“So do I,” he says. Then he looks at his watch and says, “I’d like to stay and chat with you some more, but I’ve got a lot of work today.” He signals the waitress for the check and puts some cash down.
When he stands up to leave, he shakes Isabella’s hand, holding it a little longer than he probably should have.
Isabella doesn’t want to let go.
He tells her, “Give me a call if you think of anything else.”
“Okay,” she says and watches him leave. When he’s almost to his BMW, he turns around to look at her one more time and waves goodbye.
Chapter Twelve
Isabella returns to the library floating on air. She can’t wait to tell Nicole all about her lunch with the detective and get her friend’s take on everything that happened. As she makes her way to her post at the reference desk, she sees that two policemen are talking to a shirtless homeless man who is refusing to leave the library. He’s shouting, “These people here. These library people. They’re keeping records on me. They’re trying to control my brain.” He points at Nicole.
Oh, my God! Not this again, Isabella thinks. She walks over to where the shouting man is and says, “Kelly, what’s wrong?”
One of the policemen tells her, “We received a call saying that he had threatened Nicole.”
Isabella says, “Kelly. Get a hold of yourself. Nicole’s not going to hurt you.”
“But she’s keeping records on me.”
“No she’s not. Stop being so silly.”
He seems to be calming down a little bit and the policeman asks Isabella, “What do you want us to do?”
She asks the homeless man, “Kelly, are you going to behave yourself and stop this foolishness?”
He doesn’t answer, but seems to have a little bit more control of himself.
Both policemen look at Nicole and one of them asks, “Do you feel like he might hurt you?”
She looks at the homeless man and says, “You wouldn’t hurt me, would you, Kelly?”
“No. No,” he answers.
The cops tell him to keep his voice down if he wants to stay in the library. They tell the librarians to call them if he starts acting out again.
All this drama has put a damper on Isabella’s desire to share news about her time with the detective. She feels like she’s back in the real world again. She puts her arm around her friend and they walk to the reference desk together. She asks Nicole, “Were you the one to call the police?”
“No. It wasn’t me. I think one of the patrons did.”
They’re quiet for a while, and then Nicole breaks the silence and says, “So, how’d your lunch go?”
“Well, since you asked. I’ve been dying to tell you. I think he likes me back.”
“Really? What gives you that impression?”
“Well, when we were sitting there talking, my purse dropped to the floor and both of us reached down for and it and our hands brushed together.”
“That’s it?”
“No. It’s just that I felt electricity shoot through me and I think that he felt the same.”
“How do you know that?”
“Hey, Nicole. Stop breakin’ my balls here. It was just my impression. That wasn’t the only thing, either.”
“Okay, go on.”
“Well, when he stood up to say goodbye, he shook my hand and didn’t let it go right away, like normal people do.”
“Normal people?”
“Oh, you know what I mean.”
“Go on.”
“Then, as he was walking to his car, he turned around, looked at me, and waved before he got inside his BMW.”
“He knew you were watching him.”
“I know. And he lives in San Juan Capistrano. I’ve always wanted to live there.”
“So, you already have your bags packed and the guest-list for your wedding made out?”
Isabella says, dejectedly, “I know. I guess it isn’t much to go on, is it?”
“Not necessarily,” Nicole says. “Did he say anything about seeing you again when this was all over? That kind of thing?”
“Well, now that you mention it, he did. When I asked him if he had any murder suspects, he told me that he couldn’t talk to me about it—but that he wished he could. And, I said, ‘Maybe someday,’ and he agreed.”
“Really? That sounds encouraging.”
“What should I do now?”
“Wait until he finds the murderer, maybe?”
“Maybe I can help him find the killer.”
“Okay, Nancy Drew. Are you going to go and look for some clues?”
“Once I think of any,” she says with a smile.
Kelly walks over to the reference desk and says goodbye. “See you later,” he says.
‘Good riddance,’ Nicole says under her breathe, as he is walking out the door.
“I think he forgot to take his meds today,” Isabella says.
“If he even has any,” Nicole replies.
“I wonder what he looks like when he’s all cleaned up.”
“He must have a face behind all that beard.”
“It’s really sad, how some people live, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is.”
The phone rings at the reference desk and Isabella picks it up.
Joshua says, “Hi, Isabella. I was wondering if you wanted to come over and have dinner at my house tonight.”
“Okay. Sure. Do you want me to bring anything?”
“No. I got it covered. See you around 7:00.”
“Okay,” Isabella answers. Even though she is infatuated with the detective, she still is attracted to Josh. Besides, nothing may ever come of her and the detective getting together. I have to keep my options open, she tells herself.
Chapter Thirteen
Joshua lives with his roommate next door to Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. He is a student there, studying computer programming. She finally finds a parking space, and walks up to his apartment complex. He lives to the right of the front entrance, across from the bank of mail boxes. There is loud music playing in the distance and some kids in the pool are shouting, “Marco! Polo!”
