perfect.” Bret continued to drive down the road.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 4
"Do you want me to take care of this part of the investigation, Tod? I know how close you've become to the family.” Phelps asked, as the two men stood in the hallway back at the department.
"No, don't worry about it. The Mardullo case is my case anyway, and if Danny's death is somehow connected to Linda Delaney's, then I need to keep on top of things.” Tod added two packets of sugar to the black, stale coffee.
"Can I ask you a personal question, Kafrey?"
Tod took a sip from his cup then made a nasty face. “Yuck! That's the nastiest coffee ever. Go ahead, Don, tell me what's on your mind."
"Do you have something going on with his daughter?"
"You mean, Victoria?"
"He only had one daughter. What's the deal?"
"No, we're just good friends, that's all. Why do you ask?"
"Inquiring minds want to know, man. She is gorgeous, successful, a disciple of us cops. She's got it all.” Don smiled wide and watched Tod.
"She does have a lot to offer. Everything you say is true. So, who's interested? Anyone I know?"
"The list is long, my friend, but at least now, if someone asks me if you two are involved, I can give them a straight answer. Let's get back to the case.” Don patted Tod on the back and walked back toward his desk.
Tod wasn't sure how to react. He had no right to be jealous. Victoria said she was attracted to him, but just not ready to date. There was no way anyone else would get her to go out with him, not as long as the Marine stayed in her heart.
Tod headed over to his desk, grabbing a piece of spearmint gum and popping it into his mouth. He tried to blame the bad taste in his mouth on the stale coffee, but he wondered if it were from his conversation with Don. Tod shook the thoughts from his head as his cell phone rang. He answered it, surprised by the information he received.
He closed the phone and called over to Phelps.
"Hey, I got some information on the picture,” Tod said as Phelps came walking over.
"What's up, man?"
"Well, it seems that the picture was taken at Mallorie's Bar and Grill in Pascack, New Jersey. The detectives there questioned some of the waiting staff and apparently, Mardullo and Delaney were regulars, every Thursday, around noon time for a few weeks or so."
Tod wondered how Victoria and her mother would react to this information if it leaked out. Danny had a solid reputation as a family man, devoted to the ‘love of his life,’ his ‘high school sweetheart’ as he referred to Sherry. Victoria worshiped him.
"Damn it, man. There has to be more to this. Mardullo doesn't seem like the cheating kind."
"Who knows what goes on behind closed doors? I guess we'll have to look at this case a little differently.” Tod waited for Don's response.
"Yeah, like maybe our killer is a jealous boyfriend and the Delaney case and Mardullo case are connected. If that's so, then who knows what we're dealing with."
"Let's keep this information between us for now. I'd like to avoid speaking with Sherry Mardullo for as long as possible. I don't even want to think how Victoria is going to react to this, never mind the rest of the family."
"You're not kidding, and remember the anniversary of his death is only a few days away. This new information would be torture for them."
Tod didn't have to respond. He agreed with Don completely, and he wondered how he would talk to Victoria.
* * * *
"You look stunning, Victoria, absolutely stunning.” Bret kissed her hand then continued to hold it as they walked down Main Street in Boulder Point.
"Thank you, and thank you for dinner as well. It was fantastic,” Victoria told him as they walked closely together, enjoying the warm evening air.
"I was hoping that you would like the place."
"I loved it and everything was perfect, despite how crowded the dining area was."
"That's why I'm a silent partner. I wouldn't know what to do if I actually had to run the
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 4
"Do you want me to take care of this part of the investigation, Tod? I know how close you've become to the family.” Phelps asked, as the two men stood in the hallway back at the department.
"No, don't worry about it. The Mardullo case is my case anyway, and if Danny's death is somehow connected to Linda Delaney's, then I need to keep on top of things.” Tod added two packets of sugar to the black, stale coffee.
"Can I ask you a personal question, Kafrey?"
Tod took a sip from his cup then made a nasty face. “Yuck! That's the nastiest coffee ever. Go ahead, Don, tell me what's on your mind."
"Do you have something going on with his daughter?"
"You mean, Victoria?"
"He only had one daughter. What's the deal?"
"No, we're just good friends, that's all. Why do you ask?"
"Inquiring minds want to know, man. She is gorgeous, successful, a disciple of us cops. She's got it all.” Don smiled wide and watched Tod.
"She does have a lot to offer. Everything you say is true. So, who's interested? Anyone I know?"
"The list is long, my friend, but at least now, if someone asks me if you two are involved, I can give them a straight answer. Let's get back to the case.” Don patted Tod on the back and walked back toward his desk.
Tod wasn't sure how to react. He had no right to be jealous. Victoria said she was attracted to him, but just not ready to date. There was no way anyone else would get her to go out with him, not as long as the Marine stayed in her heart.
Tod headed over to his desk, grabbing a piece of spearmint gum and popping it into his mouth. He tried to blame the bad taste in his mouth on the stale coffee, but he wondered if it were from his conversation with Don. Tod shook the thoughts from his head as his cell phone rang. He answered it, surprised by the information he received.
He closed the phone and called over to Phelps.
"Hey, I got some information on the picture,” Tod said as Phelps came walking over.
"What's up, man?"
"Well, it seems that the picture was taken at Mallorie's Bar and Grill in Pascack, New Jersey. The detectives there questioned some of the waiting staff and apparently, Mardullo and Delaney were regulars, every Thursday, around noon time for a few weeks or so."
Tod wondered how Victoria and her mother would react to this information if it leaked out. Danny had a solid reputation as a family man, devoted to the ‘love of his life,’ his ‘high school sweetheart’ as he referred to Sherry. Victoria worshiped him.
"Damn it, man. There has to be more to this. Mardullo doesn't seem like the cheating kind."
"Who knows what goes on behind closed doors? I guess we'll have to look at this case a little differently.” Tod waited for Don's response.
"Yeah, like maybe our killer is a jealous boyfriend and the Delaney case and Mardullo case are connected. If that's so, then who knows what we're dealing with."
"Let's keep this information between us for now. I'd like to avoid speaking with Sherry Mardullo for as long as possible. I don't even want to think how Victoria is going to react to this, never mind the rest of the family."
"You're not kidding, and remember the anniversary of his death is only a few days away. This new information would be torture for them."
Tod didn't have to respond. He agreed with Don completely, and he wondered how he would talk to Victoria.
* * * *
"You look stunning, Victoria, absolutely stunning.” Bret kissed her hand then continued to hold it as they walked down Main Street in Boulder Point.
"Thank you, and thank you for dinner as well. It was fantastic,” Victoria told him as they walked closely together, enjoying the warm evening air.
"I was hoping that you would like the place."
"I loved it and everything was perfect, despite how crowded the dining area was."
"That's why I'm a silent partner. I wouldn't know what to do if I actually had to run the
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