The Cat's Dowry and Other Short Stories Read online

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  The Portsmouth Inn appeared right out of an all-American novel with its 1920's facade. The owners, Ruth and Bert Hammersmith were adorable. I wanted to take them home as surrogate grandparents. It looked like I had found home base for the rest of my stay. They were on the lake and closing soon for the winter. There were always the leaf peepers in October but not much after that

  Mine was one of fourteen units. The room was spotless, quiet and the bed was comfortable. I didn't need much more than that. After unpacking and settling in, it was time to see the beach. Water always brought me solace.

  I grabbed a sweater and a bottle of water and started on my exploration. The town of Portsmouth appeared to have reached the 1920's and then the clock stopped. The huge homes that faced the water were not accessible to the public. If you were a guest at the Inn, you had access to more of the beach. The sun was going down and the wind off the lake was not as romantic as I had expected, therefore after a brief stroll I started back and decided to settle for cable TV and my laptop for the evening.

  Because there was, only one other guest at the inn Mrs. Hammersmith decided to serve a light breakfast the next morning. She was delightful and a wonderful cook. Mrs. Hammersmith joined me for a cup of coffee and she enjoyed having someone to listen to her stories of the past.

  The air was quite nippy for this Florida girl. When I left home, my wardrobe consisted of sleeveless shirts and shorts. I was not ready for this change. Nothing like a good shopping trip to make a woman's spirits soar. The memorial services were on the other end of town with a shopping mall in between.

  I liked working at a boutique, the clothes were unique and I would get first pick. I didn't spend a ton on clothes but I didn't like wearing what everyone else wore. Surprisingly, in this town out of the past the boutique sprouted modern designs. I killed some time and found a couple of heavier pieces of clothes that I could still use in Florida.

  I arrived five minutes early for the memorial services, signed in and looked around. Spooky, not a place where I'd like to spend a lot of time. A representative of the establishment greeted me and directed me to the proper parlor.

  Cecil approached with a pleasant smile. "I hope all is well with you. You look refreshed and renewed." he was close enough for me to detect his after-shave. Nice.

  "Yes, thank you. This climate is great. I wished it would stay this way all year. I might be inclined to return more often."

  "Let me introduce you to Irene Ibonovich, Eula Mae's friend." Irene could have stepped out of a last century painting with her pink cheeks and perfectly coiffed hair and pinafore. This whole trip was beginning to feel like an eerie dream. Was I dreaming? Breathe, Gabby. Cecil agreed to take me over to meet "The Cat" after the services, which were thankfully short

  I would still need to sign papers if I took "The Cat", so that might have been his real purpose for escorting me. I would like to think that he liked me and might have felt some sort of vibe between us. He certainly wasn't hard to look at, but then again, he was married.

  I stepped back in time, again as I entered Irene's parlor, it matched her personal appearance with curios and antiques. A gorgeous shorthaired silver cat approached and rubbed against my legs. This must be "The Cat".

  "You can pick her up. She likes being handled." Irene explained.

  "She's beautiful." I reached down and picked her up in my arms. She immediately rubbed my chin. Her purrs made me giggle. Not being used to cats behavior, I was enthralled.

  "Her name is Dolly. She is 4 years old. She is a Burmese without papers, but she doesn't mind." Irene smiled. "I would keep her, but the place I am moving to will not suit her. They are not cat friendly.

  Cecil looked at me and smiled. "Well, what do you think?"

  "It would be hard to say no at this point. I don't think I need to think about it too long. I think she has made up my mind for me. I think we'll make a great team." He pulled out his briefcase with the papers I was to sign. After I signed them, he presented me with a check for $10,000.

  "You knew I was going to take her didn't you? What would you have done if I said no?"

  "I was pretty sure. However, one never knows another person do they? There was a Plan B."

  "Irene, if it's not too much trouble, can I pick up Dolly on Friday. I need to make some arrangements. Dolly is going to change my life style and I need some advice from you as to what I need to make her comfortable on the ride home. I think I will cash in my return plane ticket and drive back to Florida. Never been crazy about flying, Dolly, and I need some bonding time.

  It was time to go and I kissed dolly on the forehead. "See you in a couple days partner."

  "What are your plans for dinner tonight?" Cecil was still smiling and standing close to where I could feel his body heat.

  "None, did you have something in mind?" My mind was still trying to put the puzzle pieces together from the last few days.

  "Not too far up the road is a great seafood restaurant. How would you like a nice drive and dinner, just as friends?" I made it clear that I was not into married men or one night flings. However, I appreciated the attention. It was also nice to know I still had the ability to attract attention. My love life with Jason kept moving in the wrong direction.

  We said our goodbyes after dinner and Cecil made it clear that he would be open to more discussions between us in the future.

  I needed to make a number of phone calls in preparation for my journey home. First, I had to cancel my flight to Florida. Except for the delay in getting an agent to help me, because I couldn't seem to get it done on line, there was no problem. Since I had paid a premium for the tickets in the first place, there were no restrictions about cancellations. Next, I called the car rental agency. Because they had offices in Florida, they would allow me to drive that car back but I had to pay a premium one-way drop off charge. I didn't care at this point. I would be leaving first thing Friday morning.

  Between these calls, my cell rang. I looked at the display but didn't recognize the number; it was from the Tampa area so I answered

  "Gabby, its Brenda." No niceties or how are you. "I wanted to inform you that your job will not be waiting for you when you get back to Florida. The store has been so slow that I will not need you and I will be working your shift until things get better or I will have to sell the boutique."

  "I guess there isn't much I can say then is there. I will be in to pick up my last check next week after I get back."

  "Okay." That is all she said. Wow, she was a cold bitch. How did I not see that before?

