about Tito.”
“They’re making a big deal out of it?”
“Big doesn’t begin to describe it.
Brokaw’s
people called me for a quote.”
“How’s your jaw?”
“Actually, it feels very similar to that molar implant I had done last year. The only difference is that was administered by a board-certified oral surgeon.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better I just met some huge fans of yours.”
“Oh, yeah, who?”
“The Acars, Nuri and Nema.” Total silence from his end. “She said you’re just about her best customer.”
“Well, sure,” Mitch said slowly. “I fill up my truck there all the time.”
“You are so busted, boyfriend.”
“Busted,” he confessed guiltily. “I throw myself on your mercy, Des. You must be so disappointed in me.”
“No, baby, I’m not,” she said, easing up off of the gas pedal. Because he could be so much worse. He could be Brandon. “You’re my boy. All I want is you, no matter what size you are—large, extra-large, jumbo, economy. . . .”
“Okay, you made your point, Master Sergeant. I’ll tell you one thing—I’m going to get Nema for this.”
“Cut her a little slack. She’s had herself a bad day.” Des told him what had happened to their window.
“Oh my God, that’s awful. Truly detestable. You wouldn’t think . . .”
“You wouldn’t think what?”
“Nothing. I was just about to say ‘You wouldn’t think something like this could happen here,’ but I stopped myself because any time something bad happens in a small town the bystanders always say ‘This is more the kind of thing you’d expect to happen in New York City.’ And, as a New Yorker, I always get hopping mad. Things like this go on everywhere, because there are total assholes everywhere. Will you catch who did it?”
“That’s up to Hate Crimes, but if I had to guess I’d say yeah.”
“They’re a smart crew?”
“They are, plus the people who go in for these types of crimes tend to be genuinely stupid. Real, I think Nema knew more about it than she was letting on.”
“Why would she hold out on you?”
“Because her husband told her to.”
“You don’t like him, do you? You think he’s oleaginous.”
“Damn, is it that obvious?”
“Only to me, girlfriend.” From the first day they met Mitch been able to read her mind. Des had never understood how. “I’m glad you called—I was just going to call you and tell you to press your white flannels.”
“You just said what?”
“We’ve been invited to the highly exclusive Dorset Beach Club for dinner tonight, lovey,” he said, putting on his best Locust Valley Lockjaw. Which was not good at all. It traveled by way of Canarsie, where his parents were from. “Esme told Dodge what happened between Tito and me. Dodge thought if he got all of us together for a cookout and a swim it would help chill things out.”
“And Tito’s down with this?”
“Esme said she’d get him there. Dodge is inviting the rest of the Mesmers so as to defuse any possible tension.”
“The Mesmers?”
“That’s the name of our walking club.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“They don’t know it either. I’m bringing corn. Will and Donna are bringing everything else. You like them, right?”
She did like Donna. Will was polite but a bit reserved. Some of the locals were like that. Hell, most of the locals were like that.
“Jeff will be there, too.”
Jeff Wachtell she could live without. Des thought he was a whiner, plus he walked like a duck. “I thought you didn’t like to socialize with movie people.”
“That’s absolutely true. But under the circumstances I think this is something I need to do. Tito and Esme are going to be around for a while. I don’t want to get into a fight with this guy every time I try to go to the store.”
Which was why Des had wanted to march the actor straight to Westbrook in handcuffs. But she held her tongue. They’d been over this already.
“So are you game? I was
“They’re making a big deal out of it?”
“Big doesn’t begin to describe it.
Brokaw’s
people called me for a quote.”
“How’s your jaw?”
“Actually, it feels very similar to that molar implant I had done last year. The only difference is that was administered by a board-certified oral surgeon.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better I just met some huge fans of yours.”
“Oh, yeah, who?”
“The Acars, Nuri and Nema.” Total silence from his end. “She said you’re just about her best customer.”
“Well, sure,” Mitch said slowly. “I fill up my truck there all the time.”
“You are so busted, boyfriend.”
“Busted,” he confessed guiltily. “I throw myself on your mercy, Des. You must be so disappointed in me.”
“No, baby, I’m not,” she said, easing up off of the gas pedal. Because he could be so much worse. He could be Brandon. “You’re my boy. All I want is you, no matter what size you are—large, extra-large, jumbo, economy. . . .”
“Okay, you made your point, Master Sergeant. I’ll tell you one thing—I’m going to get Nema for this.”
“Cut her a little slack. She’s had herself a bad day.” Des told him what had happened to their window.
“Oh my God, that’s awful. Truly detestable. You wouldn’t think . . .”
“You wouldn’t think what?”
“Nothing. I was just about to say ‘You wouldn’t think something like this could happen here,’ but I stopped myself because any time something bad happens in a small town the bystanders always say ‘This is more the kind of thing you’d expect to happen in New York City.’ And, as a New Yorker, I always get hopping mad. Things like this go on everywhere, because there are total assholes everywhere. Will you catch who did it?”
“That’s up to Hate Crimes, but if I had to guess I’d say yeah.”
“They’re a smart crew?”
“They are, plus the people who go in for these types of crimes tend to be genuinely stupid. Real, I think Nema knew more about it than she was letting on.”
“Why would she hold out on you?”
“Because her husband told her to.”
“You don’t like him, do you? You think he’s oleaginous.”
“Damn, is it that obvious?”
“Only to me, girlfriend.” From the first day they met Mitch been able to read her mind. Des had never understood how. “I’m glad you called—I was just going to call you and tell you to press your white flannels.”
“You just said what?”
“We’ve been invited to the highly exclusive Dorset Beach Club for dinner tonight, lovey,” he said, putting on his best Locust Valley Lockjaw. Which was not good at all. It traveled by way of Canarsie, where his parents were from. “Esme told Dodge what happened between Tito and me. Dodge thought if he got all of us together for a cookout and a swim it would help chill things out.”
“And Tito’s down with this?”
“Esme said she’d get him there. Dodge is inviting the rest of the Mesmers so as to defuse any possible tension.”
“The Mesmers?”
“That’s the name of our walking club.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“They don’t know it either. I’m bringing corn. Will and Donna are bringing everything else. You like them, right?”
She did like Donna. Will was polite but a bit reserved. Some of the locals were like that. Hell, most of the locals were like that.
“Jeff will be there, too.”
Jeff Wachtell she could live without. Des thought he was a whiner, plus he walked like a duck. “I thought you didn’t like to socialize with movie people.”
“That’s absolutely true. But under the circumstances I think this is something I need to do. Tito and Esme are going to be around for a while. I don’t want to get into a fight with this guy every time I try to go to the store.”
Which was why Des had wanted to march the actor straight to Westbrook in handcuffs. But she held her tongue. They’d been over this already.
“So are you game? I was
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