by Edwin Dasso
Estelle took the blame for the tray mishap, even though she’d later tell Dido it was that awful blonde, Paula, who really did it. Insisting everyone stay calm and seated, she and Maria cleaned up the veggie mess while Joan and Paula took Liz to a back bedroom.
“It’s true! He admitted it to me during dinner. John’s gay! He said he always knew there was something about the way he felt that might be defined as homosexuality, but he never had the impulse to follow through. The only reason he was with me is because he felt safe with me and I pursued him.”
Joan and Paula looked at each other over Liz’s head. “What does that mean?” Joan asked. “If a man had pursued him, he’d go with the man?”
“Yes! That’s exactly what it meant.” Liz sobbed. “Only he’d be happy instead of trapped. That was the word he used. Trapped. He’s felt trapped all these years. The only thing that made his life tolerable was being with his brothers and their wives every weekend. That was the exact phrase he used. Tolerable! He loves me like a friend.” With that, she bowed her head crying, broken hearted.
Nick came to the door to see if she was okay. Liz looked up at him peeking through the crack. “Let him in,” she said. “Did you know?”
He shook his head. Coming to her and getting down on his knee, he grasped her hand. “Liz, I swear to you, I didn’t know. I suspected, but that’s it. I was more worried about his mental state. Gay men run the gamut mentally just like straight men, and John definitely isn’t right. If Peter and I enabled him to mistreat you, I am truly sorry.”
She kept shaking her head and repeating, “I wasted my life. Why’d I do it? Why’d I stay with someone who I knew didn’t love me?”
Paula and Nick looked at each other with sadness.
“Why does anyone stay married to someone they don’t love? Who can answer that?” Paula said. “I knew Nick didn’t love me.”
“But that’s not true,” he said. “I did love you.”
“Yes, but not enough to stay faithful to me.”
Liz stood up, pushing Nick away. “This is not about you two. I wish you’d stop with the games. If you are together, be together, and if you’re not, get a divorce and get away from each other. This shit of playing around with each other is very confusing to the rest of us. No one wants to say anything because they don’t want to upset King Nick.”
Nick got up from his knees, shocked.
Liz stopped pacing and turned to him again. “How many lives can you two ruin before you’ve had enough? Paula! I’m ready to divorce you if you so much as say one more thing about Christina Zannos. Do you have any idea how it makes you look to people? Jeesh!”
“Boy, that’s a low blow,” Paula replied, getting up. “I’ve always been there for you, Liz.”
“Well, stop it,” Liz said. “I don’t want you anymore.” She walked out of the bedroom and out into the main room, where Maria and Estelle were cleaning up so the poker game could start.
“Everyone, forgive me for my outburst tonight. I hope you have a Merry Christmas in spite of it.” She went to the coat rack and dug through the pile. Jim Pappas came up behind her.
“Can I come home with you?”
She spun around. “What about Maria?”
“She’s staying here for the weekend. She just told me she doesn’t care what I do. After that fiasco, no offense to you, I’ve had enough of Greektown for one night.”
Liz looked up as Jim helped her on with her coat. Maria was standing in the kitchen doorway, watching them.
“Maria, don’t do it,” Liz called.
But Maria shook her head. “It’s okay, Liz. Go home. Take Jim to his car. I want to stay here. You two have a safe trip.” No one else acknowledged their departure.
They walked down the stairs and out of the building. As they walked side by side to go around to the back alley, Jim looked down at her. “She thinks I’m going home tonight. I’m sure it didn’t cross her mind that I’d stay with you. My wife doesn’t see me that way anymore.”
Liz sighed. “It’s her loss,” she replied, reaching for his hand.
Big Andy and Anna went to the little table where their son sat with his boys and his new girlfriend. “I’m going to tell my grandsons a story so your mother can talk to you, son.”
“Aw, Dad, now is really not a good time.”
“It’s not what you think,” Anna said, trying not to let out a sob. “Please, humor me. You too, Nicky. I know your mother calls you Nicky.”
Nicole looked up at Anna and smiled. “She does,” Nicole said in Greek. “Everyone in my family calls me Nicky.”
“Well, I guess I’m your family now, too, so I’d like to call you Nicky.”
Andy was watching the conversation between his mother and Nicole, afraid to breathe, his emotions going wild. He stood up and reached for Nicole’s hand.
“Do you want to go back to my rooms?” Anna nodded and led the way while Big Andy stayed with the boys. She entered the den and stood aside for them to pass through, closing the door. She didn’t wait to start talking.