  I broke into hysterical laughter after she hung up. Sometimes the smallest things can change your life; like a cat. The rest wasn't small, like the money. This was going to make a huge difference to my lifestyle. I had no idea what was going to happen next but I was sure everything was going to be fine.

  I still had to make a shopping trip to get the things I needed for Dolly. I called Irene and asked if she wanted to go with me. Before I could make another call, my phone range and this number, I recognized. It was Jason. He wasn't exactly the person I would be expecting to call, but we were still on speaking terms.

  "I called to see how things were going; and find out when you were coming back. When you left you didn't give me your return flight information."

  "Things are going fine. A lot has happened since I left, all good. More than I can go into on the phone. I'm leaving tomorrow. I changed my plans slightly. Instead of flying back, I will drive my rental car. I can't say exactly when I will be back, because I don't have a boyfriend or job to rush back for."

  "I'm sorry. Really I am, but as long as you are okay. Sounds like you should be back sometime next week."

  "Maybe, I'm not going to speculate at this point. I will call you when I get there."

  "Have a safe trip, and Gabby, you know that you can call me, if you need anything. Again, I want to be your friend."


  "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the offer."

  Irene loved the idea of going on a shopping spree for Dolly. I picked her up and we headed to the mall. We had a great time picking out toys. She already had a carrier, but I couldn't resist some of the cute gadgets that I saw. We had lunch together and when I returned to her place, I spent some time with Dolly. She was playful and loving. When I left I told her that I would send her pictures on occasion to let her know how we getting along.

  My last night in this time warp and I wanted one last walk on the beach. I picked up a bottle of Shiraz along with a few snacks for the night and headed for the beach. I would have at least an hour before the sun set and I planned to polish off the bottle. I brought my MP3 so I could stay until I couldn't take the lake chill any longer. I'm not going to get to see the old homestead. It didn't seem important anymore. Cecil indicated that he would like me to keep in touch, and that he and his wife would not be together in another year. The practice was the only thing that kept them together. I wasn't about to give him a glimmer of hope, even though I did appreciate his advances.

  I slept well that night. I was packed and ready to leave in the morning. I wasn't in a hurry. I had breakfast with Ruth and Bert and then picked up Dolly and said my goodbyes to Irene. I looked back at Irene as she waved goodbye. It seemed that when you lose one friend, if you look hard enough, another one is there as a replacement,

  Where Rubber Meets the Road

  Oh, crap the heat is off again. It's the middle of January in Poseidon, Florida and the rest of the country is experiencing a deep freeze. Why do people think it doesn't get cold here? Poseidon is a stone's throw from Sarasota and the beaches, but far enough inland to get an occasional frost. This winter the weatherman predicted at least one freeze.

  Why do I keep accepting this? You'd think I lived in a dump. However, my rent receipt couldn't prove it. I could afford to move. I chose not to. Life really is all about choices. Maybe I am not ready for a change that stressful. Today's shift was extremely frustrating shift and I worked overtime by three hours. I am a dispatch operator with the local county sheriff's office. Been doing it for almost five years now and each week I say I'm going to quit. Obviously, I haven't done it yet. Since the night shift is the least desirable, it is always possible to get more hours than one would normally want. I have no living, breathing creatures waiting for me where I pay my rent so it doesn't matter if I work extra hours. The income helps, especially since I like to travel, but with these hours it doesn't happen as much as I like. It is hard to say "no" when asked to work. Retirement is looming over the horizon and I am not only unprepared, I keep going backwards financially.

  I arrived at my home, such as it was, as the dawn broke, traffic notwithstanding. The snowbirds have arrived in full swing in Poseidon and most of South Florida. Snowbirds are a fact of our economy. They fly (by plane) down anytime from November to January and stay until sometime around Easter, whenever that occurs. By law, Canadians can only stay six months but they are an amiable group and add nicely to the ambiance.

  When this influx happens, locals, such as me, learn not to frequent certain restaurants unless it's before 6:00pm and allow more time on the highway whenever you need to get somewhere, not a big deal. In the summer, the locals hole up in their air conditioning but we enjoy the run of the roads. The diversity adds to the charm of living in The Sunshine State.

  When I entered my duplex corner of the world, I sensed immediately the lack of heat, again. I have a programmable thermostat and it is set for my schedule, which is really the opposite from most people since I work nights.

  I checked the thermostat to confirm what I already knew, and then dialed my maintenance man, Ernie Hampton.

  "Ernie, this is Carol in 4246, are you in the complex?" My duplex is one of 23 along with some apartments in another section. Ernie plus a helper, Manuel, maintained my quadrant

  "Yeah, I can be there in ten, what's up?" Ernie tried to be cool, but in my estimation, he didn't get it. Don't get me wrong, he's a hell of a nice guy. However, he is somewhere in his middle fifties, dyes his hair and moustache black to cover the gray. His jeans hang below his waist, which he hasn't seen in years and he is a chain smoker. He knew it was a waste of time to hit on me. He tried once but I put him down, gently and we've been friends since. His interest flattered me. I always thought of myself as still attractive for my age. I kept my size ten figure for my entire adulthood, even after childbirth. I, too, keep the gray away, but mine was the result of a high priced hair salon. I loved nice clothes and only wore expensive but minimal jewelry. A few officers at my station kept their eyes on me. I do so enjoy toying with them. In fact, I am good at flirting but I have a rule about dating someone I work with.

  "The heat is not working, again." I didn't have to say any more. This would be the third time he worked on the same problem since I moved in. It will stay broke until the management company replaces some thingamabob that they are not willing to buy. As much as I didn't want to face it, if I want a resolution, my choices are either to move or start a rent boycott. My revolution days are long over which leaves moving. I will give it some thought.