I am so glad I don’t live in apartments anymore, Isabella thinks. She knocks on the door of Joshua’s place, and he answers.
When she sees the way he looks, she thinks, He must have just gotten out of the shower; his hair is wet and all sexy-wild.
He wears jeans and a Black Keys t-shirt. He takes one look at her and says, “Va Va Voom!”
Isabella starts laughing and says, “Where did you learn that?”
“I heard it in an old movie.”
“Are you going to let me in?”
“Sure, come on in.”
There is a young man sitting in a recliner in the front room watching “Game of Thrones.” Joshua introduces him, “This is my roommate, Jake. He was just leaving, weren’t you, bro?” he says, looking at his friend with dagger eyes.
“In a minute. This episode is almost over.”
“Let’s go into the kitchen,” Joshua tells her. “I’m running late because my teacher kept us over.”
“I know what that’s like. I used to go to Orange Coast College, too.”
“You never told me that. What was your major?”
“I was a Liberal Arts major. I went to OCC to take all my General Education classes before I transferred to UCI.”
“I wish I could go to UCI. It’s way out of my budget.”
“It was for mine, too. I got scholarships and grants, but I’m still paying off my student loan debt.”
“It’s a lot more expensive these days than when you were a student.”
“Yes. Back in the dark ages.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
He is struggling with some pots and pans in the lower cupboard and says, “I haven’t even had time to start dinner for you yet.”
“Why don’t you let me take you out to dinner?”
“Oh, I couldn’t do th
at.”
“No. I mean it. Those tickets for the mystery theater were really expensive. I want to return the favor.”
“Well, I am hungry.”
“Great. Let’s go.”
“Let me go finish getting dressed.”
“But you already are dressed.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he tells her.
Isabella joins his roommate in the front room and watches TV with him. She says, “I like this show, too.”
The roommate just nods his head. He’s not in the mood for small talk.
Joshua comes out of his bedroom five minutes later wearing his dressiest black pants, a white long-sleeved shirt, and a skinny black tie.
“Wow! Joshua. You look like a million bucks,” Isabella says, thinking, Aww…He’s dressed just like the detective was that night.
“I can’t be seen dressed like a slob while I am going out with a girl in such a gorgeous dress.”
“I’m glad you like what I’m wearing,” she says.
As they walk out the door, Joshua says to his roommate, “We’ll be back in one hour. To an empty apartment. Okay?”
“I hear ya. Loud and clear.”
Joshua holds Isabella’s hand as they walk to his car.
Isabella asks, “So, how’s Gunther?”
“Feeling humiliated. He fears he didn’t make a good first impression.”
“He shouldn’t worry. We were all upset. I mean, how often in one’s life do you witness the scene of a crime and a dead body right in front of you?”
“I don’t suppose Nicole wants to go out with him?”
“I’ll ask her.”
They walk over to his restored VW bug. He opens Isabella’s door for her. As he gets into the driver’s seat, puts his key in the ignition, and turns his headlights on, Isabella says, “Do you realize that you don’t have a front windshield?”
“What are you talking about?” he says, and reaches into the thin air where the windshield should be. “Damn it!” he says, pounding on the steering wheel.
“Isabella says, “I guess not.”
“I’m going to kill those kids.”
“What kids?”
“There’s a group of teenagers around here who’ve been breaking into cars. I came out one day to find that the wheels of my car had been stolen and my car was sitting up top of four piles of bricks.”
“Oh, Joshua. That’s terrible!”
“Now I have to call it in to the police. I’m sorry, Isabella. Some date I turned out to be.”
“Don’t worry. Do what you have to do and we’ll eat later.”
*******
The police finally arrive and take down all the information. They tell Joshua that it is unsafe and illegal to drive without a front windshield and he must get a new one. After they leave, Joshua tells her, “I’ll see about getting it fixed tomorrow. Let’s go eat.”
“Good thing there’s no rain in the forecast. Let’s take my car so you don’t get a ticket, okay?”
“Sure,” he says, feeling like a loser of a date.
******
They pull into the parking structure at South Coast Plaza and Isabella says, “We’ll go to my favorite place, Wolfgang Puck’s.” They walk by Missoni where Isabella bought the dress that he likes. Ordinarily, she would’ve pointed it out to him, but she doesn’t think he’s interested in learning where her dress came from right now. His mood for the night is definitely shot and he seems distracted all through dinner. She tells him, “You didn’t mean what you said about killing those kids, did you?”
“How can you even ask me that, Isabella? Of course I didn’t mean it literally. What do you take me for?”
Ooh Kay…, Isabella says to herself. Then she tells him, “Maybe we can see about getting your windshield fixed tonight.”
“It’s too late. I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”
“Where do you keep your coffee cart?”
“The company I work for stores it, along with the truck that hauls it around.”
“Do you need a ride to work?”
