~
Crystal knocked on the door, dressed in the highest heels and shortest skirt possible. When Phil opened it, his eyes nearly popped out of his head to see a scantily clad blonde standing on his porch, holding a bottle of Jack Daniels in front of her ample cleavage.
“Well hello there. Can I help you?” he asked, looking her up and down with avid eyes.
“I’m here for the party,” she giggled, wobbling unsteadily on her heels.
“Sorry, sweetie, there’s nobody here but me.”
She knit her brows together and pouted her lips. “But they said number four …” She staggered back a little to look up at the house number, cocking her head flirtatiously. “Are you puttin’ me on?”
“No,” he grinned, baring his teeth with a wolfish smile. “But you’re welcome to come on in and check for yourself.”
“Kay,” she giggled, waving the bottle. “But only if you’ll have a little drinkie with me …”
Jarod and his brother watched the exchange from the parking lot, and when she disappeared into the condo, Calvin grumbled, “I’d rather we just beat it out of him.”
“Take it easy,” Jarod replied. “Crystal will have him down in no time.”
After about twenty minutes the door opened again and Crystal peeked out, waving them in. They hustled over and slipped inside, closing the door quietly. Crystal pointed to where Phil was sprawled out on the couch, eyes closed, snoring with his mouth hanging open.
“How long do we have?” Jarod asked her.
“The roofie should last him all night … but I dunno, he’s kind of a big guy.” Crystal looked at him with disgust. “He told me his roommate wouldn’t be home till after midnight. Typical pig.”
Jarod headed up the stairs while Calvin searched the countertops, flipping through stacks of papers. Crystal went through Phil’s wallet, pulling out a condom and tossing it back on the couch with a grimace. A devious smile spread on her face, and she retrieved the packet, tearing it open and leaving the wrapper on the coffee table between the two tumblers full of liquor.
“I might as well get him in trouble while we’re at it,” she muttered.
She pulled a tube of red lipstick out of her purse and applied it to her lips, then picked up one of the glasses from the table to place an obvious lip print on the rim. She bent down to mark Phil’s cheek with a grimace, trailing her face down to be sure to smudge the collar of his shirt.
She stood and wiped her lips with the back of her hand just as Jarod came down the stairs waving a cell phone, grinning. “Got it!”
The Athena Effect Page 51
