Chapter Two

Andiamo's Restaurant

A tall blonde woman greets them; she smiles at the familiar face, "Evening Bobby, how are you?" She says with just of touch of sultriness in her voice.

"Fine thank you, Trisha," he takes Alex by her elbow. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm doing very well," she gives him a sly smile. "Thank you," she picks up two menus as she notices the attractive woman at his side. "Table for two," she states.

"Yes, Trisha."

"This way," he gestures for Alex to lead the way. Trisha stops near a table for two, "Is this table satisfactory or would you rather have the one near the window facing the river."

Bobby points, "The one by the window." Trisha leads the way followed closely by Alex then Bobby. Always the gentlemen he pulls out her chair and she blushes slightly, "Thank you," Alex says timidly.

He nods as he removes his jacket, placing it on the back of the chair. Trisha hands each a menu, "Carmen will be your waitress for the evening, enjoy your meal."

"Thank you," Bobby replies. Alex immediately echoes his words.

"Very quaint, I like it," Alex says as she places the cloth napkin on her lap.

"It's a little dark but…"

"Good evening, Bobby," Carmen says with a lilt in her voice. She turns to Alex, "Good evening, may I get you a cocktail?"

"Yes, I'll have a glass of cabernet, please," Alex says.

The waitress turns her attention to Bobby, "And for you?"

"I'll have a glass of burgundy, please."

Jotting it down on her pad, "I'll be right back with your wine," Carmen slips her pad into the pocket of her apron.

Alex leans forward, "I take it you've been here before?"

His turn to blush, "Yes," he clears his throat, "A few times."

"Just a few?" she says surprisingly.

He shrugs his shoulders, "People seem to notice me, maybe because of my height, I don't know."

Alex sits back in the chair as she lifts up the menu covering her face, "Either that or your smile," she says softly.

"What?" he asks. "What did you say?"

Lowering the menu she replies, shaking her head. "Nothing." Raising his menu he smiles.

Carmen returns with their wine and a basket of warm bread, they each thank her. "Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes?"

"You ready?" Bobby asks as Alex sets down her menu.

"Yes, I'll have Shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta."

Carmen asks, "What flavor dressing?"

"Creamy Italian," Carmen jots it on her pad, "Bobby for you?"

"Baked ravioli with sweet sausages and the house dressing," He hands her his menu.

"Thank you," Carmen says as she takes the menu from both.

Each makes a play for the bread and their hands touch, lightly. He picks up a slice of bread and hands it to her, "Thanks," she says. "So," Alex says as she places a small pat of butter on her bread. "Tell me about you and Tony and….." she snaps her fingers.

"Cheryl," he interjects.

"Yes, that's right, sorry. You're very good with him, which from what I saw isn't easy."

He leans forward, speaking softly, "Sometimes I want to take his head and put it through the wall."

She chuckles, covering her mouth, "Like tonight?"

He grunts as he sits back, "Yes, when you hear him and watch his actions your first impression is punk but….No….he wants to keep people out, he doesn't trust them."

"Except maybe you and his Mom," she picks up her glass of wine.

"Yeah," he smiles. "Lately he's been acting more defiant," he butters his bread. "The attitude of I'm an adult I don't need you anymore, but he knows in his heart that he does. But ask for help," he scoffs, "Never." He takes a small bite of the warm bread.

"When did you first meet them?"

As he sits back in the chair he reaches for his glass of wine, "I first him and his Mom six," lifting the glass to his lips he takes a sip of wine. "No almost seven years ago."

"Were you dating her?"

He frowns, " No, before I got a spot in narcotics I spend six months working out of the 6-9, robbery in my own neighborhood, actually it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be," he sets the glass on the table. "Anyway I was in the deli one morning talking with a few store owners……………..

July 19 1995

Marino's Deli

"Bobby, would you like your bagel toasted?"

"Never thought I would here the word bagel in an Italian deli," Peter Hanson says.

Bobby chuckles faintly at the remark, "No thanks, Margie," he replies.

"So you're a detective now." Peter says as he pats Bobby on the back.

"Yes, you seem surprised."

Peter smiles, "Ah, you're surprised that I'm surprised."

Bobby laughs, "I see your point."

Peter removes the plastic lid from his coffee container, "You ever see you're ole man?"

Bobby frowns, "No, not for awhile," he leans over and picks up his coffee. "Why, does he still owe you money?"

Peter's eyes widen as he takes a step back, "My God, you, you remember that?"

"Yes I do."

"Hey, I'm….I'm sorry I didn't mean…."

Bobby pats the older gentlemen on the arm; "It's alright," Margie sets his bagel on the counter.

"What the hell," George Marino exclaims.

They turn their attention to him, "What? What's the matter George?" his wife asks.

He sets his hands on his hips, shaking his head, "I know for a fact that I set up this display last night before I went home," he points. "Look at it, three fruit pies, missing."

"Maybe someone bought them this morning," Peter chimes in.

Margie shakes her head, "No the kids buy those after school."

"You know," Ivan Fellerman the pharmacist says, as he walks closer to the counter. "A few nights ago I set up a display for those pokemon cards and the next morning six packages were open."

"You noticed this before you opened the store?" Bobby asks.

"Yes," Fellerman replies.

Bobby nods and thanks Margie as he picks up his bagel, "I'm going to talk to the other store owners. If it's happened to you…." He takes a long needed sip of coffee. "Maybe it's happening all over the neighborhood."

The Present

"Now all the store owners in the neighborhood had a story to tell me, even the butcher."

Alex frowns, "The butcher?"

He nods, "Yes three knives were missing."

She gasps, "Three knives?"

"Yes, why he took three of them I never found out."

"He never ah, used them on anyone, did he?"

"No but he made use of one, one morning."

