The Library Ch. 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

"No, there is absolutely no way to make someone's will, after it's been through probate, bend so you can get information from the beneficiaries about the decedent if it clearly states that to be taboo," Peter J. Petralli, the Sand Bar County District Attorney, informed both Clark, Jones and their shift boss Captain Tina Curry. "There is only a couple of exceptions," he finished saying.

"And those are?" Curry, the long legged, 35 year old brunette asked while leaning against her desk.

Petralli looked at her first and said, "Fraud being one of them and imminent danger being another. However, neither one of those will have any standing in Mara's case."

Clark answered for him, "I'm going to guess it's because too much time has passed, right?"

Petralli nodded his head and said, "Statute of limitations can be a bitch sometimes."

"Well wait a minute, if the statute is in place, why can't that work for us too? Those people have nothing to loose in spilling their guts about Mara, right?" Jones interjected.

"That is a thread to pursue, and I'll follow it, but I'm telling you, don't get your hopes up. So, let me make sure I understand what you're purporting. If the statute prevents us from prosecuting because any events occurred well over a decade ago, those beneficiaries are also in the same standing. They too can't legally be compelled to violate the terms of the will," Petralli hung his head and shook it from side to side. "Nope, we can't legally make them do or say anything. And their not likely going to volunteer anything either in fear of violating the standards set forth in the will."

Curry suddenly slapped her hands together in frustration, turned and walked around to the other side of her desk. "Okay LaShay, tell me again, why do we need info on Mara?"

"He's the last one to own the house before himself and many other people have dropped off the face of the planet. The reason he's a subject of interest is because something he did altered the house. It generates an awful lot of energy itself. We suspect it's from the remnant of sea water power converters the Navy experimented with decades ago. But, the large amounts of energy vanished when he was living there and that's been the case up to the present. However, many people have lived there, and in time, they disappear. Oddly, all of them became millionaires while living in the house, all except one, the last guy, but he too became rich after he's been gone. But it all started with Mara," Jones looked at Clark and said, "anything I forgot?"

"No, she's got everything covered, except Mara programmed computers as the home computer boom began," he said.

"Okay guys, we're beating a dead horse here," Petralli announced. "We have no imminent danger to the new occupant, except the house has a history." He looked at Clark and Jones and said, "Speak to the new occupant. Tell her to keep her eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, and to let you guys know if something comes up. That's pretty much all we're left with at present."

"We left our card on her door this afternoon," LaShay said. "We were there today and she wasn't there. You know, we did get a whiff of the, what did you call it Steven?"

"Ozone," he said.

"Right, the house has an ozone smell around it. But I can't swear it was coming from the house, it dissipated pretty rapidly."

"Well I have a ball game to go watch, and I gotta hit the store before the game," the DA announced.

"Enjoy," Clark said as he watched him grab his briefcase and exit the small glassed in office. He turned to Captain Curry, "Anything else?"

"Nope, it's the end of the day and I've got paperwork to finish and kids to get home to. Call it a day yourselves," she finally sat down in her chair. "Oh and one last thing."

That stopped both of the detectives from twisting the handle to the door that Jones had in her hand, "What's that?"

"No matter the outcome on this guys, good work. This is more than any of the teams have ever done on the history of this case."

"Thanks boss," Clark said.

****

Sylvia and Amanda returned and found the card on the door. It was briefly held onto as they entered the house and put on the island that separated the kitchen from the front room as they separated the shopping bags between the two buyers. Once two piles were identified to the proper owners, Sylvia said, "I need to run home for a bit. Can you watch the fort while I'm gone?"

"Actually, I thought I'd go get some food for this place. Anything in particular you want?"

"No, not really. But, do you really want me to stay?" Sylvia asked.

"Yeah, we're both on vacation, what else do you have to do?"

Sylvia smiled and said, "We can work on our tans."

"Or go figure out that thing downstairs," Amanda countered.

"What do you have running through your head?"

"Well, when I'm at the store," Amanda explained, "I'm going to get a magazine or a book. I plan on taking that down to the library and seeing if it takes us someplace."

Sylvia nodded her contemplatively and said, "I'm game for that."

"I'm thinking getting one of those fitness mags," Amanda said.

