No alive ones anyway.
"Of course, it's possible it's some kids in the area who saw the door open and pulled a prank." Do I even think that's likely?
Sanchez nods.
"Or maybe it's someone who doesn't like Kevin. He is a cop. He's had to have made enemies."
Enzo snickers, and I'm thinking the list may be long.
"And the last possibility is that this is connected to Hilary's death somehow. Like her killer wanted us…cooled." I shrug and wonder if we could've suffered hypothermia if we were in there all night. And if that's probable, could we have died?
"You don't think he killed his wife?" Sanchez asks.
I think back to the conversations Kevin and I had tonight and his demeanor every day since Hilary's death and shake my head. "No, I don't."
"That's nice to hear," says a voice to my left side.
I turn and see Kevin smiling at me.
* * *
When we're free to go, Enzo says he'll stay with Ma until the cops are done. I want to as well, but I also want Kevin to get his stuff from my apartment so that he can leave. He's starting to pace, look antsy, and keeps mumbling about getting back to his motel room. So we run upstairs to get his phone and keys.
He stands beside my door, ready to head out, and turns to me. "I hope tonight hasn't caused problems for you and Julian."
I have a feeling he's not being fully truthful. "Do you really feel that way?"
He laughs.
I need him to understand, without any doubt, how I really feel about him and us and leave no room for assumptions.
"Look, I'm glad we reached some sort of understanding, but you have to know that I love Julian, and I won't do anything to jeopardize my relationship with him."
Plus, there's the whole never fully forgiving Kevin for grabbing me last fall part.
Kevin's smile evaporates. "I know."
"Good."
"Can we still be friends?" Kevin asks with a sad puppy dog look on his face. "It's okay if you've changed your mind."
"I haven't." I meant what I said. This doesn't change that. Hopefully Julian will understand.
"Great. I'm currently low on them."
I frown and ask, "Why?"
"Most of my buddies are officers and detectives. They become distant when you're suspected of murder. I guess we weren't as close as I thought." His words rush out with a tumble of emotion, and I can't help but feel for the guy.
"Nothing's changed, but I'm not becoming your drinking pal, and I can't say we'll be hanging out." I feel worse the more I say, but there needs to be boundaries.
He keeps nodding.
I roll my eyes 'cause I hope I don't regret what I'm about to say. "But if you need to talk, I can listen."
That perks him up, and he smiles again. "Thanks, Gianna."
He leaves as my phone rings. Who is calling me at this hour? My stomach tenses. What if it's Julian wanting to yell at me? No, that's not his style.
I reach for the cell and see Izzie's face. "Iz? Are you okay?"
I'm pretty sure Ma didn't call my sister, so she doesn't know about what's going on here, and this can only mean something is going on with her.
"I'm okay. I think. I'm having more Braxton Hicks, and Paulie is working. I thought you'd sit with me until they pass."
"Are you sure it's not real labor?" I ask.
"I don't think so."
"Do you want to go to the hospital?" I grab my purse and head back downstairs.
"No. Why do you sound out of breath?"
I reach the bottom door and push it open. All the vehicles are gone—the patrol cars, Ma's, and Enzo's.
"I'm on my way. I'll sit with you."
This time I stick to the speed limit and still make it to her place in a timely manner. Lack of traffic is a big help.
She lets me in and reminds me that Alice is asleep.
I shut and lock her door as she waddles into the living room and sits sideways on the sofa with her legs up on the cushion beside her.
"How are you feeling?" I ask and sit on the other end by her feet.
She rubs her belly and breathes out through her mouth. "Better. I think it's subsiding."
"Good."
She continues breathing and looks up into my eyes. "What's wrong with you? Your brooding can't just be about my false labor."
Wow, her intuition is spot-on. Good thing I'm not her kid.
I fill her in about tonight. I can't keep things from her. Except for the part about Julian being a fixer, of course.
Her dark eyes widen until they're practically round, and her parted mouth does the same. "I don't know where to begin."
I softly groan and squeeze my eyes shut. "Everything is a mess. I don't know what to do about Julian."