  In precisely ten minutes, Ernie knocked and I opened the door. "This is insane. It's not suppose to be cold this far south. That's why we move to Florida. So when is that cheap bastard going to fix my heater?"

  "Do you want the truth, or do you want my version?" Ernie worked the same job through three different management companies. He had no plans on jumping ship. He liked status quo and has no problems telling you so.

  "I don't care what you do at this point. Use spit and glue, but get me some heat. There can't be that much more cold weather left in the month. I know I can't take a shower at this temperature." My voice raised at least an octave before I realized it.

  Ernie led me to the kitchen. "Put on a pot of coffee and take ten deep breaths." he said. "By the time you do that, you'll have heat and we can share a chat over the java."

  Ernie could always get me down off the ceiling when I felt the world closing in on me.

  The coffee pot produced its final swoosh as I readied the kitchen table for coffee talk. That's what Ernie called it. He enjoyed coming by to chat. I don't have a problem with that.

  "Do you feel it?" Ernie leaned against the entrance to the kitchenette with his thumbs proudly stuffed in his tool belt, worn like a gunfighter's holster.

  I stopped dead in my tracks. Sure enough, I could feel the heat emanating from the ceiling vent above me. I removed my denim jacket, placed it on the back of the chair and invited Ernie to sit.

  "You have earned coffee as well as my admiration."

  "There is little I can't fix, given the right tools. Can't guarantee how long it will last, though."

  "There's a warming trend coming tomorrow. We'll have the windows open by then."

  "I suggest you buy yourself a space heater if you want to continue living here. Lot of folks have them. Cause, to tell you the truth, they're not going to invest what it would take to fix that system. It's not going to happen." Ernie poured his coffee and took a piece of Danish that I had picked up at the bakery on my way home from work.

  "Say, Carol, I have kind of a favor to ask of you."

  "Shoot. You never know, I might say yes."

  "You know the woman who lives across the courtyard, the one that rides the Harley."

  "I don't know her personally, but yes, I know of her."

  "You knew she had an accident with it and life's been kicking her in the butt ever since."

  "I heard that. Now get to the point."

  "She's about to be evicted. She has no job. She has no family to help her and she's still can't use her hand. Her hairdressing days are over and she's not qualified to do any other kind of work."

  "So where do I come in? She's made it clear she doesn't want to be friendly. I've seen her go out of her way to ignore me when we are passing. It's not my imagination, either." />
  "I understand. She's not the friendliest person in town, but, if I got her to agree, would you make the effort and help her with the computer and show her how to apply for some jobs online?"

  "Tell you what, if you can get her over here about this time either today or tomorrow I will give up some of my valuable time to work with her. You know I'm a sucker for lost causes."

  Almost simultaneously, Ernie's pager went off and my cell phone rang. Ernie excused himself. They needed him across the compound. My daughter Sybil is doing her daily check in from DC.

  "Hang on a moment, sweetie." I took the phone from my ear and turned to Ernie, "Today is fine if you can arrange it. Might as well get it over with, if she's as bad as you say." Ernie shot me the two thumbs up signal and left.

  I turned my attentions to my daughter. Sybil is the best thing that came out of my marriage to Doug. From the day she came into this world, Doug did everything in his power to make our lives miserable. Not usually a violent man, the day he struck me and took a belt to our three year old for wetting her panties, I had enough. Sybil and I had tough times, but I didn't look back. He tried many times over the years to win us back, but my theory was, if you do it once, you'll do it again, and I wasn't going to stick around to find out.

  Sybil applied for and accepted a spot at the FBI after college. As scared as I was for her, I was immensely proud. Like me, she is a survivor. If I don't talk to her each day, she sends me a text message letting me know she's okay. This is her choice, not mine.

  "Hi precious, how's DC?"

  "I'm on assignment. My first one, of course I can't go into detail, but I'm so excited. The weather is miserable. I hate the snow. Miss those wonderful days at the beach."

  "Me too, sweetie. I promise we'll catch up when you get some vacation time."

  "Don't count on it for awhile. Probie's get the dregs. Maybe by August."

  "Of course, and we'll have a killer heat wave then. That's okay, I'll be glad to see you' even if hell freezes over, and it might today."

  "I have to cut this short. The boss is headed my way."

  As if on cue, the doorbell rang. "Be safe sweetie and remember mommy loves you." This had been my standard salutation since that day Doug took a belt to my child. I sent her off to school with those words every day even when she went off to college.

  I checked the peephole and could see the back of someone's head. The bleached blonde hair revealed dark roots and I took a good guess that it was my neighbor, who I nicknamed Dumber Drummer stood at my door. Her nickname came from her feeble attempt to play the drums. A hobby she took up some time ago. Her playing never seemed to improve but her playing didn't interrupt my sleep pattern. I figured it was a way to work out her frustrations and excused the pitiful playing.

  "Hi. I'm Dinah Cantrell. I don't think we've ever introduced ourselves." My tongue grew holes in it as I refrained from saying what first came to mind. I invited her inside.

  "Carol Laughton. Pleased to finally meet your acquaintance. What's it been, two years since we've been neighbors?" Okay, Carol, enough with the sarcasm.

  "Something like that. It seems we are always missing each other. Ernie tells me you work the graveyard shift."

  "Correct. But other than that, I try to live like the rest of the world." There I go again. Stop it. Play nice.

  "Care for some coffee and Danish, while my furnace finishes warming my humble abode?"

  "Yes, thank you. Ernie also said you might be able to help me with something. I need to find a job and I don't know anything about computers. Every place I went to apply I was told to apply online."

  "Have you tried using the computer at the library?" This time I wasn't being sarcastic.

