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"Rossi! Rossi what's wrong?" Emily held the phone to here ear frantically, pacing her kitchen. "Are you alright? Have any of the Santini family contacted you? Have you been threatened? Where are you?" Her words came out in a rush.

"Emily, I'm fine, relax. I just needed someone to talk to. I'm going crazy here."

Emily stopped dead in her kitchen and her mouth made a slight "o".

"David are you fucking kidding me? You're risking everything! I thought you were in danger! You're only to use this line in an emergency! What part of cut off from the world don't you understand? You've been gone two days for Christ sake!" Emily practically screamed. God, this man was determined to give an early heart attack.

"You don't understand! I've been invited to one of their snippety block party dinners, and three of Magnolia Courts worst dressed housewives came over WHILE I WAS SLEEPING, and then tried to poison me with their God-awful cooking. Emily, I can't do this. Send me anywhere else, please… you have connections at Interpol? HELP ME."

The lame desperation and story attached to his pleading instantly had her holding her mouth so as not to laugh audibly into the throw-away cell phone.

"That doesn't sound so bad… Were any of them cute?"

"EMILY."

"Dave, I don't know what you want here, to stay alive or live in a resort with a huge 'COME SHOOT THE RAT' sign tattooed on your forehead…" She was instantly serious again. The situation far graver than David Rossi had ever given it credit for. The family that had threatened to kill him always made good on their rivalry vendettas.

"That smarts, Em. I'm not a rat. I'm a federal agent whose about to kill one of these stupid botoxed barbies, now will you PLEASE get me out of here?"

"I can't help you right now Dave. I'm destroying this phone. I'll give you a new number in a few days. Do me a favor and keep yourself alive until then?"

"Emily, please.. please don't hang up… I need you… I can't… I don't know anyone. This is…." His pleading was serious now, and rushed, like he wouldn't survive if she hung up.

Emily felt her tears before she even realized she was crying. Sniffing inaudibly so he couldn't hear she tried to put on her strongest voice. "I'm sorry you're going through this. I'll do what I can, okay? I'll call you tomorrow, at this number. Keep your cell on you. Try to have a better evening." And because she couldn't handle hearing anymore of his loneliness, she hung up before he could respond.

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"Dave!" So glad you could make it!" Kelly Johnston, clear ring-leader of this carnival-like event, came rushing towards him, pink polkadot dress flouncing, one hand deftly attempting to steady a full margarita glass. As she waved her free arm and smiled like a 1950's Coca-Cola girl, Rossi's inner gentleman struggled to get out while he plastered a friendly smile on his face and walked across her perfectly manicured lawn to meet her.

"Dave, I'm SO glad you made it." She gushed dramatically, the tequila on her breath more than pungent.

"Well, I didn't have to trek far…" Rossi deadpanned, looking momentarily two houses down across the street at the pathetic cookie-cutter home he was supposed to call his own.

Kelly erupted into hysterical laughter. "You are SO funny. Come, meet my husband Bob. And look! Kinley's husband decided to come! Hi George!" her shrill voice in his ears as she grabbed his arm and drug him to meet everyone was starting to give him a headache.

Rossi noted that Kinley held her hands in her lap, and looked down a lot. George waved. Kelly whispered in Rossi's ear "He's not in town often, he works out of state mostly. But when he is, he's not very social." She made comically wide eyes at him for emphasis.

"Must be hard for Kinley." Dave noted, looking at the dirty blonde with empathy. There's something not quite right there…

"Bob. This is our new neighbor Dave, the one I told you about. I took him Pudding yesterday!" Kelly sang sweetly, dragging David closer to her husbands oversized grill.

"Ah, tried to poison you, did she? I'm George. Hamburgers about done. I'm in Real Estate, keeping up blow for blow with this economy, you know?" Bob threw a few mock punches and kept a cheesy smile plastered on his face. "What do you do, Davey?"

Rossi wanted to throw a not-so-mock punch at his face. "Well, I used to round up serial killers but that got boring… Now I'm just a pudding connoisseur." Rossi gratefully accepted a beer from Kelly. Bob didn't know what to say for a moment, then got the joke. "Ah! A joker. Serial killers. I like you!"

"Thanks, Bob. Uh… where is the restroom?" Rossi was desperate for an escape. He realized now that Emily had been absolutely right about practicing his "cover story" of who he was, and he'd already blown the first cardinal rule by using his real first name.

"Right through there and first door on the left." George used his spatula to point while he took a long swig of an unmarked bottle, craftily hidden beneath the grill.

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Would love any thoughts, comments, ideas or critics =D thank you everyone for reading!