"Listen Mark. I think you're just being paranoid. There is probably a
good reason why she kept pulling her sleeves down," said Jesse the next day
in the kitchen of the beach house.
"Name one," Mark challenged.
"Um," Jesse said scratching his head. "She was cold," he said with a smug look on his face.
"Doubt it. She drank several cokes last night, and her face was constantly flushed," Mark pointed out.
"Yeah, and she had just met her brother for the first time, meeting his friends, and besides, some people are just more susceptible to emotionally induced blushing. And yesterday was emotional for all of us."
"But not constantly, like she was," Mark said.
"Ok, I'll sort of ask about it. Inconspicuously," he said.
"Inconspicuous? You? Ha! When elephants do ballet," Mark said with a grin.
"Grr," Jesse said ass he went to the coffee pot for a refill. "So, she's still asleep?"
"Yes. After she settled in last night, she looked tired and pale. I'm not about to deprive her of sleep if I can help it." At that moment Liz came in the room, stretching and yawning. She was eyeing the coffee pot.
"Great! Coffee!" she said as she poured herself a cup. She took a drink from it without adding sugar or cream. Jesse looked at her oddly.
"What? Haven't you heard of people who drink black coffee?"
"Yes, but I haven't known anyone who could stomach it. Even Steve," Jesse said.
"Speaking of the devil, where is Steve?" asked Liz.
"Work. Murder case he got yesterday," Mark said.
"Well, are you going to tell me about it, or do I have to tap dance for it?" she asked.
"You tap?" Mark asked.
"SAY NO!" Jesse said quickly. Mark shot him a warning glance.
"Actually, not really. My friend Casey back home took dance for most of her life, and she sort of taught me some basics, but I never had any interest in it. So... Details of the murder?" she said pleadingly.
"A pianist was shot while he was at his piano practicing. A shame, because he was supposed to be playing at the symphony tomorrow," Mark said.
"Have you been to the scene?" Liz asked.
"No, I haven't. Do you have something in mind?" Mark asked.
"It may be nothing. Think that maybe since you are a consultant with the PD you could get me in? I promise I won't touch anything."
Mark looked pensive. "I don't-"
"Pretty please?" she said, trying to charm the older gentleman.
"Come on, Mark. She may help," Jesse said.
"All right. Get ready," Mark said, conceding.
"Yes!" she said as she ran off to shower and dress.
"I don't know if this is a good idea," Mark said.
"Sure it is. She's had musical training. Maybe she can point out something that we would've missed," Jesse said.
"I guess," Mark said. He and Jesse sat in companiable silence for 15 minutes. Liz came out, ready to go. Both men were astounded.
"15 minutes? Are you sure you're completely ready?" Mark asked.
"I have short hair, and I don't wear makeup. Whaddya expect?" she said with a laugh.
"I'm just shocked. Most females I know take hours to get ready," said Jesse.
"I used to wake up thirty minutes before my bus to school came. I learned quickly to get ready fast. I really didn't want to wake up before 5:30 in the morning."
"Your bus came at six in the morning?" Jesse asked, incredulously.
"Yeah. I lived in the boonies. It was the only way I got to school on time. I also had to walk for about 5 minutes to get to the bus stop. Did that since I moved to that house when I was in 6th grade. I hated at first, but it wasn't so bad." She smiled. "So, ya'll ready to leave?" she asked.
"Name one," Mark challenged.
"Um," Jesse said scratching his head. "She was cold," he said with a smug look on his face.
"Doubt it. She drank several cokes last night, and her face was constantly flushed," Mark pointed out.
"Yeah, and she had just met her brother for the first time, meeting his friends, and besides, some people are just more susceptible to emotionally induced blushing. And yesterday was emotional for all of us."
"But not constantly, like she was," Mark said.
"Ok, I'll sort of ask about it. Inconspicuously," he said.
"Inconspicuous? You? Ha! When elephants do ballet," Mark said with a grin.
"Grr," Jesse said ass he went to the coffee pot for a refill. "So, she's still asleep?"
"Yes. After she settled in last night, she looked tired and pale. I'm not about to deprive her of sleep if I can help it." At that moment Liz came in the room, stretching and yawning. She was eyeing the coffee pot.
"Great! Coffee!" she said as she poured herself a cup. She took a drink from it without adding sugar or cream. Jesse looked at her oddly.
"What? Haven't you heard of people who drink black coffee?"
"Yes, but I haven't known anyone who could stomach it. Even Steve," Jesse said.
"Speaking of the devil, where is Steve?" asked Liz.
"Work. Murder case he got yesterday," Mark said.
"Well, are you going to tell me about it, or do I have to tap dance for it?" she asked.
"You tap?" Mark asked.
"SAY NO!" Jesse said quickly. Mark shot him a warning glance.
"Actually, not really. My friend Casey back home took dance for most of her life, and she sort of taught me some basics, but I never had any interest in it. So... Details of the murder?" she said pleadingly.
"A pianist was shot while he was at his piano practicing. A shame, because he was supposed to be playing at the symphony tomorrow," Mark said.
"Have you been to the scene?" Liz asked.
"No, I haven't. Do you have something in mind?" Mark asked.
"It may be nothing. Think that maybe since you are a consultant with the PD you could get me in? I promise I won't touch anything."
Mark looked pensive. "I don't-"
"Pretty please?" she said, trying to charm the older gentleman.
"Come on, Mark. She may help," Jesse said.
"All right. Get ready," Mark said, conceding.
"Yes!" she said as she ran off to shower and dress.
"I don't know if this is a good idea," Mark said.
"Sure it is. She's had musical training. Maybe she can point out something that we would've missed," Jesse said.
"I guess," Mark said. He and Jesse sat in companiable silence for 15 minutes. Liz came out, ready to go. Both men were astounded.
"15 minutes? Are you sure you're completely ready?" Mark asked.
"I have short hair, and I don't wear makeup. Whaddya expect?" she said with a laugh.
"I'm just shocked. Most females I know take hours to get ready," said Jesse.
"I used to wake up thirty minutes before my bus to school came. I learned quickly to get ready fast. I really didn't want to wake up before 5:30 in the morning."
"Your bus came at six in the morning?" Jesse asked, incredulously.
"Yeah. I lived in the boonies. It was the only way I got to school on time. I also had to walk for about 5 minutes to get to the bus stop. Did that since I moved to that house when I was in 6th grade. I hated at first, but it wasn't so bad." She smiled. "So, ya'll ready to leave?" she asked.