"Dinner's ready," Beth called out from the kitchen.
"Thanks, sis," Elisa said, entering the kitchen to grab a plate of the spaghetti that Beth had cooked up.
"I can't believe you beat me at that again," Beth grumbled. "You are some kind of Rock Paper Scissors savant."
"Nah," Elisa said, grabbing a soft drink from the fridge. "I just know you too well."
Beth rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't tell me how you did it."
Elisa laughed. "I'm a detective, Beth! I also have a psychology degree, remember? It is the same as if we were sitting at a table to play poker, and you were trying to bluff me. I learned your 'tells' a long time ago. You tend to project what you are going to do before you do it."
Beth burst out with a laugh, then stopped. She stared at her sister incredulously. "Oh, my God. You aren't kidding!"
"Nope. Sorry." Elisa's eyes had a devilish glint to them, which told Beth that there was more to this conspiracy. "Come on, it's time for news, and I want to see what they do about Jon escaping."
"Teach me, oh wise one," Beth begged.
"But then you take away my fun."
"Fine," Beth huffed. "Wait until I tell Derek… Wait!" Beth stopped short, a look of dawning horror on her face, "Can Derek do it, too?"
"I have the right to remain silent," Elisa scooped up her plate and her canned soda, reciting the Miranda Rights as she left the kitchen. "Anything I say may be used against me…"
Beth could only stare after her sister. "Damn it," she muttered. Her siblings were sneaky… and they must pay for all the times that she had been challenged to a Rock Paper Scissors match to determine something, and they had used their police skills to weasel out of it.
Beth rubbed her hands together in anticipation. They may be good at reading her "tells", but no one plots revenge like a younger sibling. Beth gathered her own plate, and joined her sister in the living room.
The rest of the day passed slowly.
Sundown found the Maza girls sitting on the sofa, enjoying an episode of an old mystery thriller on the classical movie channel. They were so engrossed in it, that they had forgotten about Goliath out in the courtyard of the condo.
His wakening roar had blended into the movie's sound effects so well, that it had gone completely unnoticed by the women.
His entrance, however, caused Elisa to jump in her seat and Beth to scream. Beth flung her arms around her sister, partially in fear and partially to shield herself from the unknown intruder.
He stopped mid-entrance, and crouched as if expecting danger. Scanning the darkened room, he saw the two women sitting together on Elisa's couch, the only illumination in the room was the flickering light of the television.
"Elisa?" he called out to alert her that it was him. He was uncomfortable walking into the apartment like this and finding them in such obvious distress.
"Goliath," Elisa sighed, then laughed in relief. "Sorry Big Guy. Come on in." Elisa slowly disentangled herself from Beth's grasp and got to her feet. "We were just watching a movie."
Goliath gave Elisa an unreadable look. He was familiar enough with her that he knew she rarely reacted in fright. She tended to take most things in stride. For her to react in anything resembling fright at all was almost unheard of.
"How are you feeling?" Goliath asked, keeping his voice low and soothing in deference to Beth, who still looked surprised. Gently, he brushed Elisa's hair away from the side of her face that was still sporting bruises. If it was possible, they were darker now than they had seemed the night previously.
"I'm fine, Goliath," Elisa hurried to assure him. She clasped his hand in hers, moving it away from her bruised face. "We were just a little caught up in this movie."
Goliath nodded. He was not completely convinced, but he had another conversation topic he needed to speak with her about, so he let the topic drop.
"Elisa," He brought his voice down low, "I need to speak with you about something."
Elisa frowned. "Alright, let's go outside."
Together, the couple retreated to the privacy of the large rooftop courtyard.