dresses were a few simple classic
sheaths and I chose the deep green one. It hugged my curves without clinging
to them. The effect was perfect.
“You
know your stuff, Rial.”
I
headed back to the racks of shoes and spotted a pair of delicate golden
slippers. “Great.” Pulling them off the rack, something on the shelf off to
the left caught my eye.
Beside
a pair of white satin pumps were a series of brochures; China, Japan, Egypt,
and set on the floor below them were three Louis Vuitton suitcases. “Looks
like you’ve already got the honeymoon in order.” I fingered the handle of the larger
suitcase. A trip around the world would certainly be nice. Already I could
just imagine the flavors and scents the world had to offer. It would be the
perfect blend of business and pleasure; making love to Rial every night and
hunting for special herbs and spices during the day.
Engulfed
with a sense of warmth and love, I picked up the brochure for Tahiti. It
certainly was beautiful… the kind of place people dream about… white sand,
clear blue water and endless sun.
“Oh,
Rial,” I said in a quiet hush. “It all looks so perfect… so heavenly. How can
I refuse your proposal?” But then Bobby’s smiling face came to me, and I knew
why I hadn’t immediately accepted Rial’s proposal.
With
a grunt of displeasure, I shook the images of Bobby out of my head and pulled
the golden slippers on before heading out to meet the police.
As
I approached the sitting room, I could hear them talking softly among
themselves. I stopped just short of the threshold and took a deep breath.
“Hello,
everyone,” I said as I entered the large room. “Sorry for keeping you
waiting.”
A
man and a woman in uniform sat in the twin Louis XVI chairs that faced the long
white sofa where Rial and my father sat. Before taking a seat between them, I
gave my father a quick kiss, happy to see he would be there as I gave my
statement. Rial gave me an affectionate and reassuring pat on the knee as I
sat down.
“Not
at all,” the woman said with a grin. In her early thirties, she was thin, but
with a strong athletic build, and shoulder length black hair that bounced as
she spoke. “We’ve been enjoying your great culinary talent.”
I
looked at the spread on the coffee table and on the dessert tray set off to the
side. Jars upon jars of jams and preserves I’d concocted were set out for
everyone to enjoy.
“This
one is my favorite,” she went on. “ Confit d’oignon .”
“I’m
glad you like it.” To look at the sitting room, one would have thought we were
receiving royalty instead of the police.
“You
are a very talented young woman,” she said in a jagged English. “I can’t even
begin to imagine how you came to formulate all these.”
“ Merci .
It’s a lot of trial and error.”
“Mademoiselle
Cooke,” the man said as he got to his feet. Standing just barely taller than
I, he seemed agitated and nervous for a moment, then he cleared his throat and
was clearly in charge. “I’m Detective Daniel Fortier and this is Lieutenant
Darlene Robier. How are you feeling this afternoon?”
“All
things considered, very well, thank you.”
“What
an atrocious ordeal you went through,” Darlene said. “And you're such a dainty
and sweet looking young woman.” She reached out for a pastry filled with a
cranberry and pecan concoction I’d just recently put to market. Taking a huge
bite, she chewed while giving me a thumbs up of approval. “Delicious, but they
are so expensive. I can never afford these on my salary.”
“Then,
by all means, take a few jars with you when you leave,” I offered.
“Perhaps,
we should get to the matter at hand,” Detective Fortier said.
“Yes,”
Rial said. “I’d like to get this over with as quickly as possible. I’m eager
to see Lilly move on with her life.”
“Your
father was just telling us about a similar
sheaths and I chose the deep green one. It hugged my curves without clinging
to them. The effect was perfect.
“You
know your stuff, Rial.”
I
headed back to the racks of shoes and spotted a pair of delicate golden
slippers. “Great.” Pulling them off the rack, something on the shelf off to
the left caught my eye.
Beside
a pair of white satin pumps were a series of brochures; China, Japan, Egypt,
and set on the floor below them were three Louis Vuitton suitcases. “Looks
like you’ve already got the honeymoon in order.” I fingered the handle of the larger
suitcase. A trip around the world would certainly be nice. Already I could
just imagine the flavors and scents the world had to offer. It would be the
perfect blend of business and pleasure; making love to Rial every night and
hunting for special herbs and spices during the day.
Engulfed
with a sense of warmth and love, I picked up the brochure for Tahiti. It
certainly was beautiful… the kind of place people dream about… white sand,
clear blue water and endless sun.
“Oh,
Rial,” I said in a quiet hush. “It all looks so perfect… so heavenly. How can
I refuse your proposal?” But then Bobby’s smiling face came to me, and I knew
why I hadn’t immediately accepted Rial’s proposal.
With
a grunt of displeasure, I shook the images of Bobby out of my head and pulled
the golden slippers on before heading out to meet the police.
As
I approached the sitting room, I could hear them talking softly among
themselves. I stopped just short of the threshold and took a deep breath.
“Hello,
everyone,” I said as I entered the large room. “Sorry for keeping you
waiting.”
A
man and a woman in uniform sat in the twin Louis XVI chairs that faced the long
white sofa where Rial and my father sat. Before taking a seat between them, I
gave my father a quick kiss, happy to see he would be there as I gave my
statement. Rial gave me an affectionate and reassuring pat on the knee as I
sat down.
“Not
at all,” the woman said with a grin. In her early thirties, she was thin, but
with a strong athletic build, and shoulder length black hair that bounced as
she spoke. “We’ve been enjoying your great culinary talent.”
I
looked at the spread on the coffee table and on the dessert tray set off to the
side. Jars upon jars of jams and preserves I’d concocted were set out for
everyone to enjoy.
“This
one is my favorite,” she went on. “ Confit d’oignon .”
“I’m
glad you like it.” To look at the sitting room, one would have thought we were
receiving royalty instead of the police.
“You
are a very talented young woman,” she said in a jagged English. “I can’t even
begin to imagine how you came to formulate all these.”
“ Merci .
It’s a lot of trial and error.”
“Mademoiselle
Cooke,” the man said as he got to his feet. Standing just barely taller than
I, he seemed agitated and nervous for a moment, then he cleared his throat and
was clearly in charge. “I’m Detective Daniel Fortier and this is Lieutenant
Darlene Robier. How are you feeling this afternoon?”
“All
things considered, very well, thank you.”
“What
an atrocious ordeal you went through,” Darlene said. “And you're such a dainty
and sweet looking young woman.” She reached out for a pastry filled with a
cranberry and pecan concoction I’d just recently put to market. Taking a huge
bite, she chewed while giving me a thumbs up of approval. “Delicious, but they
are so expensive. I can never afford these on my salary.”
“Then,
by all means, take a few jars with you when you leave,” I offered.
“Perhaps,
we should get to the matter at hand,” Detective Fortier said.
“Yes,”
Rial said. “I’d like to get this over with as quickly as possible. I’m eager
to see Lilly move on with her life.”
“Your
father was just telling us about a similar
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