Em decides to call a truce and do something nice. Meanwhile, Dave suspects that she might have an agenda, and Mudgie feels his loyalties being tested. Em needs to get to the bottom of her case and Dave needs to find out why Em is at his cabin in the middle of nowhere. Could they be meeting halfway? Remember that with these two, it's not always as it appears.

Beauty and The Beast

Dave rolled over and hugged the pillow. For the first time in a long time he had no desire to get up and get moving. Everyday was like the one before, so what would it hurt if he spent the day in bed wasting it away? Pretty selfish attitude, but since he was already an arrogant, egotistical bastard, how could it hurt his sentence to add in selfish?

Closing his eyes, he started to fall asleep when an unfamiliar odor tickled his nose. Apple wood smoked sausage? What in the world?

Sitting up straight in bed, he looked for Mudgie who normally slept by his bed. Empty! Where the hell was his dog? Oh God! Had he lived alone for so long that Mudgie had learned to cook? Insane, but considering the way his life had been for the past decade, absolutely nothing was out of the realm of possibility.

Grabbing his robe from the end of the bed, he pulled it on and rushed out of the room. As he hit the bottom stair he came to a sudden halt. Was that singing coming from the kitchen? Unless Mudgie developed a set of vocal chords and learned to speak over night, a woman was singing a Perry Como song. And one of his favourites to boot!

Stepping softly from the living room to the dining area, he held his breath as the beautiful second soprano weaved around him and calmed him down. From his hiding point, he watched Em move from counter to stove all the while singing. Every now and then she stopped to give Mudgie a treat or two, but she always picked up where she left off. As she finished the last note, Dave stepped out of the blind spot and spoke.

Surprised and shocked that she wasn't alone, Em spun around so quickly the egg she was holding flew out of her hand. It landed at Dave's feet with a dull thud. Embarrassment colored her cheeks a bright red, as she rushed for a paper towel to clean up the mess.

"I am so sorry," she apologized.

"I've had a lot of things thrown at me in my life, but never an egg," Dave replied dryly.

"It's a good thing I wasn't holding a gun." Em deposited the mess in the trash can. "Sorry."

"That's alright; I've actually had one or two of those aimed at me in my life-time."

"You don't say," she responded with a sardonic tone. Closing her eyes tightly, she mentally reprimanded herself. "Sorry again."

Dave gave her a half smile. "It's okay. I tend to bring out the worst in people." Em went to respond, but Dave put a finger against her lips. "Trust me, I understand." He looked around at the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"I felt bad about last night, so I thought I'd get up early and make you breakfast since I wasted the meal you made for me."

Dave shifted uncomfortably. "You didn't have to."

"Honest, it was no problem. I love to cook. I just don't get to do it very often because I'm usually on the road. I should thank you for giving me that shove and rediscovering my lost passion."

Dave's mouth twitched. "And here I thought I was destined to bring out nothing but the worst in women."

"Well, if you hadn't I wouldn't be doing this right now." She turned back to the stove. "How do you like your omelet?"

Dave took a seat at the table. "What do you want?"

She threw him a half-smile/half-grimace. "I'm that easy to read, huh?" She finished beating the eggs and added them to the pan. "You have quite the set up in here. I swear, all I had to do was think of what I needed and…like magic it was there!"

"You're telling me," Dave muttered under his breath.

"It's almost like a blessing."

"Or a curse."

Em looked up from chopping the onion. "What?"

"Nothing. Is that fresh coffee?"

"Made it a half hour ago. Want some?"

"I would love some." He held his mug out while she filled it. "Aren't you supposed to be staying off your ankle?"

"Yeah, but it feels better."

"It won't get better if you use it," Dave argued.

"It's my ankle and I know what's best," she snapped back. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten. "I'm sorry. I do have it bandaged tightly so that will help with the swelling." Turning back to the stove, she replaced the carafe and added the chopped veggies to the pan. Looking up from his pillow, Mudgie whined.

"Oh, aren't you a little drama queen," Em admonished playfully and broke off a small piece of bacon. Clicking her tongue at the dog, she held up the treat. Getting on his haunches he danced around and was rewarded. Satisfied, he went back to the pillow wagging his tail happily.