  "Yes, but if you don't know a thing about computers, the people there aren't much help. Ernie says you volunteered to help me with that" My tongue now is growing into a Florida sinkhole. However, I didn't say a word, a testament to my endurance.

  "Sure, come on over while I fire up the mainframe. Let's see what we can do. Is there a specific place you want to apply?"

  "The pet store on Hwy 42 has an opening. I stopped in but they wouldn't take my application. Told me to go online. I did go to the craft store on Hancock Street. They took my application. Sounds promising. I asked to speak to the manager so I could introduce myself. The woman said that was not how they did it. The manager did not see applicants personally, until screened at corporate. I insisted and when the manager came out he said the same thing. It was against their rules for him to meet me in advance. I told him to forget the rules this once, I liked to introduce myself and let the manager know who I am. The only problem is, my right hand still has nerve damage from the accident and I can't shake hands so I had to draw my hand back when he tried to shake hands with me."

  The computer was ready, but I mentally shook my head. I visualized what she said. She had actually told a manager to forget his rules as if they didn't mean a thing to her. This woman had to have crawled out from under a rock. I pulled up a kitchen chair next to mine at the computer, asked her to take the seat and logged in. I was determined to give this my best shot, only because Ernie asked me to.

  I looked at the clock, 9:30 in the morning and this woman was dressed as if she was going to the bar. She wore tight jeans, a top that showed her cleavage and accentuated her breast implants. Her attempts to use perfume to cover her last cigarette gasped me as I tried to escape by moving my chair several inches to the right, without success.

  "Okay. First, do you want me to show you how to use the basics of the computer so you can do this yourself?" My thoughts were giving me away but I couldn't help it.

  "I don't like computers and they don't like me. At the library, the woman showed me how to get in and I broke it."

  "You really can't break them. However, if you aren't comfortable learning how to do this yourself, I will work with you as long as you want." Did I really say that?

  I found the website for the company she mentioned. "You're going to need an email address. Do you have one?"

  "Never needed one. Why do I need one and how do I get one?"

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Ernie was going to owe me big time, and I was going to collect.

  I set her up with an email through my IP address. At this point, I wanted to get on with the next step. We went through the preliminary questions without a hitch. Next section consisted of the integrity questions. I found out more about Dinah than I cared to. She became a hair stylist at an early age; divorced, had no use for men and raised two children on her own. I'm not sure what her fascination is with her Harley, but it's a fine machine and I can appreciate her passion. She doesn't like animals. Not sure why she's applying at a pet store. She doesn't particularly like kids or people, can't use her right hand and doesn't want to work more than five miles from home because she doesn't like traveling after dark. The woman is 55 years old, has no skills and doesn't want to learn the computer. I had to prompt her through the rest of the questions or we would still be sitting there. When we were done, I told her that I would help her again if she needed it. I began to develop compassion for the woman. She is three months behind on her rent. She said she applied for disability assistance without much success.

  "So what do I do now?" She appeared for a brief moment to acquire a spark of encouragement and hope.

  "We wait. The process could take a couple days. If they feel you match what they are looking for, you will get a call for an interview. If you have any other place you want my help with, you can always get me about this time as long as my vehicle is there. I don't go to bed until noon or after."

  "Does my drum playing bother you?"

  "Surprisingly, no. I'm usually up by then. You always seem to play about the same time each day."

  "Good, it is not my intention to make enemies. In spite of my phobias, I really am a nice person."

  Talk about feeling small. I took another hard look at the woman and saw something I hadn't seen before. She s
miled at me with a twinkle in her eyes. I think I could be the first person in a long time to bring a spark of hope to her miserable situation.

  After Dinah left, the things that we discussed went through my brain. I mentally reevaluated my life. I had flashbacks about my past, including bringing up my one child without a husband. My life suddenly had new meaning.

  I have to say that I'm not much for cooking. I don't think most people who live lone are. I found left over pizza in the refrigerator, fixed a scotch on the rocks and sat down at the computer to work on my novel. It's a romance mystery. I've been working on it for over a year. I have no idea where it's going and really don't care. It's more about relieving the stress and finding another world for a short time. My job has done this to me. However, I have used some of that experience to my advantage in subplots in the book.

  I earned my bachelors degree in English Lit the hard way, by going to school part time. It didn't help me get a better job, but by golly, I could write a proper sentence. I got to a point in the book where I wasn't sure where I wanted to go so I stopped and let drowsiness take over. I fixed another scotch, noticed how toasty the room became and readied my shower. Dinah was never far from my thoughts.

  The next morning Dinah knocked at my door at 9:00am, shortly after my car and my weary body arrived home. I didn't feel like company, but a promise is a promise. I put on my best happy face and opened the door.

  "I hate to be a pest, but do you think we could try one more place?"

  "Sure, come on in, I'll put on the coffee. How are things going for you this morning?" She again was dressed to look attractive but not ready to go job hunting.

  "I have an appointment to check on my disability status later today. However, I'd rather get a job. I'm used to working. I loved what I was doing."

  "Well let's give it another try today. What do you have for me?" I started the computer and got her chair.

  "The flower shop on Bayshore needs help. I couldn't believe as small as they are they wouldn't take my application. He said they have a company that screens all their applicants for them. Sounds like a perfect job for me. It's close to home also."

  "Let's get started. This might be the one." A person needs hope. I didn't have the heart to remind her that one of the questions on the application says: Have you applied for disability within the last six months? She replied 'no'. After finishing with the application, she informed me that she didn't think she had a chance of getting the job. When I asked her why, her only response was 'it didn't feel right'.

  "Dinah, if you continue to think negative, only negative things will come your way. Believe me, I know. My life isn't perfect but I always think things will get better."

