Case of Lucy Bending (59 page)

Read Case of Lucy Bending Online

Authors: Lawrence Sanders

BOOK: Case of Lucy Bending
2.27Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
She shrugged. "At my age you've learned to live with everything. Especially death."
"That's the way I feel about it. It's the Bendings I'm sorry for. Their shells aren't as thick as ours."
They finished their glasses of champagne, and Craner poured more.
"You wouldn't be trying to get me drunk, would you?" she said. "Just to take advantage of my weakness?"
"It's an idea," he admitted. "But actually, I'm trying to get up the courage to discuss something with you that we should have talked about before this. I'm willing to marry you if that's what you want, but we—"
"Are you crazy?" she burst out. "Get married? What a nutty idea! We're both on Social Security. We get married and my benefits are cut. Our total income goes down. It's not worth it for a piece of paper."
"I was hoping you'd feel that way. It's unfortunate that the laws of this great nation make it, ah, inexpedient, and uneconomical, for people our age to marry."
"Don't give it a second thought."
"It won't bother you to live in sin?" he asked, tugging on his white goatee.
"Not if there's enough of it."
"Well, then," he said, beaming, "I foresee a long and happy future for this illicit relationship."
"I'll drink to that," she said.
He poured the remainder of the champagne into their glasses, and moved closer to her on the bed. She pulled down the neckline of her muumuu to expose one brown shoulder. She batted her eyes.
"Kiss me, you fool," she said.
And, laughing, he did.

rTAWRENCE I SANDERS

"America's Mr. Bestseller"

_THE FIRST DEADLY SIN 06299-6—$3.95
_THE MARLOW CHRONICLES 06444-1—$3.50
_THE PLEASURES OF HELEN 05871-9—$2.95
_THE SECOND DEADLY SIN 06300-3—$3.95
_THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT 06445-X—$3.95
_THE TANGENT FACTOR 06301-1—$3.50
_THE TANGENT OBJECTIVE 06256-2—$3.50
_THE TENTH COMMANDMENT 06257-0—$3.95
-THE TOMORROW FILE 06446-8—$3.95
-THIRD DEADLY SIN 05465-9—$3.95
-THE ANDERSON TAPES 05747-X—$3.50
-THE CASE OF LUCY BENDING 06077-2—$3.95
^ Available at your local bookstore or return this form to:
JOfc BERKLEY
Ij^ M Book Mailing Service
P.O. Box 690, Rockville Centre, NY 11571
Please send me the titles checked above. I enclose_
Include $1.00 for postage and handling if one book is ordered; 50c per book for two or more. California, Illinois, New York and Tennessee residents please add sales tax.
NAME_
. STATE/ZIP .
22
ADDRESS. CITY_
(allow six weeks for delivery)

Other books

The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner
The Chronicles of Corum by Michael Moorcock
Spider Game by Christine Feehan
Honey Moon by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Dark Wolf Returning by Rhyannon Byrd
Chain of Kisses by Angela Knight
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene