Page 42 of Time Served in New York
Without skipping a beat, Frankie did the most flawless impression of Scooby Doo that I’d ever heard and said, “Scooby Dooby Doo!”
The room erupted in laughter, and I couldn’t help but join in as Jude scowled at Frankie. Finally, after it started to die down, Jude said, “I hate all of you. I can’t believe I fell for that. Total bullshit.”
Frankie instantly sobered and leaned toward Jude one more time as she whispered, “But is it?”
???
PAULA
“I never imagined I’d be walking down these streets again,” I said as Hook and I stopped at an intersection to wait for the light to change.
“Well, here you are. How does it feel?”
“Not as good as I’d imagined,” I admitted. “I think having you here with me is the best part, though.”
“That makes me feel good,” Hook said as he squeezed my hand and smiled down at me. The light changed, and we walked across the street with all of the other pedestrians. “So what are we looking at here?”
“We used to stop by this place to buy candy on the way home from my dad’s office,” I said as we got closer to a small convenience store that had been in the neighborhood since my parents were young.
We stopped in front of it and looked through the window before Hook said, “They’re open. Let’s go in.”
“Oh, I don’t know . . .” I hedged. He tried to pull me closer to the door, but I stood my ground.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve had it in my head for almost a decade that I can never show my face around here again. Now I’m all over the place with the girls, taking pictures with strangers at the diner and . . . it’s just a lot.”
“Since when do you shy away fromanything?” Hook asked.
I took a deep breath and glanced inside the store again. He was right. I wasn’t in danger anymore. My father was still alive but he was ‘neutralized,’ according to my brothers and my son. My son was in charge of the family that had wanted me dead and that gave me a blanket of protection that was better than the guard who’d been discreetly following me and Hook since we left the hotel.
Why the hell couldn’t I walk into that store like I’d done for years when I was younger?
“Fuck it. Let’s go inside. I want some candy.”
“That’s my girl,” Hook said as he squeezed my hand. He held the door open for me, and as I walked inside, I was assaulted by the same smells I remembered from my childhood. It didn’t seem like much had changed since the last time I’d been here, so I guessed the candy I’d been craving for ages was still in the same place.
“Which candy do you want?” Hook asked as he turned left down an aisle. “I think I want some taffy.”
“I always got the bags of candy on the back wall,” I said as I slowly walked toward the back of the narrow store. I looked left and right, occasionally stopping to peruse the shelves but stopped in my tracks when I heard a man’s voice I never imagined I’d hear again.
“I always kept a bowl of these on my desk.”
“I remember you bought a bag at least once a week,” the sweet woman who owned the shop replied.
My feet had a will of their own, and I found myself standing next to the man in the dark suit. I was just a bit behind his shoulder, so I could see him in profile even though he hadn’t noticed me.
“Well, now that I’m retired, I won’t be coming around as often, I suppose. Give me three bags.”
“When did you retire?” the woman asked with an uncomfortable glance over his shoulder, probably looking for his ever-present guards who seemed to enjoy intimidating people. I turned to make sure none of them were behind me and realized the only guard in the store was there to watch overme.
“Well, it’s not official yet but . . .”
“But things are changing at a rapid rate, aren’t they, Father?” I blurted out and then smiled when he jumped like he’d just been touched by a live wire. He spun around and stared at me in shock, and I heard the woman behind the counter gasp when she recognized me. “It seems those skeletons in the closet aren’t just rattling anymore; they’re up and moving around the city without anyone to stop them.”
“Paola?” the dear woman’s voice sounded uncertain.
I smiled at her and reached for a bag of the candy that I’d always loved. Once I’d set it on the counter, I glanced up at my father and asked, “You’ll take care of this for me, right? For old times’ sake?”