"Oh!" Sylvia said. "Pretty people can be fun too, if it works! Okay, I'm going to leave this stuff here, but I should be back later on tonight. If not, then we'll go exploring tomorrow, okay?"

"See you later. If I'm not here when you get back, call my cell. I may still be at the store."

Sylvia came over and gave Amanda a hug and the two girls kissed. Sylvia went out to her vehicle and waved at Amanda, who was still waiting in the door, as she drove away.

After the Durango disappeared, Amanda closed the door and returned to her side of the pile of bags and moved them into the master bedroom. After removing all of the tags, the panties and bras were sent to the 'To Be Washed' pile and the outerwear was hung up on hangers. Amanda had to make some room available in Mark's closet, but she was eventually able to find the needed space, which really wasn't much. But after thinking about it a little bit, she pulled out the little black jumpsuit with the wide tie behind the back and put it on.

She slipped the same shoes back on she had been wearing and inspected her appearance in the mirrors on the bedroom closet doors. If there is one thing she had learned in the last couple of days, dressing to get attention works really well! She noticed a few loose threads sticking between seams and removed them. She turned around and did her best to see what she looked like from behind and nodded her approval, grabbed her purse and headed to her car, it was time to hit the grocery store!

****

It seemed like forever ago, but at 26 years of age, Pete Petralli had finished his law degree in Hawaii by selling women's shoes in a local mall when not in school or doing homework. If he didn't have a huge taste for women in high heels then, he had certainly acquired it by the time he got out of the business after he had passed the Bar exam. Even now, in his 40's he could still tell by a women's walk if she was clad in heels or not. Even the sound of the 'click-clack' of a ladies walk almost always made him turn to see what she was wearing.

The store he worked at back then was mainly a 'fashion' store, but some comfort shoes were available as well. The main draw for the ladies in that store were the cutting edge designer shoes, and the many colors available, and Pete, the handsome assistant manager who worked there.

He kept his bills paid, drove a beater Toyota Celica, and dressed the best he could for the job. Lunch was usually a can of tuna, mixed with salsa and spread onto crackers and homework, always lots of homework. Once in a great while, a former customer would see him and come over and ask to sit down and visit. Pete made a point of always agreeing to the request. Even if he had to do a shoe adjustment right there on the spot, or sit and visit for a while he didn't mind. Customer service was his life.

Even today, while shopping in the grocery store, he remembered those days. It was only 6 months since being elected to the highest law enforcement position in Sand Bar County. The economy had soured, and running a small but profitable attorney's office made the gradual decline of profitability a reality. So he threw his hat into the ring and the voters put him into position. The old office building he had used and eventually purchased sat vacant for a couple of months, and it too finally gained a tenant. So, he had a small income from that, and his DA position, but he refused to drive expensive German engineering, the paycheck allowed for it, but his dedication to the taxpayers wouldn't allow it. . . . Not yet anyway.

On that particular afternoon, as he was in the deli aisle of his local discount grocer, he heard the muffled sound of a ladies walk approach him from behind. It wasn't the sharp sound of spike or stiletto heels, but more like a wood or cork based heel. He hadn't lost that ear, even after all the years gone by, he was right again!

The young lady was wearing a black mini dress or jumpsuit in the middle of the day like she'd wear to a hot date, and it exposed her beautiful cleavage. Her legs perfect, and at the bottom of those legs were exactly the wedgies he knew he heard. He looked up in her pretty face framed with long, blonde hair. He saw clear blue, almost cat like eyes shadowed by dark eyebrows and eyelashes so long she probably tripped on them when she walked. She was stunning to see. But for Pete, to make the matter worse, he got caught gawking at her too!

"Nice big eyes you have there Mr. Wolf," she said as she passed by him pushing her cart.

'Mr. Wolf?' he thought? My name's not Wolf! And then the thought dawned on him that he was looking like a wolf, probably complete with drool running off his chin. Pete didn't have the frame of mind to actually say anything as she passed, he only grinned as he realized the fool she had made of him. But, it didn't stop him from continuing to watch the sexy blonde walk away.

She was certainly too young for him, he thought. The days of bedding a pretty, not to mention very sexy, twenty-something girl like that went away with his hairline, and that left about 10 to 15 years ago. But that didn't stop him from continuing to watch her! That girl and that outfit and those legs and the way her ass twitched when she walked in those heels weren't something you see everyday!