"Do you still love him? Do you have feelings for Kevin?"
My eyes spring open. "Are you crazy? Of course I don't. But I don't hate him like I did either. I feel bad for him. He has no one, and his wife just died. Whether or not they were happy, they were still a couple."
Izzie turns her head slightly and eyes me from her profile. "Are you sure you're not falling for him?"
I scoff. "Absolutely. Look, calling a truce doesn't mean I've forgotten how rotten he's been over the years."
Izzie nods.
"Nothing has changed, except that now he's a sad sack and probably shouldn't spend too much time alone for the next week or two." Then suddenly an idea springs to mind.
It must show on my face because Izzie's brows rise. "You're not going to do what I think you'll do, right?"
I have no idea what she's thinking, but just the same, I smile and say, "Yep."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The next afternoon, Sunday, I stand in front of Ma and Pop's front door and take a deep breath. I got little sleep after Izzie's. I left about an hour after I arrived. The false labor was gone, and she was ready for bed. Too bad I laid awake most of the night. When I woke up, or finally got out of bed, I made two phone calls.
The first was to Julian. He didn't answer, so I left a few heartfelt voicemails explaining everything. It took three to get it all out. I told him why Kevin was on his knees, that we are calling a truce and letting go of the past, but in no way does any of that interfere with Julian and me. And in the last message, I let him know my plans for today. Upfront and honest.
He used to come with me to my parents every Sunday, but he hasn't been doing it for the past few months. Mostly it's due to his job and getting calls to help out his boss late Saturdays and he doesn't get to sleep until the sun rises. He needs the sleep.
The second call was to Kevin. Izzie got me thinking last night, while I was mentioning how he doesn't have anyone, so I invited him to Sunday dinner. Izzie thinks the idea is loony, but here we are, shoulder-to-shoulder on the front stoop.
"You didn't knock," Kevin whispers and fusses with the collar of his short-sleeve light blue shirt.
"I don't have to. It's unlocked this time on Sundays. I just need a moment."
"Are you sure it's okay that I'm here?" This time he jiggles his left leg, and I glimpse his steel gray trousers shimmying. He's also wearing a matching tie, and if it wasn't for the rising temperature, I assume he'd have on a jacket too. His gray shoes are shiny, and he holds a bouquet of wildflowers in shades of yellow, white, pink, and purple.
"No, you're fine. Let's do this." I grip the warm doorknob, twist, and push.
As I step inside, I hear Kevin take a deep breath behind me.
Everything seems normal. Pop, Enzo, and Paulie are on the sofa watching some sport on TV. The house smells like sauce and coffee, and I assume Ma, Izzie, and Alice are in the kitchen. It's like this every Sunday. I'm expecting something different with not only a non-blood related guest but Kevin of all people. From the looks of it, Izzie said nothing. I was really hoping she would've given Ma a heads-up. It would mean less drama on my end. Yes, I'm a coward. I don't exactly regret inviting him, but at this exact moment, my hands are sweaty and
my stomach is a mess.
"Hi," I say and hear Kevin shut the door.
None of the men look our way.
Footsteps sound from the kitchen though, and Izzie appears in the archway. Her brown hair is pulled back, making her forehead look bigger than normal, and with her eyes open wide, she looks startled. She's probably anticipating what's about to happen.
She passes the couch and comes over. She leans in to give my cheek a kiss, and I whisper, "You didn't say anything?"
She softly chuckles and pulls back. "Oh, heck no. This is all on you, baby sister."
She's as much of a coward as I am. I can't blame her.
She turns to Kevin and smiles. "Hi. It's been a while."
I've a feeling she's referring to how they hung out as teenagers, even though they physically saw each other just last fall when he and Sanchez stood in this very dining room questioning Izzie and me about a dead clown.
Kevin smiles and nods, but I can see the fear of being kicked out in his eyes. Not by Izzie but the rest of my family.
I swallow hard and clear my throat. "Everyone!"
Still no one moves.
I know they see me usually every day, but a greeting would be nice.
"Pop?" I shout over the cheering from the television.