  "I wish I could, but for each step forward, I make two back."

  Her negativity got to me. If she didn't want to listen, I was out of suggestions.

  "Okay, Dinah, let me know how this works out." My phone rang a reprieve. "This is my daughter; I've got to take it."

  "Thanks again." The heavy air around me cleared and the sense of impending doom lifted.

  It's been a week since I last saw Dinah. I heard her leave several times, that's not hard to do with a Harley. I even heard her drums once or twice, but not a word from her. When I look over at her place, the lights are never on, I don't remember ever seeing company visiting, and her place is directly across from mine. I called her the second day after our last visit to see how things were going. She informed me that nothing happened yet and therefore her gut feelings must be right. Since I made the last attempt to contact, I feel good enough to ease any feelings of guilt.

  My curiosity finally got the best of me and I called Ernie.

  "Ernie, are you in the neighborhood?"

  "I am. Do you have my coffee cup heated?" His standard retort.

  "Stop on by. I even have your favorite Danish, fresh from the bakery."

  He must have been close. Before I could get my shoes off and the coffee pot brewing, he knocked on the door.

  "So tell me what's new in the neighborhood." Ernie took his seat at the kitchen table and made himself at home. With his mouth full of Danish, he spouted all the gossip he had accumulated since our last chat.

  "What's happening with Dinah? She hasn't made any more requests for assistance from me and I'm curious as to her progress." I hated to admit and stoop so low as to require gossip.

  "I haven't spoken to her either. I do know she's paid her rent and that's about it. She is gone during the day a lot but other than that she's a mystery. I tried to befriend her, but a barrier went up quickly. It was as if she thought I all I wanted was to get in her pants. She shied away and wouldn't have anything to do with me."

  "Wow. I guess we both struck out. She left an impression on me. I didn't realize how good my life has been until I met her. It appears that she and her Harley are where the rubber meets the road."

  You Can Run, But You Can't Hide!

  The office manager asked Itzy McGuire to stay until she processed the last typing on the Fulton claim. She worked as a data entry clerk for the local branch of The Owners & Employees Insurance Company in Huntersville, Florida and deadlines were a huge part of her job. The other two women who worked at her branch, Sally, receptionist and Ethel, office manager left at the stroke of five o clock. Her boss, Paul Bartelli was in his office with the door closed. He was a temperamental boss. Sometimes he would spring for pizza if the whole office had to stay and work on a big project. Then he could change masks and become moody when least expected.

  Itzy had no plans for that particular Tuesday evening so the extra money was a benefit she couldn't turn down. She felt if she did refuse to stay, it would play heavily on whether she kept her job. She considered herself still attractive and vibrant for her 43 years. She stayed fit by running and got her hair and nails done every other week; a luxury that she wouldn't give up, even in the leanest of times.

  She finished the project at 5:20pm. She closed the file and turned off her computer; got up and walked over to Mr. Bartelli's office and knocked on his door. He immediately opened the door for her and invited her into his sanctum.

  "I've finished the report, sir, I'll be leaving now."

  "What's your hurry? I'd like to talk to you before you go." He put his arm on her shoulder and directed her to a leather wingback chair. His office was heavily masculine with expensive leather furnishings. There was a huge cherry mahogany desk and expensive paintings on the wall.

  He sat down in the other identical chair next to her, but instead of sitting back, he sat on the edge of the chair, leaned toward her, and put his hand on her knee.

  Immediately, Itzy's defense radar went up. This wasn't supposed to be happening. She had been with the company six months and Mr. Bartelli had never made a pass at her. To the best of her knowledge, she had never given him any reason to suggest that such behavior was acceptable.

  "My dear Itzy, you have been doing such a great job. I have been hearing marvelous reports about you." His face was now close enough that she could hear his heavy breathing.

  His grip on her knee became firmer and moved further up her leg. Unfortunately, she was wearing a skirt that day and her legs exposed her assets for his review.

  "Mr. Bartelli, I feel uncomfortable with your touching me like that." She tensed up.

  "Oh dear, I'm sorry, you know I'm a touchy feely kind of guy. But I wanted you to know that I do find you attractive."

  "Mr. Bartelli, this is totally inappropriate," She tried to get out of the chair, however, he blocked her way.

  He got up from his chair, walked behind her chair and put his hands on her shoulders. They worked their way down to the first button of her blouse and managed to slide under the button that was now undone. His hands quickly found flesh. When Itzy tried to move, he became forceful and grabbed her breasts still from behind her chair. She was unable to move.

  "Mr. Bartelli, I am asking you to stop this deplorable behavior a
t once." She could smell alcohol on his breath.

  "Oh but my dear, you know you've been watching me when I come near you. Don't play coy with me now. I don't mind you playing hard to get. It excites me and I know that you have wanted me to make this move for months. I wanted to be sure I was getting the right signals from you, before I proceeded." He had her pinned so she couldn't move.

  He started kissing her neck, his hands lost their grip on her breasts, and she jumped up from her chair.

  "This is not right. I have never given you any indication that I was interested in you. You have a wife and I have a boyfriend."

  "What of it. I'll make you comfortable and shower many gifts upon you if you were my woman."

  "No, I can't make that any plainer. I'm not interested. Now, let me go."

  "But Itzy, we could have such a good time together. I could please you as no other man could. I promise. I'm a wealthy and connected man. I could give you anything you wanted."

  "Mr. Bartelli, I am asking you to please let me leave your office."

  He groped for her, had her in a tight embrace and tore her blouse down to her waist.

  She did something she thought she would never have to do in her life. She brought her right knee up to his groin and pushed quick and hard as she could. He doubled over and she ran for the door.