Putting the finishing touches on the omelet, Em served it up. Taking both plates to the table, she set one in front of Dave while taking the other. Eyeing the food, Dave hesitated.

"What? You think I poisoned it?"

"Wouldn't be the first attempt."

"Good God! Do I want to know about your past? I mean are you out here because you want to be or have to be?"

"A little of both."

"Guns, poison, God only knows what else…I can't blame you." Wiping her mouth, she looked at him. "How is it?"

"Good," he mumbled as he hurriedly forked another bite in his mouth.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Would it be too forward of me to ask you to make another?"

"No, why?"

"Because I'm taking yours," Dave announced and scraped Em's omelet onto his plate. Her mouth dropped open in shock as he gave her a wink. And at that moment, her heart melted.

"You owe me," she replied.

"Name it, it's yours." Dave gave her another wink and continued eating.
***

Sitting on the porch step, Em looked at the yard and shook her head. What had happened to all of the snow that had covered everything when she got up that morning? She had planned on going out and playing in it- after all, it wasn't every day it snowed a foot in July. Even in the mountains.

"What are you thinking about?" Dave asked, his voice breaking thru her thoughts.

"The snow is gone."

"It will be back later."

"Really?"

Puffing on his cigar, he winced. "Trust me. It never fails."

"Really?" Em repeated.

"Oh yeah. Ten years and counting." Ten freaking, long ass, monotonous, hell on earth years.

Em looked at him. "Ten years?" Dave nodded. "Tony, could I ask you a question?"

"Feel free but I can't guarantee you'll like the answer."

Bracing herself, Em tried to phrase her words without sounding too personal. "Do you know the author David Rossi?"

Nonplussed, Dave puffed on his cigar. "I've heard of him."

"Really?"

"I own a couple of his books. He's a great crime author. Why are you curious about him?"

Feeling his stare, Em tried to hide her nervousness. "I was wondering what ever became of him."

"Last I heard he disappeared for parts unknown." Dave puffed his cigar evenly. "I guess the pressure of writing got to him. I think he might have a place in Hawai'i."

"I checked out that possibility. He wasn't there."

"Why this interest in David Rossi? What could he mean to you?"

"He's part of my research…in a way." She waited for him to say something but he remained quiet. "We might be related."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "You don't say."

"Yeah, he's my uncle on my father's side once removed." Em crossed her fingers in secret.

"You don't look Italian."

"I'm a throwback to my mother's side."

"What are you going to do if you find him?"

Em hesitated. "I don't know." She knew what Nick wanted, but something in his comment kept nagging in the back of her brain.

"Have you ever thought he might not want to be found?"

"It has crossed my mind."

"So why are you asking me?"

"I knew he used to do some hunting in the Little Creek Reservoir and he had a house somewhere in the mountains, but there was no listed address in the records on line."

"So you figured that you would ask an old timer like me if I knew him, and if I did, where you might be able to find him." It wasn't a question. "Are you sure it has to do with genealogy and not paternity?"

"What? Oh no! Oh God no!" Em blushed. "I mean, he's attractive and all- not as handsome as you-" She blushed again. "But no, we were never 'together'. I don't think I would have been his cup of tea."

Dave scanned her body with lustful interest. "Oh, I don't know about that. From what I heard, he wasn't really particular about his women or his relationships. Rumour has it that he was a lothario to beat the best."

"Rumour also has it that he was shot by one of his lovers and disposed of in parts unknown."

"Many women tried, but none succeeded." Except one…the one who put me here in this hell. "Besides, if you had the opportunity to put a bullet in David Rossi, wouldn't you be shouting it from the roof tops?"

"From what I know, I can honestly say that I don't think so."

"That's one for the record books," Dave muttered. Mudgie brought back a stick. Bending down to retrieve it, the dog growled and walked over to Em. Depositing the toy at her side, he waited for her to throw it. "That's one for the record books."

"What is?" Em watched the dog chase the stick and bring it back.

"Mudgie never goes to anyone but me."

"Then I'm honored."

"You've made a friend for life."

Mudgie came over, sat down, and put his paw on Em's shoulder. "I guess I have."

Dave looked at the pair and then away. "Lucky dog," he whispered under his breath.