Chapter 3

Summary: Somebody's sending Bobby limericks. It COULD be daf9 you know. After all she is old enough to remember the first President Bush

Being shackled doesn't mean you can't enjoy the view

If given a push

She'd admit Goren's tush

Sends her senses to reeling

And is far more appealing

Than that of George Walker Bush

Alex took as step back and stared critically at the back of Goren's chair pretending to assess the "tush" in question. Bobby refused to look at her but he could feel his ears turning red.

"I don't know, Bobby. Nothing special about it that I can see! But "shackled" sounds like the writer of this little poem may be serving time somewhere or have some connection to the justice system. It also sounds like she must have met you or at least seen you at some point and has a bit of a "crush". I don't suppose Nicole? Alex didn't complete her sentence.

"I don't think so Alex. For one thing Nicole isn't from the Midwest. And while she is certainly clever enough to 'fake it' I think she would consider writing limericks to be far too demeaning. After all she successfully impersonated a professor of English literature for several years. Besides, I don't think 'shackled' necessarily refers to imprisonment. It may be a reference to being married. And the "her" may refer not to the writer herself but to the President's wife, Laura. I think -"

Alex interrupted "Oh, of course! The President and his wife were at that reception the mayor gave several months ago. And you were there!"

Bobby nodded in agreement. "Yes, as you should know, since you were there with me. Looking for Carver, as I recall. And although I remember getting quite close to Mrs. Bush at one point, I certainly don't remember her looking at me! And I still don't see any way the author of thisletter could have known that the First Lady might have even had an opportunity to see me, unless she was present as well. Unfortunately there were well over 500 people at that party. Doesn't narrow the suspects down much does it?"

Alex gave Bobby another look. "Well, if we assume that sentiments expressed reflect those of the author herself, we can restrict the list of potential perps to those who find you attractive enough to stare at your backside. Of course, if the graffiti in the ladies room is to be believed, that probably doesn't narrow it down at all as far as the female attendees are concerned. And from what I've been told, Goren-centric graffiti isn't restricted to the WOMEN'S washroom either. Maybe the female perfume is meant to throw you off the scent?"

Bobby laughed at Alex's play on words and blushed again. To avoid looking at her, he bent his head down and made a badly disguised pretense of having to look carefully through the contents of his folder for the next poem. Handing it to her he mumbled "What do you make of this one? It was delivered by FedEx a few days ago."