He glances over, smiles and nods, looks back to the TV, and then back to me. He stands up slowly, as if he's not sure what he's looking at.
"Um, hello," he says.
"I hope you don't mind that I brought a guest. You remember Kevin Burton?"
That's when I get Enzo's undivided attention. It takes him a second to go from surprised to miffed, if the lines on his forehead are any sign.
"Rosa," Pop shouts and then walks over and shakes Kevin's hand. "It's nice to see you again, Kevin."
"You too, sir."
"I heard about last night." Pop looks to me. "You're all right?"
I nod and smile. "Yes, I'm fine."
Pop gives me a hug and kiss, and when we part, Paulie is shaking Kevin's hand. Enzo is standing, but he's still by the sofa. Alice has joined her mother, and Ma walks over from the kitchen.
She glances at each of us before welcoming Kevin in a hug. That's how Ma rolls. If you are invited into her home, by any of us, she treats you like family.
"These are for you, Mrs. Mancini." Kevin holds out the bouquet and instantly gains points.
Delight is written all over Ma's face.
"Thank you," she says. "They're beautiful. I need to find a vase."
"I'll help," Alice says and goes back into the kitchen. She's probably the only person who doesn't feel the giant elephant in the room.
"Come in," Pop says. "Make yourself comfortable."
Enzo sits back down in the center of the sofa. I'm fairly certain that if Kevin tries to sit on either side of him, he'll hold out his arms and declare the two spaces "taken," like an elementary school kid on a big yellow bus.
Kevin, however, walks to the wing-back armchair near the fireplace.
Enzo frowns my way, and Ma asks, "Gianna, can you help in the kitchen?"
My pleasure.
I follow the women to the back of the house, and Ma immediately turns on me.
"Why did you invite him?" she whispers.
I explain how he's lonely and has no one since the guys at the precinct aren't sure if he's a murderer.
Alice's eyes open so wide. I forgot she's in the room.
"What if he is?" Ma asks.
Is she serious?
Even if he is guilty, I doubt he'd try to kill any of us. For what reason?
"Enzo's here. He has a gun."
Ma gasps. Izzie rolls her eyes. And Alice must pick up I'm joking because she giggles.
That's when Ma realizes it too because she sighs and turns away.
I spend the next hour helping prep for dinner. I'm extra helpful since I don't want Ma to be mad at me for inviting Kevin. He seems to do okay, watching the game and cheering along with Pop and Paulie. I'm not sure if Enzo is still annoyed that Kevin is here. I can only see the back of his head from my position. But he seems super stiff, so I'm betting he is.
Finally, it's time to eat, and we all walk into the dining room. Ma dictates where everyone should sit, which isn't something she normally does. She and Pop each sit at the heads of the table. Izzie is closest to her and the hallway half bath since she seems to spend as much time in there as anywhere else these days.
I'm next to my sister, and Kevin is to my left, closest to Pop. Across from Kevin is Alice then Paulie, and Enzo is across from Izzie. Normally Enzo and Alice would be in opposite spots, but Ma probably figured it would be better for Enzo's digestion if he wasn't glaring at the person across from him throughout the meal.
Our Sunday feasts aren't usually fancy. Ma and Pop save the big cooking for the holidays. We usually have a couple of whole roasted chickens, spaghetti, salad, and Italian bread. Today, however, there is no poultry. Instead, there's a large bowl of meatballs. The spaghetti is ziti, and besides the salad and bread is steamed broccoli. Still not fancy but slightly different.
Everyone loads up their plates in mostly silence with a few "please pass the bread" or "…the salt and pepper" requests. Then we all dig in.
I glance around the table while I eat, and the others are staring at their plates. No chatter about our lives, the baby, or the deli, which is what our conversations have been about for weeks now.
Alice looks up and quirks a brow at Kevin.
I glance over and notice his head is bent extra low, and he's eating so fast that he's practically shoveling it in.
"You can slow down, Kevin," Ma says, obviously noticing it too. "You're welcome to have seconds."