“Nicole, I’m sorry I was rude to you yesterday. My son is a grown man, and if he wants to get involved now, that is his prerogative. But I have to say that I am afraid. I’m afraid for myself. Andy’s late wife didn’t like me. She didn’t let us see the children or invite us to their birthday parties. I never held the boys when they were babies…”
Nicole stepped forward and grabbed her, taking her by surprise. She looked at Andy with pity and shook her head. “I promise you, Mrs. Zannos, if anything permanent happens for Andy and me, I will never treat you with disrespect. I’ll want you involved in the lives of any children we may have. You have my word.”
Anna began to weep and embraced Nicole. Andy moved forward and put his arms around both women.
“Mom, I’m sorry I allowed it to happen. But there’s nothing I can do about the past now. You just have to trust us, okay? I want to get to know Nicole; I want to be with her. If you’d arranged a marriage for me, it couldn’t be better than this.”
Anna burst out laughing, wiping her tears away. “Oh, is that right?” she said. “Do you cook?”
Nicole answered her in Greek again. “I can, but I don’t. If Andy cooks, do I have to?”
“Good point, no, you don’t need to cook,” Anna said. “Well, I feel better. Thank you both for listening to me.” She did feel much better and went out to tell her wonderful husband that she’d taken his advice and it had worked out, as he said it would.
Peter and Joan watched their daughters leave with Andy and Nicole for a night on the town. Anna encouraged them to go out since the boys were asleep anyway.
“So how do you think their first Christmas in Greektown will be remembered,” Peter asked.
Joan just shook her head. “Was it like this before?”
“Yes,” Peter replied. “Every holiday there is intrigue of some kind. It just keeps getting wilder. You missed last year.” He jerked his head over to where Paula was standing, talking to Nick and John.
“Oh, but I heard all about it,” she said. “Crazy.”
“Come on,” Peter yelled. “Either we play poker now or I’m going home.” The men grabbed their drinks and headed to the den. It was another Christmas in Greektown.
Nana Wong was sitting in her recliner with a big glass of ice tea and a tray of snacks provided by Roger. Albert was shuffling cards for a game of Pinochle.
“Who’s going to win tonight?” Roger asked.
“You always win,” Albert said. “I’m only playing so I don’t snack all night.”
“I’m starting on a diet Monday. We have a cruise booked next month, and I’m not wearing a T-shirt in the pool to cover my man boobs again.” Nana heard Roger complaining and started to laugh.
“A wet T-shirt contest. We’ll miss that!” Nana shouted.
“Well, don’t worry because I doubt if I’ll lose any weight. But you know I have to try,” Roger replied, defeated.
“You’re grea
t at any weight,” Albert said. “Just enjoy your life and stop trying to change.”
“I’d weight three hundred pounds if I wasn’t constantly on a diet.” He took a large tray of mini cheesecake bites out of the fridge. “Dessert, anyone?”
“Oh no, sabotage!” Albert shouted. “Can’t we go for an hour without eating in this house?”
“Well, you said to enjoy life. I’m trying to be obedient.”
Albert laughed. “I love you, Roger. Merry Christmas.” They embraced while Roger held the tray of dessert out, protecting it.
“Save the lovey dovey stuff for later, will you, please? Hurry up with the dessert.” Nana Wang’s sweet tooth was waiting. Albert’s phone rang.
“Saved by the bell! Hurry up and eat those things so I’m not tempted. Hello?”
“Al, it’s Rob Sanders. Sorry to bother you on Christmas. Can you talk?”
Albert’s heart sank. “Yes, go ahead,” he said, defeated. Roger heard the sound of his voice and patted his shoulder as he left to join Nana in front of the TV.
“I got the call after you gave me the ballistics report. Paul Cummings may have intended on killing her, but he didn’t shoot the gun that did the deed. Alison looked at everything we have, and they made the decision to present a case against Fred Cooper to the grand jury.”
Albert frowned, scratching his head. “Unless I missed something, what do we have? He was in Detroit. He made a phone call to his girlfriend. That doesn’t seem like enough to me.”
“The prints along the road leading to the spot behind the line of trees are from a size fourteen shoe. Cooper wears a fourteen. Ballistics said the angle of the shot that killed her came from that area. His cell phone records show a text from Cooper’s phone came to Caldwell’s minutes before Cummings and the victim’s sister said the shot was fired. The tracker from his car is being analyzed right now, and we should have an answer in the morning.”
“Okay,” Albert said, anxious to get off the phone. “I hope it’s enough.”
“Me too,” Rob replied. “I never want to go to Grand Rapids with you again.”
“Ha! Well, sir, I hope you don’t have to.”
“Merry Christmas, Albert.” They said goodbye and hung up the phone.