“No. I’m not going. I’ll call my boss and tell him that I need to buy a new windshield.”
“Do you need a ride to get the windshield?”
“Sweetie,” he says, “I’ll take care of it. Stop worrying about me.” He reaches under the table and squeezes her knee. His hand travels up and comes in contact with her Spankx. He says, “What do you have under there? A chastity belt?”
She laughs and says, “It’s a girl thing.”
“Well, I hope you’ll be able to get it off later.” He tries reaching up again and she slaps his hand, playfully.
“Later,” she promises him.
He looks around the room and says, “Where’d the waitress go with our check? We need to get out of here before my roommate comes back to the apartment.”
*******
There’s no sign of Jake when they enter his apartment. Joshua tells her to have a seat on the sofa while he lights some candles and puts on some music. She watches him going about his errands. I wonder what he looks like without any clothes on?
He walks over to her and puts out his hand, saying, “Madame, may I have this dance?”
She starts laughing and says, “You really have been watching old movies.”
He raises his index finger to her lips and says, “Shush!”, and slowly moves her around the floor. She’s surprised by how good a dancer he is and how skillfully he moves.
“Have you taken Arthur Murray dance lessons?” she asks. He whispers in her ear, “Hush…Take off your chastity belt.”
She obeys and wiggles out of her Spankx as gracefully as possible, trying not to trip. Then, she slowly undoes his tie and unbuttons his shirt, tossing them both on the ground.
He tells her, “Your turn,” and pulls her dress over her head. He unhooks the front clasp of her bra and lets free her large breasts. He takes in a deep breath as he admires her. “I’ve been wanting to see those babies for the longest time.”
“You like what you see?”
“Are you kidding?” he says, cupping her breasts and burying his face in them.
She pushes him away and says, “Let’s see what you got.”
“Undress me,” he says, pulling off his belt and dropping it to the floor.
She undoes the button on his pants, loosely unzips them about half an inch, and, with her index finger, slowly traces the circumference of his waist, stopping at his firm abs. He shutters with pleasure at her touch. She slowly unzips the rest of his pants, teasing his hardness with her other fingers. At the moment when she pushes down his pants to admire his package, they hear loud banging at the front door. “Who the hell is it?” Joshua calls out.
The knocking gets louder. “Open up, Josh. It’s me. I forgot my keys.”
“Argggg!” Joshua yells.
Isabella quickly gathers up her clothing and runs to the bathroom. Joshua puts on his pants and storms over to the front door.
Jake walks in. “Sorry, dude. It looks like I interrupted something,” he says, looking at the pile of Joshua’s clothes on the floor.
Joshua is furious. He gets up in his roommate’s face and shakes his finger. “Later,” is all he can say.
Isabella sheepishly comes out of the bathroom and asks, “Could you please walk me to my car, Joshua?”
“Of course,” he says and puts on his shirt and shoes. When they arrive at her car, he says, “I’m sorry about all that.”
She gives him a kiss on the cheek and says, “Don’t be sorry. I had fun.”
“Really?”
“Really. Call me tomorrow if you need a ride anywhere, okay?”
“Okay,” he says, then watches her drive away.
Chapter Fourteen
At the Reference Desk the next morning, Isabella reads as many articles on the Internet as she can find about the murder at the dinner theater. She writes down the names of the victim’s wife and in-laws who were sitting at the table with him
when he was murdered. She read somewhere that the first people the police suspect are the ones who are the closest to the victim: their spouses, siblings, in-laws, or parents. She Googles the name of the victim’s wife.
Nicole joins her at the reference desk and asks, “How was your date last night?”
“It was nice. He’s sweet.”
“Did you guys get it on yet?”
In mocked surprise, Isabella tells her friend, “What a thing to ask, Miss Nosey.”
“I’m just curious.”
“Shame on you.”
“Okay. Forget it.”
“Maybe you want him for yourself?”
“I like him. I have to admit it.”
“Well, then, you’ll be glad to hear that I’m breaking it off with him, when it comes to the boyfriend/girlfriend thing.”
“Why?”
“He’s just too young for me. I’m too old to have to deal with guys who live with their mothers or roommates. I want a guy who has his own place, so we don’t get interrupted when we’re trying to make love.”
“Is that what happened?”
“Yes.”
Nicole starts laughing.
“I’m glad you find this so humorous.”
“I can just imagine the look on your face during the coitus interruptus.”
Isabella laughs and says, “You should have seen me trying to gracefully take off my Spanx in front of Joshua.”
They both start laughing. Isabella says, “I’m through with boys. I want a man.”
“A man who happens to be a detective?”
“Yes.”
“What’s your next move?”
“Well, I’m hoping that if I help the detective solve the case, then maybe he’d go out with me. So I’m planning on paying a visit to the dinner theater to look for clues as to what happened that night. I thought we could go there under the guise of playing golf and I could snoop around a bit.”
“Like Nancy Drew?”
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