I just can't abide the sainthood thing. Thank goodness he lives in Nebraska. The pressure on me would be too much to handle if he practiced medicine in Rhode Island. Imagine living in corn country though? Yikes.
"Has this tenant got a family or what?” Dad asked, as he passed the salad to my mother.
I reached for a chicken leg with my fingers and got a rap on the knuckles from his knife handle. Hastily, I pulled my hand back and used the serving fork while I chuckled. It was my just desserts if I acted like a cannibal instead of minding my manners, he grumbled.
"My new tenant is a single businessman. Other than that, I know little of him except he can afford to pay the rent.” Again, I left out the sexy, handsome, WWF size of him and prayed the conversation would end there. I should have known better.
"You rented to a single guy? What does he do for a job? I can't imagine that a single guy would want to live out in the boonies."
"It's not the boonies, it's only ten minutes from Providence and I don't know what he does other than it's something in city."
His fork stopped midway to his mouth and he scowled at me. “For God's sake Lavinia, he might be an ax murderer or somethin'.” His gruff voice boomed throughout the kitchen.
"It's always reassuring to know you have confidence in my ability to make a decision. Listen Dad, I can always fingerprint him and run him through NCIC."
NCIC is the National Crime Information Center and reveals all arrests in a person's background. As an instructor of criminal justice, I have connections with enough police departments to run this type of check, but I wouldn't. After all, he'd been recommended by Detective Bellini.
"Yeah well, you know I think you're smart, Lavinia. All the same, you never can tell who's a creep and who isn't. Just be careful, eh?"
My dad, forever the pessimist while I am the optimist. I guess that's why we butt heads more often than not.
"I will, I promise. By the way, the State Police have stopped by to enquire about Aunt Livvy.” Unwilling to share the jewel issues, I kept it quiet.
"Why would they bother you?” My mother's eyebrows arched.
"They're not bothering me, they simply have more questions about Aunt Livvy's life.” I pushed the empty dish away, sat back and sipped my wine while they finished dinner.
Dessert lay on the counter and I slid from my chair and started to clear my place at the table. Obviously, I couldn't wait for pie. My mother wasn't the only one with a sweet tooth.
With the pie in one hand and dessert plates in the other, I sat down and waited until my mother could cut and serve up the delectable pastry. We followed specific guidelines when it came to food and I never, ever crossed the line. Well, nearly never, ever.
My mother sliced through the pie as her glance slid to the shadow in the doorway. Suddenly, she stopped in mid serve. My eyes followed hers to where Marcus Richmond stood outside staring in. He raised his knuckles to knock. Gosh, he looked delectable, I thought with a warm tingle in my lower parts.
What he wanted and why he was here flashed through my mind. In haste, I rose and stepped to open the door while my mother continued to stare.
"Come in, officer. Can we help you?” Mom asked, with wide eyed wonder.
"Good evening, ma'am.” He gave a quick dip of his head and removed the wide brimmed campaign hat when he stepped into the room. His look told me this was official business and besides, he was in uniform. I glanced out the window where his grey Crown Vic had slid soundlessly into the driveway and parked behind my car.
My father turned to see who'd entered and his dark eyes slid toward me. He didn't utter a sound, just sat there and waited to see why I was hunted by the Rhode Island State Police.
Now, I have to confess the local police had come to the house before. Once or twice or so when my darling twin, Saint Giovanni, and I had been up to no good, so my father didn't flinch at a uniform. It had,
"Has this tenant got a family or what?” Dad asked, as he passed the salad to my mother.
I reached for a chicken leg with my fingers and got a rap on the knuckles from his knife handle. Hastily, I pulled my hand back and used the serving fork while I chuckled. It was my just desserts if I acted like a cannibal instead of minding my manners, he grumbled.
"My new tenant is a single businessman. Other than that, I know little of him except he can afford to pay the rent.” Again, I left out the sexy, handsome, WWF size of him and prayed the conversation would end there. I should have known better.
"You rented to a single guy? What does he do for a job? I can't imagine that a single guy would want to live out in the boonies."
"It's not the boonies, it's only ten minutes from Providence and I don't know what he does other than it's something in city."
His fork stopped midway to his mouth and he scowled at me. “For God's sake Lavinia, he might be an ax murderer or somethin'.” His gruff voice boomed throughout the kitchen.
"It's always reassuring to know you have confidence in my ability to make a decision. Listen Dad, I can always fingerprint him and run him through NCIC."
NCIC is the National Crime Information Center and reveals all arrests in a person's background. As an instructor of criminal justice, I have connections with enough police departments to run this type of check, but I wouldn't. After all, he'd been recommended by Detective Bellini.
"Yeah well, you know I think you're smart, Lavinia. All the same, you never can tell who's a creep and who isn't. Just be careful, eh?"
My dad, forever the pessimist while I am the optimist. I guess that's why we butt heads more often than not.
"I will, I promise. By the way, the State Police have stopped by to enquire about Aunt Livvy.” Unwilling to share the jewel issues, I kept it quiet.
"Why would they bother you?” My mother's eyebrows arched.
"They're not bothering me, they simply have more questions about Aunt Livvy's life.” I pushed the empty dish away, sat back and sipped my wine while they finished dinner.
Dessert lay on the counter and I slid from my chair and started to clear my place at the table. Obviously, I couldn't wait for pie. My mother wasn't the only one with a sweet tooth.
With the pie in one hand and dessert plates in the other, I sat down and waited until my mother could cut and serve up the delectable pastry. We followed specific guidelines when it came to food and I never, ever crossed the line. Well, nearly never, ever.
My mother sliced through the pie as her glance slid to the shadow in the doorway. Suddenly, she stopped in mid serve. My eyes followed hers to where Marcus Richmond stood outside staring in. He raised his knuckles to knock. Gosh, he looked delectable, I thought with a warm tingle in my lower parts.
What he wanted and why he was here flashed through my mind. In haste, I rose and stepped to open the door while my mother continued to stare.
"Come in, officer. Can we help you?” Mom asked, with wide eyed wonder.
"Good evening, ma'am.” He gave a quick dip of his head and removed the wide brimmed campaign hat when he stepped into the room. His look told me this was official business and besides, he was in uniform. I glanced out the window where his grey Crown Vic had slid soundlessly into the driveway and parked behind my car.
My father turned to see who'd entered and his dark eyes slid toward me. He didn't utter a sound, just sat there and waited to see why I was hunted by the Rhode Island State Police.
Now, I have to confess the local police had come to the house before. Once or twice or so when my darling twin, Saint Giovanni, and I had been up to no good, so my father didn't flinch at a uniform. It had,
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