As Fred Cooper patrolled the interstate, the thought of being single was getting exciting. Cindy was dead; Jill was lost to him. His family was angry with him because he’d forgotten to tell his parents that Jill wasn’t coming to Christmas Eve dinner. They’d made a big deal out of it in front of his sisters when he showed up alone without warning them first. Taking that extra place setting off the dining room table was such a huge inconvenience.
Deep in thought, he didn’t notice a car on the other side of the road until he saw the driver, a slender silhouette with long blond hair, struggling to get a spare tire out of her trunk. Flipping his emergency lights on, he pulled across the median to come to her rescue. He pulled up behind the car and got out of his cruiser, looking gorgeous in his dark blue winter uniform.
“Let me help you with that,” he said to the young woman, with a big smile. Flexing his biceps, he got the tire out, careful not to let it rub against his uniform. Without much effort and with smooth banter, he got the jack positioned to change the tire for her, keeping up a steady stream of conversation. He knew by the time he completed the tire change that he was going to ask her out. Distracted by her face, Fred didn’t notice that John Cavanaugh had parked behind his patrol car and was walking toward him with an investigator from Internal Affairs.
34
Elizabeth and William Caldwell drove west on the interstate toward their beautiful home in the Grand Rapids suburbs, Christmas Day ruined by Cindy’s death. Three trips to Detroit in less than a week were too much. Released in their custody, Valarie was sullen and unappreciative. Elizabeth had argued that Valarie was an adult.
“Why in God’s name do we have to take responsibility for her? She put herself in jeopardy by aligning with that creep who killed our daughter. She should suffer the consequences.”
Adding fury to her anger over Cindy’s death, Elizabeth didn’t say it, but thought, Why is Cindy the dead daughter? William said they couldn’t leave Valarie in a Detroit jail. She was their only daughter. They’d argued all the way into the city about it, and William won when he pointed out leaving her there to rot would perpetuate more gossip. They were all about propriety. But Elizabeth was barely civil to Valarie. When Azure Baker led Valarie out to the waiting room, Elizabeth snubbed her, sneering at her clothes.
“Could they have at least let her bathe? I can smell you from here,” she said.
“Thanks, Mom, Merry Christmas to you, too,” Valarie replied. She turned to her attorney. “Are you sure there isn’t some way I can be released as an adult?”
“Valarie, the judge made it clear that you’re to go home with your parents. And stay away from Mr. Cummings. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell, I hope you’ll be able to move forward. Valarie needs your support. It will only get worse if you’re fighting with each other.”
“Our daughter hasn’t been dead for a week,” Elizabeth Caldwell hissed. “Do you think we could have a few more days to grieve her death before we move forward?”
William Caldwell bristled at her words. The attorney was right; fighting wouldn’t bring Cindy back from the dead. Cindy was gone forever, and from what the attorney said, they needed to prepare themselves for unflattering news about Cindy that might be leaked to the public. The Caldwells still refused to believe that anyone could say anything bad about their darling daughter, the love of their life.
William looked in the rearview mirror. Valarie was sitting up with head thrown back, eyes closed.
“Val, do you still have the video?” William asked.
Valarie opened her eyes as she thought of the discs still under his front seat and began to laugh.
Be sure to subscribe to my email list at Suzannejenkins.com to receive FREE stories.
About the Author
My books are all creations of a rich and sometimes devilish dream life. Don’t worry—you won’t see yourself in any of my books, but if you do, it’s just a coincidence…
I’m a member of the Romance Writers of America and the RWA San Diego Chapter.
In a former life, I was a registered nurse who worked in the Operating Room for many years. Prior to nursing school, I was an OR technician. I did my training at Marygrove College, and the clinical experiences we had took place in the Detroit Medical Center. I remember going to a mandatory autopsy in the morgue at Detroit General. All I can say is wow! I was so relieved; the only thing going on the day I was scheduled to observe was a brain dissection. After working in the OR for over thirty three years, I can’t stand the sight of blood.
I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for fifty years this year! How is that possible? We have two children and seven grandchildren and are down to one dog, Oscar. We live in the isolated mountains of north San Diego county, rarely leaving the sanctuary. It’s a wonderful place to hide out and write.
Find & Follow Suzanne Jenkins
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Brenda Loves Larry
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The Greektown/Detroit Detective Stories
The Greeks of Beaubien Street is the First book in The Greektown Stories.
The Donut Shop Murder A prequel to the series. Four days before Thanksgiving, the dead body of a paralegal is found dumped on a residential street in Midtown Detroit.
The Princess of Greektown Jill investigates the messiest crime of her career, while her family suffers a loss that changes the way life will be lived in Greektown.
Christmas in Greektown As Christmastime approaches, the family prepares for another get-together in Greektown.
A Greektown Wedding After Christmas was over, the family could finally focus on other things, like love!