Kevin stops chewing and stares at each of us. His cheeks appear a bit flushed, and he sits up straighter. "I'm sorry. It's so good."
Of course Ma grins and tells him he can have whatever leftovers there are too.
Enzo frowns, and Izzie snickers. I know I'm going to get an earful from both of my siblings whenever we're alone next.
"Kevin, what do you do when you're not working? Any hobbies?" Pop asks.
I wait for Enzo to mutter besides killing people, but he remains quiet.
"There isn't a lot of downtime, but I like to get to the bay once every few months and fish. Maybe rent a boat or just stand on the pier. It's relaxing. Just me and the fish."
All of us, except for Kevin and Alice, look at Enzo. He's been going fishing with Julian and by himself for years. I hold my breath as I wait for him to react with sarcasm or not at all.
"The area down by the narrowest part of the canal seems to have more fish," Enzo says.
I stop breathing for a second. Did he really just say something helpful?
"I haven't been out there. Thanks. I'll check it out," Kevin says.
And then Enzo talks more about locations and the last time he was out there, and the entire afternoon shifts. Enzo asks Alice to switch spots with him. They do, and one end of the table is discussing fishing and sports, and the other end is talking about baby kicks and moisturizers for dry skin.
I smile to myself and enjoy the rest of my meal.
When we're done, Alice and I help Ma clean up while Izzie rests at the kitchen table, and the guys are back in the living room. I can't say I like these gender divides, especially when the women have to do all the cleaning, but I am glad Enzo has chilled and Kevin isn't an outcast anymore. It's not that I really care about his feelings so much as he's my guest, and I'll feel responsible if he has a truly bad time.
Dessert consists of coffee, tea, or milk with two kinds of pie—apple crumb and lemon meringue. Lemon is Pop's favorite, and who doesn't like apples?
No one mentions the deli last night, Hilary, or the precinct. The evening goes great, and after one last cleaning, everyone is heading home. I hug Paulie and Alice bye, and when I pull Izzie in for hers, she whispers in my ear, "You're lucky it went so well."
I shake my head at her mischievous smile and
say, "I know. Call me later if you're up with heartburn or bloating."
She rolls her eyes. "Story of my life."
I hug Ma and Pop, and then it's Enzo's turn. I'm hesitant, but when I lean in, he only hugs back. No glares or angry whispers wondering why I brought Kevin along.
Ma hands out two small plates of leftovers. One to her son and the other to Kevin. I knew she wouldn't give it all to our guest. Of course, this means he has my portion and I get to go home with nothing, but I live above the deli. Plus, I have enough lasagna and seafood tortellini salad to last me a long while.
Kevin and I step outside, and the night air isn't as muggy as it has been. Maybe I'll get some good sleep tonight.
"Thanks for inviting me," Kevin says as we reach the sidewalk. Our cars are parked right in front of the house, in the street. Mine is in front of his.
"You're welcome." My phone rings, and I dig in my purse. My stomach is in knots thinking it's Julian, but it's Tanya.
"Really. Considering our past, and the warm welcome I got today…" Kevin says while I grab the call.
"Hello?"
"Gianna? It's Tanya."
"Hey, how are you?" I ask.
"I'm okay. I, uh…" She doesn't sound okay. She sounds stressed.
"What's wrong?"
Kevin stands more alert, as if being a cop means he's always in rescue mode. It makes sense for Enzo. He loves people. I find it hard to believe with Kevin, but then again, he has surprised me lately.
"It's Mom. She's been depressed all day. Any chance you can stop by? I'm thinking seeing you may help."
"Of course." I'd be glad to help Mrs. Porter. I look at Kevin. "Is it okay if Kevin comes with me? We're just leaving my folks' house from dinner."
Kevin frowns, and I immediately wonder if he's the best solution for the woman's depression. I bite my lower lip waiting for Tanya to respond.
"I think that might be a good idea. She's been asking about him," Tanya says.
Really? That's good. Or could be terrible.
"We're on our way." I hang up.
"Where are we going?" Kevin asks.
Diamonds, Pies & Dead Guys Page 14
