I CAN BE WOWED.

"If I wasn't a Homicide lieutenant," I said, "I might believe that line. The vice¹ president just called you?"

"I might press *69 and show you," Molinari said. "Except that it's important we begin to establish more trust."

"Is that what we're doing tonight?" I asked, smiling in spite² of myself.

Whatever was starting to happen, those little pinballs pat-tering inside were now crashing around my ribs³ like the drums in "Sunshine of Your Love." I was aware of the tiniest film of sweat at my hairline. My sweater was starting to feel prickly. Molinari reminded me of Chris.

"I hope we're starting to trust each other," he finally said. "Let's leave it at that for now, Lindsay."

"Aye-aye, sir," I said.

He paid the check, then helped me on with my jacket. I brushed against his arm and, well, electricity flared⁴. I glanced at my watch. 9:30. Forty minutes to the airport to catch that flight I needed to be on.

Outside, we walked a block or two along Vine Street. I wasn't really paying attention to the shops. The night was cool but very pleasant. What was I doing here? What were the two of us doing?

"Lindsay" - he finally stopped to face me - "I don't want to say the wrong thing...." I wasn't sure what I wanted him to say next. "My driver's down the block if you want.... But there's always the six A.M. flight."

"Listen..." I wanted to touch his arm, but I didn't. I'm not even sure why not.

"Joe," he said.

"Joe." I smiled. "Was this what you meant by being out of the field?"

He took my bag and said, "I was just thinking it'd be a shame to waste a perfectly⁵ good change of clothes."

I do trust him, I was thinking. Everything about Joe Moli-nari inspired trust. And I definitely liked him. But I still wasn't sure if this was a good idea, and that told me all I needed to know for right now.

"I think I'm just gonna let you think I'm a bit harder to get than I really am" - I bit my lip - "and make that flight at eleven."

"I understand...." He nodded. "It doesn't feel right to you."

点击收听单词发音  

1 vice
n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的
参考例句：
He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。 They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 spite
n.（用于短语）虽然，不顾，尽管
参考例句：
He has modern ideas in spite of his great age.尽管他年事很高，但思想观念却很入时。 In spite of his anger,his remarks were restrained.他尽管生气，说的话还是有节制的。

3 ribs
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹
参考例句：
He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。 Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

4 Flared
adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。 The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

5 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

6 airfield
n.飞机场
参考例句：
The foreign guests were motored from the airfield to the hotel.用车把外宾从机场送到旅馆。 The airfield was seized by enemy troops.机场被敌军占领。

7 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。