Pete threw the package of bacon he was holding into his shopping cart and that followed with a couple of packages of bologna. When he looked up, she was no longer in sight. "Dang," he thought. He didn't want to go running after her, she's probably carrying pepper spray. But he was thankful for the memory.

So he headed over to the dairy section to get some eggs, milk and margarine and as he rounded the corner, there she was again. "Oh come on!" he thought, because she was bent over from the waist, apparently trying to read something on the shelf. The sight of her in that position brought fantasies to mind in him.

The thought struck him that it was only about 5 or 6 pm on a Wednesday, why would she be dressed like this? Hooker? Maybe. Stripper? Well, she certainly has the body and appearance for it! Needing some attention? "Oh man," Pete thought, "is she getting it too!" He'd noticed that every guy in the aisle with him had stopped what he was doing to catch a peak at the curve of her nice ass as she was bent over.

The guy just a few feet ahead of him had his gaze stuck on her as the guys wife or girlfriend was grabbing a gallon of milk. Pete could swear he saw the man cower after his wife punched him in the shoulder and shook her finger in his face when he got caught staring! Wow, how grown men can sulk when we get caught! It was so sad and so funny at the same time.

Pete's gaze was unobstructed as he noticed that she finally selected her item from the shelf she was bending over. Her cart was almost full. Soda pop, watermelon, beer, pre made salads, bread, even some chips and dips. A ha! Pete finally figured out why the outfit. She had to be heading to a party. No, no, no. She was throwing a party! That had to be it.

The pretty girl, turned her cart around and Pete saw all the staring men fumble around to appear they were doing something other than lust after her. Everyone except Pete that was. "Mr. Wolf, it's nice to see you again!" as she pushed her, soon to be overloaded. cart towards him.

Pete finally had his opportunity to say something, "Big party tonight?"

"No, not really, just summer stuff, you never know when company might show up this time of year," she pulled along side his cart and stopped.

Pete looked down, and without moving his head up much, only moving his eyes he said, "I have to tell you, you look terrific."

She thanked him, smiled and extended her manicured hand, "I'm Amanda."

He grabbed her hand and shook it saying, "I'm Pete. Look, I'm sorry for all the staring, but I just couldn't help myself. It's not too often someone looking like you is in this store when I'm here. I really should be ashamed of myself, but you're a beautiful girl, and someone needed to tell you, I guess fate picked me for the job."

"Are you married?" she asked.

"No. Got engaged once, but that pretty much ruined the relationship back then," he said.

She laughed, "I can relate to that!"

"Look Mandy. . ."

". . . Amanda. . ."

"Right . . . Amanda, I'd ask you for your number if I thought I'd have a chance of getting it, but I better get a move on and also let you get back to shopping."

She reached into her purse that was on the child seat part of her shopping cart and extracted a business card, "This has my cell number on it."

Pete was surprised and accepted the card from her. He reached into his shirt pocket and extracted a metal folding business card holder and gave her one of his as well, "This is my card, with my cell number too!" He paused for a second and finished with, "I'll give you a call sometime, or you can call me if you want."

"You keep looking at my legs, is there anything wrong?"

"Nope." The cords on his neck tightened and he said, "They're probably a set of the best looking legs I've ever seen. They're pretty hard to ignore."

"You're sweet," she said. "I'll talk to you later," and she pushed her cart away.

Pete said, "Bye." He let out a big exhale and said, "Wow!" quietly to himself.

One of the guys in the dairy aisle came over by Pete and said, "Lucky bum," as he passed. That brought a big smile to his face and right then Pete made a decision to go trade in the packages of bologna for some ham instead! This could be the beginning of something great! Ham sandwiches to celebrate!

*****

It was 7 pm and Chicago had already lost. The cable sports channel was going through the games already played for the day before the Los Angeles and St. Louis game began. The ham sandwiches were made, each with a slice of cheddar, a little bit of mustard, some salad dressing, Pete thought mayonnaise was too bland, and to give the sandwiches a little lilt he had sprinkled some dill weed on both of them.

