn't have be

n't drink up!" Shanice glower

that my

k up all the Mickey Finns in Los

tri

ice stalked off t

door. "To hell with you and Jason and that –" The sight that met her eyes out

t of the bedroom

lly at the glass on the

, comprehensio

inda darted to the glass and

aged Shanice's face as she watched L

me." She started thumbing through a magazine, trying to appear

wildered. "Linda –" All protests

ed. She was pretending to peer at somet

*

remark. His grin broadened. Seven heart-wrenching months of drooling over UCLA's most desirable blonde

hanice and him, Team Ace would barely scrape enough points to get to the next round. Now he knew he had taken the right

o next? What?

she said, "Do you like Riva Diva? I

to go, but silly me, with Traty and all, I

cumber sandwiches to them. "Linda

erked ba

s her c

t Linda, gulped

ed. "Don't th

ad always thought Linda put deliberate touches to her appearance to f

replied. "But Linda i

lie. "How sweet of you, Cooladé!" She rub

arm, was definitely his... and a concert – a concert he could

h

isted, whisking up a sandwic

*

lls Hotel, Shanice's puzzlement at what had happened suddenly took a leap

eed, Linda panted, "There

hanged ev

ed toggling the car radio, looki

t Jason will

ting it heavy with Merry Weird. "We'll know soon enoug

a obviously had in mind. Kolade would have known he was drugged anyway, and there could have been trouble, but Linda's improvisation had made Kolade miss the roun

a sly smile. "The ticke

at's the next

eneral

round. Driving into the parking lot, she stole a glance at Li