Path To Revenge
Chapter Five
Nick was waiting outside of Jake’s in Del Mar when Ana pulled up in her old model 911s Porsche. The dark brown Porsche was the perfect backdrop for her olive complexion and luscious, long dark hair. Nick was still wondering how he got so lucky. Nick beat the valet to open her door. “M’lady, welcome to Jake’s, the purveyor of fine food and exquisite liquors.”
“Thank you my gallant, mystery man of many talents. I could use a stiff drink. Getting up to speed at work after our Hawaiian hiatus is a bitch.” Nick escorted Ana inside and they sat at their favorite spot at the bar that had a view of the ocean. Rico approached.
“Nick, what can I get you?
“A double Myers and tonic, with a slice of lime in celebration of the first drink you served me in the company of Ana over a year ago.”
“You got it. What about you Ana?”
“I’ll have the same as the romantic old man with an excellent memory.”
Nick and Ana nursed their drinks, settling in. Nick could not keep his hand out of the peanut bowl. Finally, Ana moved it away from him.
“We finally made it to old couple status— you’re moving my source of sustenance away from me.”
“Whoa big guy. Old couple status is way off considering you’re still married to Judy. I know you two have been separated a couple of years,
but there’s room for only one old couple in everyone’s life.”
“I know it’s been hard for you. The last two years were filled with the investigation and trial.”
“They were good times—I only got shot at twice and took two bullets.”
“Both of those times felt like my life was ending. Let’s focus not on just the good times, but the great times. On Maui, I never got tired of
looking at your comely backside while you were on our balcony following the exercises of the yoga instructor on the lawn below.”
“Maybe if you got out of bed to do the exercises with me, I wouldn’t have such healthy love handles to hold onto.”
“I thought you loved my love handles.”
“I’m fond of them, but I’m more attracted to the idea that you’ll be around for a long time. At least until I’m eligible for Medicare.”
“You have 30 years until that. Let’s see, that would put me at about 85. Don’t think it will happen. We better make the most of life now. How about going back to your condo?”
Nick had his eyes closed, leaning back in Ana’s hot tub, feeling the sea breeze against his face.
“This feels so good. I haven’t been this relaxed since Hawaii.”
“I’ve noticed since we got back from Hawaii, you’ve been tense, distracted. What’s going on?”
“I didn’t want to burden you. Pepe found out that the DA’s Office is going to seek a murder indictment against me for killing Luis. An elderly lady, a couple of buildings down, stated she saw the shooting and Luis had his hands up with no gun.”
“What!? That’s crazy. He pulled a gun on you and you had to shoot him. A gun was found on the ground by his hand. There has to be more to this.”
“The DDA handling the case and I have a history. We never got along.”
“We have to do something. Get him off the case. Can’t AG Hamilton put a word in. He has been taking all the credit for your trial, even the shooting. You’d think it was he who pulled the trigger.”
“Hamilton goes the way the current political winds blow. He almost fired me twice. He’s probably happy that I’m facing an indictment. I really don’t want to talk about it. It spoils the evening’s ambience.”
“We’re going to talk about this later. I want to speak to Pepe too. But speaking of changing the ambience, I have a surprise for you.”x`
Ana got out of the hot tub—water dripping off her. Nick could not keep his eyes off her. There was not even a whiff of being self-conscious about her naked body. A woman completely comfortable in her own skin. To Nick’s dismay, she put on a robe after drying off. “I’ll be right back. I’ve a surprise for you in the second bedroom.”
“You already surprised me tonight with your passion in the master bedroom. It was like we hadn’t been together for months.”
“It sometimes feels like it—you have been so distant the last few weeks. Now I know why. My surprise will help.”
Nick wondered what it could be. A case of Jack Daniels? That would make him happy, but Ana frowned on excessive drinking. Anyway, Nick didn’t feel like drinking that much when Ana was around. A gift certificate to In-N-Out Burger would be nice—nothing like comfort food. A couple of minutes later, Ana came back out on the patio, with something trailing behind her. Something on a leash. A dog!
“What are you doing? A dog? I don’t want a dog. I have enough responsibility with my tropical fish.”
“You mean those 30 Dalmatian Mollies that you have to feed flakes to twice a day, whether you want to or not? There’s room in your life for a dog. He’ll cheer you up. Take your mind off things. He’s a great dog, a labradoodle. He’s hypoallergenic, doesn’t shed much, is house trained, and is only two-years old. I got him from a dog rescue organization. If you really don’t get along, they’ll take him back.”
“Well…I could give it a try as long as they’ll take him back. What’s his name?”
“That’s up to you.”
“Here Snickers. It’s short for snickerdoodle, my favorite cinnamon sugar cookie.”
“We’re home my cinnamon-colored dog. How do you like your new digs? You have to share it with my tropical fish. There’s only one rule in this apartment—don’t get into the tropical fish tank. I know the apartment isn’t much—off-white walls, some posters, Ikea furniture. But, I’ve a great stereo system. I hope you like jazz.”
Nick put on Miles Davis down low and climbed into bed. Snickers jumped up. Nick pushed him away, and in his command voice said, “Stay off.” Nick woke in the middle of the night. He felt something warm near his feet. He didn’t bother to kick Snickers off.
