Read Online Falafel Jones - The Kewpie Killer by Falafel Jones - Free Book Online
Authors: Falafel Jones
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to miss Daisy.”
I dropped Eddie at the rental place and went back to work.
* * *
I finished at the office around five, which left me plenty of time to go home and get ready for dinner with Eddie. Eddie. One minute, he’s Detective Franklin treating me like a suspect. The next, he’s Eddie treating me to dinner. Life can be funny sometimes. You look for that certain someone, go on blind dates and then when you’re not paying attention, someone comes into your life in a way you didn’t expect.
I showered and spent the next hour in my underwear trying on outfits. I wanted something that looked provocative but not sleazy, professional but not dowdy. I settled on a mid-thigh cocktail dress with a reasonable neckline and a plunging back, black of course. I did my make-up and slipped into my dress just in time to hear the doorbell.
I opened the door to my mother. My mother? What was she doing here?
“Good evening, Raquel. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“Um, I.”
She looked me up and down. “Lemme guess. You have a date?”
“Yes and I need to finish getting —”
“—Let me give you some advice. If you ever have kids of your own, timing is everything. If I didn’t happen by and find out you had a date, would you have told me? Nooooo, of course not, but parenting lessons aside, that’s not why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?”
“I wanted to apologize. It’s not easy being your mother and the Boss both. I’ve got an obligation to the paper and the people that depend on it to make a living.”
“I understand.”
“I know but if a child has a rough day at the office, she can go home and Mom will have an ear and a shoulder for her. Nevertheless, when that bitch in the office is your mother, it’s kind of tough to get that kind of sympathy. I know that and that’s why I’m here.”
“Huh?”
“I wanted to make sure that you knew. I may be the Boss at work, but I’m still your mother at home and you can come to me anytime for anything. So, who is it, that Robby from High School?”
“Mother, please. I’m expecting someone and I have to get ready.”
She peered over my shoulder into Kara’s tiny studio apartment. “Raquel, why stay here? Why not come home? We have so much space at the house.”
“Mother.”
“OK, OK, Gimme a kiss and I’ll go.”
“Mom, I just put on lipstick.”
“OK, OK, Air kiss. Love you kid. See you tomorrow.” She hugged me and left.
I shut the door and went to the mirror to do my final check. Not too bad, I was loading my clutch from my shoulder bag when the doorbell rang again. This time it was Eddie.
As I expected, he was wearing his grey suit. He stepped inside Kara’s apartment and said, “Boy, you looked good at lunch but now, wow.”
I said, “Thank you.” and twirled to show him the low cut back.
I took his arm and when we got to his rental car, he opened my door for me. I reached over and unlocked his side but when he reached for the door, I locked it. He rolled his eyes and smiled. When he shook his car key at me, I let him in.
He drove to the River Lodge, an old riverside mill converted into one of my favorite restaurants. Since it was a weeknight, it wasn’t too crowded and we didn’t have to wait for a table. The maître d’ put us next to a window overlooking the river. We sat close enough to the piano that we could hear the soft jazz but far enough that we could hear each other talk.
A server came over with menus and lit the miniature hurricane lamp on the table.
“Raquel, I’m impressed. I like this place.”
“Thanks. If you like the atmosphere, just wait till you try the food.”
We were reading our menus when Eddie waved at someone behind me. A good-looking woman standing by the door began to walk our way. When she got to the table, Eddie said, “Haven’t seen you for a while.”
The woman laughed and flipped her long straight hair back over her bare shoulder. “Nice to see you again too.” She smiled at
I dropped Eddie at the rental place and went back to work.
* * *
I finished at the office around five, which left me plenty of time to go home and get ready for dinner with Eddie. Eddie. One minute, he’s Detective Franklin treating me like a suspect. The next, he’s Eddie treating me to dinner. Life can be funny sometimes. You look for that certain someone, go on blind dates and then when you’re not paying attention, someone comes into your life in a way you didn’t expect.
I showered and spent the next hour in my underwear trying on outfits. I wanted something that looked provocative but not sleazy, professional but not dowdy. I settled on a mid-thigh cocktail dress with a reasonable neckline and a plunging back, black of course. I did my make-up and slipped into my dress just in time to hear the doorbell.
I opened the door to my mother. My mother? What was she doing here?
“Good evening, Raquel. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“Um, I.”
She looked me up and down. “Lemme guess. You have a date?”
“Yes and I need to finish getting —”
“—Let me give you some advice. If you ever have kids of your own, timing is everything. If I didn’t happen by and find out you had a date, would you have told me? Nooooo, of course not, but parenting lessons aside, that’s not why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?”
“I wanted to apologize. It’s not easy being your mother and the Boss both. I’ve got an obligation to the paper and the people that depend on it to make a living.”
“I understand.”
“I know but if a child has a rough day at the office, she can go home and Mom will have an ear and a shoulder for her. Nevertheless, when that bitch in the office is your mother, it’s kind of tough to get that kind of sympathy. I know that and that’s why I’m here.”
“Huh?”
“I wanted to make sure that you knew. I may be the Boss at work, but I’m still your mother at home and you can come to me anytime for anything. So, who is it, that Robby from High School?”
“Mother, please. I’m expecting someone and I have to get ready.”
She peered over my shoulder into Kara’s tiny studio apartment. “Raquel, why stay here? Why not come home? We have so much space at the house.”
“Mother.”
“OK, OK, Gimme a kiss and I’ll go.”
“Mom, I just put on lipstick.”
“OK, OK, Air kiss. Love you kid. See you tomorrow.” She hugged me and left.
I shut the door and went to the mirror to do my final check. Not too bad, I was loading my clutch from my shoulder bag when the doorbell rang again. This time it was Eddie.
As I expected, he was wearing his grey suit. He stepped inside Kara’s apartment and said, “Boy, you looked good at lunch but now, wow.”
I said, “Thank you.” and twirled to show him the low cut back.
I took his arm and when we got to his rental car, he opened my door for me. I reached over and unlocked his side but when he reached for the door, I locked it. He rolled his eyes and smiled. When he shook his car key at me, I let him in.
He drove to the River Lodge, an old riverside mill converted into one of my favorite restaurants. Since it was a weeknight, it wasn’t too crowded and we didn’t have to wait for a table. The maître d’ put us next to a window overlooking the river. We sat close enough to the piano that we could hear the soft jazz but far enough that we could hear each other talk.
A server came over with menus and lit the miniature hurricane lamp on the table.
“Raquel, I’m impressed. I like this place.”
“Thanks. If you like the atmosphere, just wait till you try the food.”
We were reading our menus when Eddie waved at someone behind me. A good-looking woman standing by the door began to walk our way. When she got to the table, Eddie said, “Haven’t seen you for a while.”
The woman laughed and flipped her long straight hair back over her bare shoulder. “Nice to see you again too.” She smiled at
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