  "Bitch, get out. I don't want to see your face again." She had no doubt of the pain she inflicted.

  "No problem." She grabbed the few things she wanted from her desk and ran for the main office door. Once outside in the hall of the eighth floor office building, she looked around and realized to her great joy that because it was after hours the halls were empty. She was able to salvage the front of her blouse enough that she could cover the damage with her shawl. She took the elevator to the main floor where the night security guard greeted her.

  "What's wrong Ms. McGuire? You look upset."

  "I am, but I'll be okay. You have a good night, Carl." She walked out to the street and looked around. It was January and the Florida weather required a jacket at least, for this time of year. It was dark because of the time change and the streetlights were on. She was grateful; that way her disarray didn't seem so obvious. She usually took the bus to work. The Tampa transit system wasn't bad. She could get from her place to work with one transfer and that way she didn't have to worry about paying to park her car. She wasn't quite ready to get on the bus yet, but she knew they didn't run as often at that time of the night.She walked to the bus stop and sat on the bus bench nearby. She straightens her wavy hair and refreshed her makeup the best she could. She didn't know whether to cry or punch someone. She was twice divorced and easily classed as attractive and an oversexed middle age man who wanted to make her his ‘woman' was hitting on her. She started laughing aloud and getting hysterical with the thought of what had happened when she realized an elderly, stooped woman who had arrived to catch the same bus was observing her. Itzy's face turned serious for the rest of her wait. When the bus arrived, she greeted the woman pleasantly and the woman quickly stepped on the bus and made sure she picked a seat where she had some privacy.

  Once safely in the confines of her home she plopped into the oversized armchair in the tiny bungalow, she shared with Gabby and her cat Dolly. Gabby was still at the boutique and her boyfriend M L had not arrived either. She looked at her thigh for the first time since the incident and realized that Mr. Bartelli's fingerprints had bruised her. They were now pronounced and angry. She opened a new bottle of wine, poured a generous glass, and took a healthy swallow. She made no other attempt to conceal the evening's event.

  Gabby's feline companion, Dolly asked permission via her usual, pleading gaze to climb into her lap. It was difficult to tell her "no"; however it had been known to happen. Dolly made life tolerable. It seemed that pets really were good for your health.

  M L arrived before Gabby. Gabby and M L had been seeing each other for months now and the heat between them kept growing. M L was his real first name. Though it seemed like a sick joke on his parents part that is all there was. He kept a certified copy of his birth certificate in his wallet to prove it. He claims to have won a few bets over that fact. M L might as well be a full time resident. Except Gabby wouldn't let him keep any clothes at the house. Oh sure, he had a toothbrush but she said that was different. That was for her benefit.

  "Wow, what happened to you?" He sat down on the couch and then saw the bruises. "Are you okay?"

  "No. I'm not hurt, but I'm not okay." She was about to finish the second glass of wine.

  "Tell you what, Gabby should be home soon, I'll order a pizza because it looks like you can use something to eat and when she gets here, we'll talk." M L was a take-charge kind of person and that was nice, sometimes.

  Itzy's phone rang and she saw it was Joe. She had been dating Joe for almost a year. It was a comfortable relationship, but it certainly didn't have the spark that Gabby and M L had. Joe was more of a follower than a leader. He was a PA for a prestigious law firm downtown Tampa and that was the closest he would get to accomplish his dream of becoming a lawyer.

  "Joe will be over in twenty minutes. He's got an errand to run for his mother first." Itzy got up and headed for her room. "I have to take a shower and get out of these clothes. They have got to be destroyed so I don't have to ever look at them again"

  Gabby and Joe arrived within minutes of each other. Itzy emerged from her shower looking refreshed. She grabbed for her bottle of wine and poured another glass. The pizza arrived and they sat around waiting for Itzy to feel comfortable enough to tell her story.

  After she finished her pizza and consumed more wine, she begun.

  "All right, I know you want to know what happened, so, I will start from the beginning. Not much to tell, though. It happens all the time. My boss propositioned me in his office and tried to have sex with me. When I refused he wouldn't take no for an answer so I kneed him in the groin and ran for the door. Now I am out a good outfit and a job. End of story." She finished her third glass of wine and another piece of pizza.

  "Would you like me to stay with you for awhile?" Joe did not usually spend the night. He lived with his mother and she didn't approve. Itzy didn't mind, she enjoyed not having to wake up to anyone next to her. She guessed she didn't care because there was no real passion between them. When they did make love, it was more mechanical than desire.

  "Please, I think I need to be held right now." Itzy was teetering between mad, hurt, and had enough confrontation for one day.

  "Itzy, we can talk more in the morning, but I am sure this will work out with a happy ending. These things usually do. Look at what happened to me. My life completely changed last year all due to an incident that was totally out of my control.

  "That's different. I could have said yes, but that would never happen. I guess I'll be out there looking for another job tomorrow."

  "No, not tomorrow. Tomorrow you are going to rest and get yourself together. We will all help you get another job. However, it would be nice for you to get a job that you enjoy and not take anything because you're in a hurry. I don't want you to worry about a thing. We will get you through this." Gabby proclaimed.

  Each couple picked up parts of the pizza party and retired to their part of the house. Gabby put a down payment on the bungalow the year before when she came into some inheritance and she decided at that time to allow her friend Itzy to move in and share expenses.

  Itzy and Joe did not make love that night. He held her until she went to sleep and then he dressed and left. He knew that Itzy was a good match for him, but he also knew that he would not be able to keep her forever. He knew he had a low libido but was not ready to do anything about it. Not even for Itzy.

