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Authors: Kate Collins
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looking shocked.
“It happened after Sergio was made foreman,” I said. “Sounds like someone was jealous of Sergio.”
“Then it could not have been me,” Adrian said with a dimpled smile. “As I already told you, it was Sergio who was jealous of me. Now the others—I cannot speak for them. Maybe they will know more.”
“Where were you when Sergio fell?” Marco asked.
Adrian pointed skyward. “On the roof.”
“Near Sergio?”
“A few yards away. Please. You insult me. I do not like Sergio, but I would not push him. No one wants to fall to his death.”
“He’s not dead,” I said.
“Yet,” Adrian replied. “You do not survive a fall like that,
chica
, believe me.”
Chica?
Later I’d have to remember to ask exactly what that meant. “I hope you’re wrong,” I replied.
Adrian shrugged, as though it would be no tragedy if Sergio died.
“If Sergio can’t come back to work for any reason, who’ll be foreman?” Marco asked.
Adrian grinned. “You want me to say I will. Sorry to disappoint you, but that is up to Mr. Appleruth. And I am finished with your questions.” He strutted away as though he’d just slain a bull.
“Let’s get out of here,” I said.
“What was your impression of Adrian?” Marco asked as we rode back to town.
“I can sum him up in four words. Giant ego, big mouth.”
“Any bad vibes?”
“You bet. I dislike men who think they’re God’s gift to women.”
“What about men who think their women are God’s gift to them?”
“What?”
One side of Marco’s mouth curved up in that devilish way of his. “Never mind. I couldn’t resist. What else did you notice?”
“Two things stuck out. No matter how much he protested otherwise, Adrian was angry that Sergio got the promotion and he didn’t. And if he had the chance, he would love to pursue Rosa. Is that enough motive to put him on our suspect list?”
“Jealousy at work and in his private life? I’d say so. We’ll need to verify that Adrian was a few yards away from Sergio before the fall.”
My cell phone rang so I checked the screen and saw my cousin’s name. “It’s Jillian,” I whispered to Marco, then put the phone to my ear and said, “What’s up, Jill?”
“Did you make a decision about the yellow ranch? If you want it, we need to get a bid in ASAP.”
“We’re not interested,” I said.
“Just because it didn’t have appliances? Wise up, Abs. It’s so much better to be able to choose your own. Seriously, do you know how smart refrigerators are now?”
“It’s not because of the appliances, Jillian. It’s because we want two bedrooms, not three, and no short sale.”
“Okay, fine,” she said in an exasperated voice, and hung up.
I slid my phone into my purse. “What does
chica
mean?”
“Not sure, but I think it’s slang for cutie.”
Huh. Adrian thought I was cute.
“I’d like to interview as many of the other men as possible when they return to HHI today,” Marco said. “Can you be ready to leave Bloomers at five p.m.?”
“I’m sure I can arrange that for
you
,” I said, then added playfully, “Hot Pockets.”
Marco glanced at me curiously. “Where did that come from?”
“Don’t you remember when Tara used to call you that?”
“Yes. I meant, what brought it to mind?”
“Watching Adrian strut away. He has nothing over you, Hot Pockets.”
Marco reached over to gently squeeze my hand. “Thank you. And Rosa has nothing over you, Fireball.”
It was my turn for the curious look. Or maybe it was more of a glower. “Rosa? What made you think of her?”
He pretended to shudder as he pulled up in front of Bloomers. “I’m sensing that tension again. See you at five.”
* * *
“We had a visit from the police,” Lottie informed me as I took off my jacket and hung it on the back of my desk chair. Seedy put her paw on my leg, wanting a cuddle.
“About the bench?” I asked as I picked up my dog and let her lick my
“It happened after Sergio was made foreman,” I said. “Sounds like someone was jealous of Sergio.”
“Then it could not have been me,” Adrian said with a dimpled smile. “As I already told you, it was Sergio who was jealous of me. Now the others—I cannot speak for them. Maybe they will know more.”
“Where were you when Sergio fell?” Marco asked.
Adrian pointed skyward. “On the roof.”
“Near Sergio?”
“A few yards away. Please. You insult me. I do not like Sergio, but I would not push him. No one wants to fall to his death.”
“He’s not dead,” I said.
“Yet,” Adrian replied. “You do not survive a fall like that,
chica
, believe me.”
Chica?
Later I’d have to remember to ask exactly what that meant. “I hope you’re wrong,” I replied.
Adrian shrugged, as though it would be no tragedy if Sergio died.
“If Sergio can’t come back to work for any reason, who’ll be foreman?” Marco asked.
Adrian grinned. “You want me to say I will. Sorry to disappoint you, but that is up to Mr. Appleruth. And I am finished with your questions.” He strutted away as though he’d just slain a bull.
“Let’s get out of here,” I said.
“What was your impression of Adrian?” Marco asked as we rode back to town.
“I can sum him up in four words. Giant ego, big mouth.”
“Any bad vibes?”
“You bet. I dislike men who think they’re God’s gift to women.”
“What about men who think their women are God’s gift to them?”
“What?”
One side of Marco’s mouth curved up in that devilish way of his. “Never mind. I couldn’t resist. What else did you notice?”
“Two things stuck out. No matter how much he protested otherwise, Adrian was angry that Sergio got the promotion and he didn’t. And if he had the chance, he would love to pursue Rosa. Is that enough motive to put him on our suspect list?”
“Jealousy at work and in his private life? I’d say so. We’ll need to verify that Adrian was a few yards away from Sergio before the fall.”
My cell phone rang so I checked the screen and saw my cousin’s name. “It’s Jillian,” I whispered to Marco, then put the phone to my ear and said, “What’s up, Jill?”
“Did you make a decision about the yellow ranch? If you want it, we need to get a bid in ASAP.”
“We’re not interested,” I said.
“Just because it didn’t have appliances? Wise up, Abs. It’s so much better to be able to choose your own. Seriously, do you know how smart refrigerators are now?”
“It’s not because of the appliances, Jillian. It’s because we want two bedrooms, not three, and no short sale.”
“Okay, fine,” she said in an exasperated voice, and hung up.
I slid my phone into my purse. “What does
chica
mean?”
“Not sure, but I think it’s slang for cutie.”
Huh. Adrian thought I was cute.
“I’d like to interview as many of the other men as possible when they return to HHI today,” Marco said. “Can you be ready to leave Bloomers at five p.m.?”
“I’m sure I can arrange that for
you
,” I said, then added playfully, “Hot Pockets.”
Marco glanced at me curiously. “Where did that come from?”
“Don’t you remember when Tara used to call you that?”
“Yes. I meant, what brought it to mind?”
“Watching Adrian strut away. He has nothing over you, Hot Pockets.”
Marco reached over to gently squeeze my hand. “Thank you. And Rosa has nothing over you, Fireball.”
It was my turn for the curious look. Or maybe it was more of a glower. “Rosa? What made you think of her?”
He pretended to shudder as he pulled up in front of Bloomers. “I’m sensing that tension again. See you at five.”
* * *
“We had a visit from the police,” Lottie informed me as I took off my jacket and hung it on the back of my desk chair. Seedy put her paw on my leg, wanting a cuddle.
“About the bench?” I asked as I picked up my dog and let her lick my
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