Chapter 21
Rudi completely ignores Beverly as they come through the door, focusing all of his love on Deanna's ankles. She goes straight to the kitchen to make him his dinner while Beverly starts theirs. When all three have finished eating, they settle on the couch together. Beverly wraps her arm around Deanna's shoulder while Rudi curls up on her lap.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Beverly asks?
"Talk about what?"
"I don't know. What you were thinking this morning. Jean-Luc. The crime scene. It seems that so much has happened in such a short time. It's hard for me to process it all."
"Do you mind if we don't talk about? I just want to relax. Just enjoy our time together. My head is killing me."
"Of course I don't mind. Can I make you something for your headache?"
She goes out onto her balcony and brings in a clipping from a plant. In the kitchen, she uses a mortar and pestle to grind up the leaves then pours hot water over them. After straining the plant material out, she adds a bit of honey and a hefty dose of cayenne and brings it to Deanna. Deanna takes a sip.
"Wow! That's spicy. But good. What is it?"
"Feverfew. It's an herb. Reduces inflammation. Great to prevent migraines. Cayenne increases blood flow."
"What's the honey for?"
"To make it taste good." Beverly laughs.
"Oh. How did you learn all this? And did you really grow the plant?"
"My grandmother. She was an herbalist. A healer. It was the one thing we had in common. She taught me everything. I just don't get much chance to use it. It's hard to grow plants on the balcony. They just don't get that much sun."
"You never cease to surprise me." Deanna tells her.
"I hope I can always surprise you. And make you feel better. Is it helping at all?"
"I don't know. Maybe. I can tell you what might help though."
"Oh?"
Deanna pulls Beverly close and kisses her.
"Oh!" Beverly says with a smile.
Rudi watches as Beverly takes Deanna's hand and leads her to the bedroom. He brings a paw to his mouth and gives it a lick with a contented purr.
He watches carefully as Mayde's beautiful face comes on the screen. God! He loves her so much. She talks about his work like she's in awe of him. She even gives him a name. The Butcher of Hollywood. It's like she knows him already. Soon he will reveal himself, tell her that he is the one. She will love him as much as he loves her.
But wait? What was that? He rewinds the broadcast and watches carefully. The camera pans the scene. And there's Mayde. He pauses the image and looks closer. She is talking to someone. A woman. He recognizes the Asian woman. She works for the police. The other woman is new. She's shorter but has the same long black hair. She's beautiful. Almost as beautiful as his Mayde. He smiles. Mayde and the short woman. He feels himself getting hard. Tonight will be a good night.