  The next morning Itzy woke with cotton mouth and humpty dumpty head. The sun blaring in her window didn't help. She grabbed her robe and headed for the kitchen. A tall glass of orange juice was in
order along with a couple aspirin. Gabby was sitting at the breakfast nook, typing on her laptop.

  ‘Good morning, sunshine." Gabby was way too happy. Dolly was drabbed on her lap.

  "You pamper that cat, way too much." Itzy grumbled.

  "She loves you too. Grumpy guts." Gabby shut her laptop and put Dolly on the floor.

  "Give me a couple cups of coffee and you might get a smile out of me." She drank the orange juice with the pills and sat down across from her at the table.

  "I know you're right. You know, what you said last night. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Tomorrow I will look back on yesterday and laugh about it. But for today, I'm mad. I don't like looking for jobs. That's what bothers me the most. It's not as if I have a real profession. I happen to be good with computer entry."

  "First off, let me say that I am suspending your rent as of today, until you get another job and get your first paycheck. Don't argue with me either. The store is doing fine and I can handle it." Gabby knew she had her on that one. It wasn't easy to win an argument with Itzy but she gave in to Gabby.

  "I have to do some thinking. After you leave, I think I'll take a walk on the beach. That always clears my head. I need to figure out my next move. I saw Maxie's face again last night in my sleep. I haven't worked on my mother's case in a while, but I need to get back to that too. My life will not fall in place until I get that man behind bars.

  "I empathize with you. I wish I could do more for you there.

  "I know that and I promise to let you know if there is."

  Maxie Donavan killed Itzy's mother 25 years ago, come March 30 in cold blood because he could and then dared Itzy to do anything about it. He tied Itzy tied up then stabbed her mother 19 times while she was forced to watch, He told her the only reason he left her alive was to tell the story. He disappeared and there have been no trace of him since that day. The police were calling it a "cold case" even though they know who did it. He remained on the most wanted list, but in Itzy's eyes, it was as if nobody cared. If he killed again, he either used another identify or did it so no one would know it was him. She knew everything there was to know about Maxie Donavan. She had researched him on the internet. She knew where he was born, and almost every minute of his life up to that date when he changed her life forever.

  Itzy and her mother were like sisters. They did everything together. Itzy's mother, Betsy, had Itzy out of wedlock when she was 16 years old. Betsy's parents insisted on keeping her and the three of them raised Itzy. Itzy got her name because she was a preemie and tiny when she was born. Her mother's death had no purpose, but she was going to see that this man paid for his crime if it was the last thing she did with her life. The search consumed her. It caused the demise of her first marriage.

  Most of the research she had done had been through free web searches. This was all she could afford. She followed him from San Antonio to Memphis to Chicago and the last she could find was in New York City. That was two years ago. She checked almost daily for any activity. She consumed herself in finding her mother's killer.

  Itzy took the day to revitalize. A walk on the beach; lunch with friends at a local cafe and then a drive to the mall for a shopping spree; then a drink at The Shack on the Beach owned by one of her closer male friends. She stayed there until she felt she could talk to Joe and have some dinner. Joe called and agreed to meet her at the pub. They returned to the bungalow to join Gabby and M L for a night of card playing.

  Gabby had an exceptionally good day at the boutique. She had a wonderful crew that she worked with and the new line of clothes she chose after buying the store was doing quite nicely.

  They settled into a game of poker and M L was winning. Gabby was the poorest player of the bunch. She couldn't think beyond the cards she had in her hand and had absolutely no poker face.

  "I don't know if you'd be interested, Itzy, but I had a customer in the shop today. I overheard them talking and of course I had to hear more so I first asked them if I could help them. They were, fortunately for me wanting to spend money so while I was assisting them they continued with their conversation. The one woman had to quit her job. Gabby didn't find out exactly why. She said the company was not only looking for her replacement they needed to increase their staff because business was that good."

  "Okay you've got my attention, what kind of business is it?" Itzy showed mild interest. She was more interested in taking the pot on the table.

  "This is so sweet. It's a detective agency. How cool is that? "

  "Okay I give; you think I should go for it?" At that, Itzy took the pot and let out with a celebratory holler.

  "Think about it anyways. I've got their card if you're interested."

  That was the last Itzy thought about it until the next morning when she had coffee with Gabby.

  "So what do you think?" Gabby said.

  "About what?" Itzy was daydreaming.

  "About the detective agency. The job." Gabby could see Itzy was distracted and decided to drop the subject.

  "I slept on it. It has potential. I don't want to think too hard about it. I have to update my resume on the computer first. But yes, I will call them."

  "I have to go. Call me and keep me posted." Gabby picked up Dolly, kissed her on the forehead and left for the shop.

  Itzy set up an appointment for an interview at the Byrnes Detective Agency for 3:30pm. In all of her working career, she never had a problem getting a job and she was having good vibes about this interview. She went to her computer and spent the next couple of hours updating her resume. Her biggest concern was what the incident with Paul Bartelli was going to do to her. She decided to tell the truth and see where the chips fell.

  She hadn't given any thought to picking up her final check at the insurance agency. It would be an unpleasant task, but she needed to call Ethel, the office manager and find out how-to handle the matter. Now was as good a time as any to make that call. As she was looking for her phone, it rang. She followed the rings to her room and answered it without checking the caller I D.

  "Hello, Itzy." It was Paul Bartelli. Itzy was speechless. When she didn't respond, he continued. "I wanted to let you know that I am sorry about what happened."

  "If that is an apology, I accept it with reservations." Taken totally off guard, Itzy fought for her words. "I'm still not coming back there."

  "I understand. You don't have to. I wanted to let you know that I covered for you with Ethel. I made up a story about an illness in the family. Nevertheless, I haven't changed my mind about the way I feel about you. I still want you in my life." There was a pause while Itzy had been trying to plot her next move.