Pete never was that fond of beer, and really wondered what people saw in wine. For him, his drink of choice was the forbidden and frowned upon. . . diet cola in a glass with some ice, needless to say, Pete was never accused of being one who lived on the edge. He poured the fizzing drink from the two liter bottle and waited a couple of seconds for the foam to go down before he finished filling the tall tumbler. Pete did draw the line at using straws. He never used them at restaurants, so he wasn't one to use them at home either.

Pete got up, just before the game began, and headed back to the kitchen. He took his plate of sandwiches with him and sliced them in half diagonally. Grabbed a bag of barbecue flavored potato chips and headed back in front of his television. The announcers were just listing the lineup for St. Louis since they were visiting L.A. and obviously batting first. Seems the regular starting pitcher for L.A. was scratched from his start and a flame-throwing kid from Triple-A had been called up and is getting his first major league start. Well, now's a good time to get the kids feet wet since it was just after the All-Star Break and both teams were in first place of their respective divisions.

The first pitch was "high and tight," ball one, oh and clocked at 98 mph. Pete thought that the kid had balls to go at the St. Louis leadoff hitter like that with his first pitch.

A bite into the sandwich and of course his cell phone started to ring. He put his plate down, reached for his phone and looked at the number. The number isn't someone he knows, but it did look familiar. He grabbed his remote and muted his TV and answered his phone almost simultaneously. A split second later, and half of the bite was finally swallowed. He said, "Hefflow," between the food and his phone.

"Hello. . . Is this Pete?" a female voice asks from the other side.

Another second or two passed as he tried to get the rest of his bite down, "Sorry, I had some food in my mouth. Yes, this is Pete. Who's this?"

"This is Amanda, we met at the store today."

Without even thinking, Pete sat up straight and cleaned his mouth with his hands and wiped it on his couch cushions. "Hi Amanda! I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."

"I'm standing here in my new home and have nothing to really do tonight," she explained. "So, would you like to come over, or go see a movie or something?"

Pete finally had all the bits of food from his mouth swallowed, "Sure, is there anything in the theaters you wanted to see?"

"No, but I'm sure we can find something," she said.

Pete had gotten up from his couch and gone to his computer. After clicking on the links that take him to the local movie theaters he said to her, "Looks like a spy action drama starts in about an hour, everything else starts a couple of hours after that."

"Okay, spy flick it is!" Amanda gave him her address. He discovered she didn't live far from him at all and considering the size of Driftwood, that isn't too surprising.

"I'll jump in the shower and see you in about 45 minutes," he said.

"I'll be waiting," and she closed the connection.

*****

After the movie let out, Pete pulled into her driveway alongside her Mustang and asked, "Can I park here for a little bit?"

"You can park here as long as you like. But, what I want to know is this," she smiled brightly. "Why, in the world did we pick that movie to go see?"

Pete sat back in his seat abruptly, laughed a little and said, "I don't know! But if they gave movie awards for the most plot holes, I think I know who'd win the category."

"Okay, let me get this straight," she said. "Our hero is crawling through a duct system and falls through a vent. We see him holding on for dear life. They cut away to his partner who's electronically leading him to where he needs to go. She gets interrupted and she drop kicks the security guy. Then we go back to our fearless hero and he's walking around equipment? What? Don't they think we'd like to know how he got there?"

Pete shook his head and said, "It was real crap. But you know what, when the movie was starting to get to me, I just started to look at you, I had a great time doing that. And, might I say, black is a great color for you! What you had on today at the store and what you have on right now, you're gorgeous!"

She looked down at her feet on the floor board of his car and said, "Thank you, you're embarrassing me."

"You have no reason to be embarrassed. And one other thing. I'm so glad to see long red nails coming back. They've been gone too long."

"Would you like to come in?" she asked with a smile and raised eyebrows.

"Sure." Pete opened his door and for the first time recognized the house and address as the one detectives Clark and Jones were investigating. He walked around and opened her door for her. She took his hand as she steadied herself in her black stiletto heels. He remotely locked his car and set the alarm as they walked hand in hand to her front door. She stepped up to the front porch while Pete stayed on the walkway by her. Amanda unlocked the door, stepped inside and extended her hand to him, inviting him in the rest of the way. Once he was through the doorway, she flipped on the hallway light and closed and locked the door behind him. "Pete?"