applicant is issued a permit valid for four years. You
have to have been a resident of Maine
for at least five years and there’s a small fee…”
Sue cut him off. “I’m sold. How do
I get started?”
Melvin grinned. “I’m a member at a
gun club. I can take you there, introduce you to some different weapons, and
then, after trying them out, I’ll get you the info on signing up.”
“Why should I wait?” Sue asked,
looking irritated.
“You don’t have to wait,” Melvin
explained. “I just thought you might like to have some gun sense before
standing in front of others to shoot for the first time.”
After a brief pause, Sue nodded.
“You thought right. When can we go?”
“I’ll check for openings at the
club and let you know. Then we can figure out a time that works for both of
us.”
They finished their drinks and
talked about this and that as Melvin drove Sue home. At the house, Sue got out
and groaned. Standing with the door open, she leaned down and said, “My feet
are killing me.”
“Too much walking?” Melvin asked
unwittingly.
“No.” Sue stared at him as he
stepped from the vehicle. She slammed her door closed and glared at him over
the roof of the car. “Too much time with a psychopath.”
“Oh, god. I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
“No. You didn’t.” Sue strode
angrily to the door, Melvin on her heels.
“So. What
do you do to make your feet feel better? Soak them in Epsom Salts?”
Sue frowned. “Yes. And I rub them
with Vitamin E oil.”
“Can I help with that?” Melvin
asked, as if trying to make up for his earlier blunder.
Staring right into his eyes, Sue
growled, “Can you help me? Can you help me rub oil on myself? What the hell do
you think? Do you think I want you touching me? Do you think I’m just going to
spread my legs and let you climb on top of me? Do whatever you want with me? Is
that what you think?” Her face was bright red and Melvin’s was dead white.
Melvin sputtered, “I don’t
understand why you’d say those things? All I asked was if you needed help.”
“Yeah. Like you haven’t read my file. Like you don’t think I’m easy.
Well, you make me sick.”
She reached for the doorknob but
before she could insert her key in the hole, Melvin grabbed her elbow firmly.
Now he was mad.
“You listen to me, Sue. I don’t
know what your problem is but I think you’ve got everything wrong.”
Sue yanked her arm away and started
to speak but Melvin didn’t give her the chance.
“Yes. I’ve read your file. Have
you?” He looked at her and saw the answer in her eyes. “You haven’t, have you?
Well, how about we get back in the car right now and I’ll take you to the
office so you can see for yourself. There’s not much in there. Certainly
nothing that would lead me to believe you are...what did you say? Oh yeah,
easy. Let me tell you something right now. When I think about being around you,
‘easy’ is not the first word that comes to mind.”
Melvin’s face was afire with anger.
He and Sue stood glaring at each other. Finally, Sue turned and marched back to
the car. She put on her seat belt and waited while Melvin caught up with her.
Neither spoke on the way to the detective agency.
Melvin and Sue trooped through the
foyer and down the hallway. Melvin poked his head through Will’s open door.
“Can I have Sue’s file, please?”
“Sue Cox?” Will’s eyebrows arched.
“Yes. Sue Cox. Can I have it
please?”
Will stood slowly. He walked to the door, peeked over Melvin’s shoulder, and spotted Sue
standing behind him. Both looked angry. “Could you excuse us
a moment, Sue?” Will asked, as he eased Melvin inside the room and
gently closed the door.
From her position in the hallway,
Sue could hear muffled conversation, the levels rising and falling before
silence. The door opened and Melvin exited carrying a manila folder. “In here,”
he snapped at Sue, holding open the door to a small conference room.
Sue
have to have been a resident of Maine
for at least five years and there’s a small fee…”
Sue cut him off. “I’m sold. How do
I get started?”
Melvin grinned. “I’m a member at a
gun club. I can take you there, introduce you to some different weapons, and
then, after trying them out, I’ll get you the info on signing up.”
“Why should I wait?” Sue asked,
looking irritated.
“You don’t have to wait,” Melvin
explained. “I just thought you might like to have some gun sense before
standing in front of others to shoot for the first time.”
After a brief pause, Sue nodded.
“You thought right. When can we go?”
“I’ll check for openings at the
club and let you know. Then we can figure out a time that works for both of
us.”
They finished their drinks and
talked about this and that as Melvin drove Sue home. At the house, Sue got out
and groaned. Standing with the door open, she leaned down and said, “My feet
are killing me.”
“Too much walking?” Melvin asked
unwittingly.
“No.” Sue stared at him as he
stepped from the vehicle. She slammed her door closed and glared at him over
the roof of the car. “Too much time with a psychopath.”
“Oh, god. I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
“No. You didn’t.” Sue strode
angrily to the door, Melvin on her heels.
“So. What
do you do to make your feet feel better? Soak them in Epsom Salts?”
Sue frowned. “Yes. And I rub them
with Vitamin E oil.”
“Can I help with that?” Melvin
asked, as if trying to make up for his earlier blunder.
Staring right into his eyes, Sue
growled, “Can you help me? Can you help me rub oil on myself? What the hell do
you think? Do you think I want you touching me? Do you think I’m just going to
spread my legs and let you climb on top of me? Do whatever you want with me? Is
that what you think?” Her face was bright red and Melvin’s was dead white.
Melvin sputtered, “I don’t
understand why you’d say those things? All I asked was if you needed help.”
“Yeah. Like you haven’t read my file. Like you don’t think I’m easy.
Well, you make me sick.”
She reached for the doorknob but
before she could insert her key in the hole, Melvin grabbed her elbow firmly.
Now he was mad.
“You listen to me, Sue. I don’t
know what your problem is but I think you’ve got everything wrong.”
Sue yanked her arm away and started
to speak but Melvin didn’t give her the chance.
“Yes. I’ve read your file. Have
you?” He looked at her and saw the answer in her eyes. “You haven’t, have you?
Well, how about we get back in the car right now and I’ll take you to the
office so you can see for yourself. There’s not much in there. Certainly
nothing that would lead me to believe you are...what did you say? Oh yeah,
easy. Let me tell you something right now. When I think about being around you,
‘easy’ is not the first word that comes to mind.”
Melvin’s face was afire with anger.
He and Sue stood glaring at each other. Finally, Sue turned and marched back to
the car. She put on her seat belt and waited while Melvin caught up with her.
Neither spoke on the way to the detective agency.
Melvin and Sue trooped through the
foyer and down the hallway. Melvin poked his head through Will’s open door.
“Can I have Sue’s file, please?”
“Sue Cox?” Will’s eyebrows arched.
“Yes. Sue Cox. Can I have it
please?”
Will stood slowly. He walked to the door, peeked over Melvin’s shoulder, and spotted Sue
standing behind him. Both looked angry. “Could you excuse us
a moment, Sue?” Will asked, as he eased Melvin inside the room and
gently closed the door.
From her position in the hallway,
Sue could hear muffled conversation, the levels rising and falling before
silence. The door opened and Melvin exited carrying a manila folder. “In here,”
he snapped at Sue, holding open the door to a small conference room.
Sue
Similar Books