  "The answer is still no. I do not want to be any man's mistress. Let alone a married one." She sat down, put her feet up on the ottoman and took a deep breath. She was getting her thoughts together and digging in her heels.

  "Think about it. Meanwhile, I am having Ethel mail you your last check."

  "Thank you. Now I need to go. Tell Ethel thank you for me." He did not say anything else, so she hung up the phone. She needed to get ready for her interview.

  Itzy felt the interview went well. The office manager, Janet Taylor, was much younger than she was and professional in every way. The office had one other person; the receptionist, typist and girl Friday. The owner was the only other person in the company. He would call in additional help when needed but did not keep them on the payroll. Janet Taylor was married with two children and worked at the agency for four years. She did the initial interview, went over the resume and explained to Itzy what was expected of the person who took that position. Janet asked the question about why Itzy left her last employment. Itzy prepared an answer in advance. She had made up her mind she was not going to lie but she would make it as non-descript as possible. She explained that Mr. Bartelli had other avenues for her duties other than ones she had expected or agreed to and they left with a diff
erence of opinion. To Itzy's surprise, Janet knew about Paul Bartelli. She belonged to an organization of professional women that had lunch and a conference once a month and they discussed issues that affected the local business community. It appears that Mr. Bartelli had a reputation among a number of women both through his company and on a social level. It appeared that Mr. Bartelli could not keep his pants zipped. They both got a smile on their faces but still kept the conversation professional.

  The interview ended with the understanding that if the owner, Clyde Byrnes was interested, there would be a second interview.

  Friday morning while Gabby and Itzy were having their usual morning coffee together, Itzy's phone rang it was Janet from the Byrnes Agency.

  "Ms. McGuire, Mr. Byrnes would like it if you could come in and interview this afternoon. Would that be possible?"

  "Yes, I'd be glad to, any time is okay." She tried not to sound anxious but realized she was.

  "How about 3:30?"

  "That would be fine. Thank you." She hung up and looked at Gabby.

  "It sounds promising." Gabby said as she stroked Dolly, lounging on her lap.

  "A second interview is always promising. It doesn't mean that I have the job, but I think I would like it if I do. By the way, did I tell you that Paul Bartelli called me yesterday?"

  "No. What did he want?"

  'He still wants my body. He doesn't take no lightly. They will be mailing me my last check, so I don't have to see him again. Thank goodness."

  "Great, I've got to be off. Maybe we will have something to celebrate tonight."

  "I don't know, but I probably won't get home much before you if it goes well. See you tonight."

  Itzy took over for Gabby's lap as Dolly asked permission to come up and get her pets.

  "Dolly, girl, you certainly have the ability to get your way." Dolly looked at her with what Gabby called her ‘smirk'.

  Since she had some free time before her appointment, the idea of working on her mother's file crossed her mind. She picked up the file. The file was now over an inch thick. She opened the cover and spread out the top sheets to review her progress. She quickly put the pages back, closed the cover and put the file back in the drawer in her nightstand. Whenever she worked on the case, she would get horribly depressed. She couldn't afford to let that happen today. She had to keep positive and upbeat. There would be another time it just isn't today. Even if she had someone else to share, the task with it wasn't so bad. However, if she was alone, it tore her up. Joe had offered his help. He did give her moral support, but even his legal ties didn't bring in any leads. The attorney's at the firm were not willing to devote time to her search. There was no money in it for them.

  Itzy arrived promptly at 3:30pm and Janet shook her hand. She immediately took her down the hall to Clyde Byrnes office.

  "Clyde, this is Itzy McGuire ."

  Clyde was medium build wearing a polo shirt and khaki pants. Itzy was expecting a much more formal appearance. He had dark hair and a tanned in the sun look. It was apparent by his polo shirt that the man had muscles and enjoyed showing them. He considered him a handsome man and around his middle thirties. "So glad you could make it on such short notice. My time is quirky. Sometimes I am called out of town without notice. Here have a seat."

  Itzy sat in a comfortable Danish modern chair across from his desk. The whole office was decorated in Danish modern. She liked it; it had a cheery effect.

  "My calendar is open right now." Itzy smiled.

  "Yes, Janet has told me about your last job. She also explained the surrounding circumstances. I have to tell you that your resume is impressive. There are no gaps in your history at all. Do you think you would like to work for a detective agency?"

  "Yes. I think I would. I can only imagine that it would not be boring."

  "No it's not boring at all. The hours can be demanding. Though not so much for you. Your work would be pretty cut and dry. I need it done on time and correct."

  "Still, the environment here must be exciting."

  "The big reason why I am looking at you to fulfill this position is not only do I believe you can do the job, I need someone to start immediately. With me going on vacation next week, and there is already a huge backlog of files, I can't wait until I get back. My husband Brad and I will be on a windjammer cruise and be out of touch for seven days."

  Itzy smiled. So he has a husband. Hmmmm. At least I don't have to worry about him making advances.

  "Mr. Byrnes, I would love the opportunity to work with you and Joyce."

  "Good, then I'll call Joyce in and she can go over the forms and the other details for you."

  He stood, shook her hand and said, "Welcome aboard. I am an easy person to work with. I deal well with most people. I give respect and I expect respect in return."

  Gabby got home first and was anxious for an update. Gabby allowed her assistant to close up on the weekends unless they arranged in advance. Gabby and M L spent a lot of time on the beach. Itzy called Joe to give him the good news.

  "Joe, it's time for a celebration. Do you think we can make reservations at Rachel's for dinner? I got the job and I want to celebrate."

  Joe didn't mind spending money on good restaurants. He agreed to make the reservations for four and she would see if she could get Gabby and M L to join them.