Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Exactly where he belongs.
victorio
. . .
“Thanks for talking with us Ms. Illas.”
“Please call me Mildred,” she says, raising her feeble hand and waving her long, crooked fingers that are bound to be misshapen by arthritis. Ms. Illas, is a short but stout woman, with long, curly, silver hair. She’s in a power wheelchair and is currently sitting with a huge white cat in her lap, petting it while talking to me. Her house is small and that’s made worse by stacks of magazines and mail-order catalogs lying on the floor in large piles. There’s an old television that was made before the invention of flat screens. It’s sitting on a feeble, particle board television stand, and there is a blue sofa with pink toss pillows. The walls are dark paneled, filled with family photos and a large Farmer’s Almanac calendar that shows the different moon phases.
EZ and I are sitting on the sofa and I’m almost positive that both of us are trying to ignore the stench of a used litter box, because besides the big white cat in her lap, there are at least ten more—that I’ve seen—running around. Currently a large coal black one is sitting at EZ’s feet, studying him.
“Mildred, my fiancée Angelina used to live next door here several years ago. Someone broke in her home and attacked her—”
“Oh, I remember Angie. Such a sweet girl. I’m glad to see she’s found herself a good man. You are a good man, aren’t you, son?”
EZ laughs and I quietly elbow him.
“I love her. I’d do anything for her. I’m trying to find the man who attacked her so he can never touch her again.”
She seems to study my face. I let her because I have absolutely nothing to hide. I’m not a good man, but I’ll be the man my woman needs.
“So, you’re here to ask questions? I’m sorry, boy, but I barely remember what I had for breakfast two hours ago. My mind likes to play tricks on me,” she replies. I feel my hopes begin to fade away. This entire trip has been useless. The only thing I accomplished was to let another man take my woman out.
“Do you remember Gia—Angie at all?” I press, unwilling to give up without trying.
“Of course. I told you I did. Maybe your memory is worse than mine,” she answers, and EZ laughs out loud. The asshole.
I smile and chuckle a bit myself. She may be old, but she’s got a fire in her—that’s for sure.
“Do you remember anything about the people who visited her? Maybe close to the time you went on the cruise?”
“Not really, I try not to get in other people’s business you understand. Plus, like you said, I was on that cruise I won.”
“You won a cruise? I’m thinking I need some of your luck,” EZ jokes.
“No, you don’t. That cruise is the only thing I’ve ever won in my life. It was the darnedest thing. I don’t even remember entering. Of course, I’ve warned you how my memory is,” she says, staring off into space like she’s trying to remember something important, either that or she forgot we’re here altogether. Either one is a distinct possibility.
“How did you win the cruise?” EZ asks, beating me to asking the same thing. His question ends in a grunt, though, when the black cat jumps up and stands in his lap. He takes his claws and proceeds to pick at EZ’s jeans making himself a bed. I can tell from EZ’s slight facial movements, the claws are very sharp, but he doesn’t object.
“Melissa! Get down from there,” Mildred admonishes.
“She’s fine,” EZ says, casually scratching the cat behind his ears. Well, her ears. I guess he is a she.
“Pussy has always loved me,” he quips, making me laugh even when I don’t want to.
My attention goes back to Mildred. She thankfully didn’t hear EZ. She’s still staring off into space. “Mildred?” I nudge. I don’t know why I’m asking. None of this information could really help me figure out who attacked Angie. All I know is that I don’t want to leave one stone unturned.
“It was from the Around The World travel agency. I think they were based out of Washington. I thought it was a hoax, to be honest. Sure enough, when I called the phone number on my prize notification, it was real. I may not have remembered entering the contest, but I must have. They had all my information.”
“Seems to me your memory, Ms. Mildred, is sharp as a tack.”
“About some things,” she admits.
“You don’t remember any of guys that Angie dated back then?” I ask.
I know I’m an idiot. I know she didn’t date anyone. I’m just trying to see if she remembers any men hanging around Gia’s rental back then. Gia said she didn’t date. I believe her, she’s too innocent. That means if Mildred remembers anyone and can give me just a name to go by, it might help.