Path To Revenge
Chapter Five
Nick was waiting outside of Jake’s in Del Mar when Ana pulled up in her old model 911s Porsche. The dark brown Porsche was the perfect backdrop for her olive complexion and luscious, long dark hair. Nick was still wondering how he got so lucky. Nick beat the valet to open her door. “M’lady, welcome to Jake’s, the purveyor of fine food and exquisite liquors.”
“Thank you my gallant, mystery man of many talents. I could use a stiff drink. Getting up to speed at work after our Hawaiian hiatus is a bitch.” Nick escorted Ana inside and they sat at their favorite spot at the bar that had a view of the ocean. Rico approached.
“Nick, what can I get you?
“A double Myers and tonic, with a slice of lime in celebration of the first drink you served me in the company of Ana over a year ago.”
“You got it. What about you Ana?”
“I’ll have the same as the romantic old man with an excellent memory.”
Nick and Ana nursed their drinks, settling in. Nick could not keep his hand out of the peanut bowl. Finally, Ana moved it away from him.
“We finally made it to old couple status— you’re moving my source of sustenance away from me.”
“Whoa big guy. Old couple status is way off considering you’re still married to Judy. I know you two have been separated a couple of years,
but there’s room for only one old couple in everyone’s life.”
“I know it’s been hard for you. The last two years were filled with the investigation and trial.”
“They were good times—I only got shot at twice and took two bullets.”
“Both of those times felt like my life was ending. Let’s focus not on just the good times, but the great times. On Maui, I never got tired of
looking at your comely backside while you were on our balcony following the exercises of the yoga instructor on the lawn below.”
“Maybe if you got out of bed to do the exercises with me, I wouldn’t have such healthy love handles to hold onto.”
“I thought you loved my love handles.”
“I’m fond of them, but I’m more attracted to the idea that you’ll be around for a long time. At least until I’m eligible for Medicare.”
“You have 30 years until that. Let’s see, that would put me at about 85. Don’t think it will happen. We better make the most of life now. How about going back to your condo?”
Nick had his eyes closed, leaning back in Ana’s hot tub, feeling the sea breeze against his face.
“This feels so good. I haven’t been this relaxed since Hawaii.”
“I’ve noticed since we got back from Hawaii, you’ve been tense, distracted. What’s going on?”
“I didn’t want to burden you. Pepe found out that the DA’s Office is going to seek a murder indictment against me for killing Luis. An elderly lady, a couple of buildings down, stated she saw the shooting and Luis had his hands up with no gun.”
“What!? That’s crazy. He pulled a gun on you and you had to shoot him. A gun was found on the ground by his hand. There has to be more to this.”
“The DDA handling the case and I have a history. We never got along.”
“We have to do something. Get him off the case. Can’t AG Hamilton put a word in. He has been taking all the credit for your trial, even the shooting. You’d think it was he who pulled the trigger.”
“Hamilton goes the way the current political winds blow. He almost fired me twice. He’s probably happy that I’m facing an indictment. I really don’t want to talk about it. It spoils the evening’s ambience.”
“We’re going to talk about this later. I want to speak to Pepe too. But speaking of changing the ambience, I have a surprise for you.”x`
Ana got out of the hot tub—water dripping off her. Nick could not keep his eyes off her. There was not even a whiff of being self-conscious about her naked body. A woman completely comfortable in her own skin. To Nick’s dismay, she put on a robe after drying off. “I’ll be right back. I’ve a surprise for you in the second bedroom.”
“You already surprised me tonight with your passion in the master bedroom. It was like we hadn’t been together for months.”
“It sometimes feels like it—you have been so distant the last few weeks. Now I know why. My surprise will help.”
Nick wondered what it could be. A case of Jack Daniels? That would make him happy, but Ana frowned on excessive drinking. Anyway, Nick didn’t feel like drinking that much when Ana was around. A gift certificate to In-N-Out Burger would be nice—nothing like comfort food. A couple of minutes later, Ana came back out on the patio, with something trailing behind her. Something on a leash. A dog!
“What are you doing? A dog? I don’t want a dog. I have enough responsibility with my tropical fish.”
“You mean those 30 Dalmatian Mollies that you have to feed flakes to twice a day, whether you want to or not? There’s room in your life for a dog. He’ll cheer you up. Take your mind off things. He’s a great dog, a labradoodle. He’s hypoallergenic, doesn’t shed much, is house trained, and is only two-years old. I got him from a dog rescue organization. If you really don’t get along, they’ll take him back.”
“Well…I could give it a try as long as they’ll take him back. What’s his name?”
“That’s up to you.”
“Here Snickers. It’s short for snickerdoodle, my favorite cinnamon sugar cookie.”
“We’re home my cinnamon-colored dog. How do you like your new digs? You have to share it with my tropical fish. There’s only one rule in this apartment—don’t get into the tropical fish tank. I know the apartment isn’t much—off-white walls, some posters, Ikea furniture. But, I’ve a great stereo system. I hope you like jazz.”
Nick put on Miles Davis down low and climbed into bed. Snickers jumped up. Nick pushed him away, and in his command voice said, “Stay off.” Nick woke in the middle of the night. He felt something warm near his feet. He didn’t bother to kick Snickers off.