July 21 1995

Stark's Liquor Store 8:30 A.M.

"Hey! Hey young man what are you doing?" The small framed, dark haired boy continues to jam the knife blade into the register. Jonathan Stark places his hand on the boy's arm, startled he drops the knife. "Money," he mumbles. "I need money."

Jonathan takes a stronger hold on his arm, "If you leave now, I won't call the police." The pint bottle that hit his head breaks when it hits the floor. Jonathan slumps to his knees, "Daddy!"

The boy looks up at the sound of the scream and then at the small trickle of blood on the man's face, he runs across the room and slams into the locked door. He reaches for the doorknob pulling on it several times to no avail, it is locked. He immediately grabs a liter bottle of gin and tosses it through the window, the shattering glass sets off the alarm.

Marcia Stark, Jonathan's 12-year-old daughter, tends to her father. "Marcia, call the police." He moans as he holds his head in his hands.

People from the neighborhood appear and offer their assistance, soon after two uniformed officers arrive on the scene, an ambulance is called. As the EMT's are attending to Jonathan, Detectives Goren and White arrive. Before Jonathan is placed in the ambulance Bobby asks, "He was in the store before you opened this morning, wasn't he Mister Stark?"

Jonathan nods, "Yes, yes he was," he looks up at the tall detective with surprise. "The back door was locked when I arrived and he wasn't able to use the front door because it was locked." He points to the large hole in the storefront window.

As Jonathan is placed in the ambulance, Bobby turns to his partner, "Whoever this kid is he's been sneaking into the stores, probably minutes before the owners lock up for the night. He's taken things from every store in the neighborhood. He sleeps inside, takes what he needs and when they open up for business the next day he leaves."

"I've seen him before," Marcia exclaims. "In school, I don't know his name but I think he may be the sixth grade."

"What does he look like?" Detective Harold White asks bluntly.

"His hair is dark brown and it's curly," she bites her lip. "And ah….his eyes are brown, but scary."

"Scary?" Bobby says softly bending down to the young girls' eye level. "He looked scary or he was scared?"

She says timidly, "He was scared."

"Thank you Marcia," he takes her hand and leads her to the back of the ambulance.

The Present

"Clever," Alex says.

"Yes that he is. He would walk into the store right behind another customer and find a place to hide. He never hurt anyone before this and he never hurt anyone after," he rubs his forehead. "Well just himself, anyway he was small for eleven could fit into places without being noticed."

"Fortunate for you, him and the victim he stayed in his own neighborhood."

"Yes he was a neighborhood kid so we decided to check who had reported their son missing. Two boys," he holds up two fingers. "One was fourteen with hair as red as Lucy's and one was eleven….dark brown curly hair with brown eyes." He butters the last piece of bread; it is gone in three bites.

"Was everything satisfactory?" Carmen asks.

"Everything was delicious," Alex says. Bobby nods his head, his mouth full of bread.

More wine?" Carmen asks.

He swallows, "No thank you Carmen." Bobby says.

"Ma'am?"

"No thanks, I would love a cup of coffee."

Bobby interjects, "Me too," he turns his attention to Alex, "Dessert? They have an awesome dessert menu."

Alex hesitates before answering, "Sure, I'd….you're going to have something?"

"Of course," he smiles.

"I'll be right back with the dessert menu."

"Excuse me," Alex says as she stands, leaning down she whispers. "Where are the bathrooms?"

He points to the left, "Out through there."

"Be right back." He nods as he picks up his wine glass, finishing the contents inside. Carmen returns with their coffee and the dessert menus as Alex nears the table.

"Oh," she says as she sits down, "Maybe I shouldn't have dessert." Her shy but sly way of fishing for a compliment, she immediately bites her lip, wishing she hadn't said it.

He responds casually, "Work it off in the morning."

She smacks his hand gently, "Thanks partner."

"Anytime," he winks at her.

Bobby orders a strawberry millefoligie and Alex orders a chocolate covered cannoli. She has to ask what a strawberry millefoligie is. "It's a pastry with Bavarian cream and strawberries."

They both sit back and a twinge of guilt overcomes them, "Ah," he says. "How would you like your last meal to be rice cakes?"

"What?"

"My Mom told me a story once about a woman who was unfortunately hit by a car and her last meal was rice cakes," he leans forward. "I mean how sad is that?"

They share a laugh, "You're right Bobby that is sad."

Carmen returns with the check. Alex puts her hand on the check, moments later he does the same, his hand remains on hers for a few seconds, they quickly remove their hands, simultaneously. "It's my treat," he says. "Remember?"

A shy smile crosses her face as she nods her head. "Do you need a ride in the morning?"

"No," he says, removing his wallet, "It's so out of the way for you." He counts out the cash and places it on the table.

"No it's not," she stands. "Well it is but I wouldn't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she says sternly. "Talk about someone who never asks for a favor."

"I'm sorry for the ploy before about…."

"All you had to do was ask."

"I….I know that now." He stands removing his jacket from the chair, "Thanks," he slips his jacket on. "I'd appreciate the ride in tomorrow."

They walk side by side out of the crowded restaurant. "I can walk it's a nice night and it's only three blocks."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I think a walk would do me good after that meal." He absentmindedly pats his stomach.

Alex notices and smiles, "Thanks for dinner, Bobby I had an enjoyable evening," she wags her finger at him. "And you owe me the rest of the story."

"Thanks for the company."

Silence for a moment, "We will have to do this again," Alex pats his arm, "My treat next time."

"Not going to get an argument from me, good night Alex."

She chuckles, "Alex? First time you ever addressed me by my first name, sounds weird but I like it. Goodnight Bobby, see you in the morning, eight o'clock." A slight wave from both as he turns to the left she to the right.

TBC