PS01 - Tall, Dark & Lonely (10 page)

living room waiting for you, Jill.” Grandma loved him as well. He made her job easier and who wouldn’t love that?

Grandma lowered her voice. “We have a surprise guest tonight.”

“Who?”

“Oh, you have no idea how happy I am that he’s eating with us. Listen, I know your special friend is coming over tonight, but I

need to sit him between you and Joshua. You two seem to irritate him less. I’ll sit your friend across from you which is more

proper for a dinner anyway.”

“Who
?”

A buzzer went off. “Oh, that’s my roast!” Grandma hurried down the hallway, leaving Madison to wonder. It had to be

Reverend Michaels. Grandma was constantly trying to get the man to stay for a meal. He was nice and she did enjoy talking

with him and Joshua loved playing chess with him. Hmm, having the Reverend here wouldn’t be bad. Candy was too much of a

coward to make a scene in front of him.

Joshua walked out of the living room fidgeting with the tie Grandma most likely made him wear. “You really should go in

there. It’s rude to make your friend wait for you.”

She froze. “He’s here? Why didn’t Grandma tell me?”

He shrugged. “Probably ‘cause I’m the one who let him in and she didn’t know.”

“Joshua, you are enough to drive me to drink.” She playfully pushed him on her way to the living room.

David sat on the couch, making conversation with Mrs. Adle, the resident widow. She was a sweet old woman who liked

nothing better than to talk about her grandchildren.

“Oh, look who’s here.” Mrs. Adle smiled in Madison’s direction.

David’s blue eyes lit up. He pushed his shoulder length blond hair back as he walked over to kiss her on the cheek. Madison

ignored Joshua’s gagging noise. “I’m sorry I didn't know that you were here yet.”

“It’s fine. I’ve had the pleasure of talking with Mrs. Adle so I can’t complain.” Mrs. Adle beamed. Madison ran her eyes

around the living room. The good Reverend wasn’t here yet and thankfully neither was Candy.

David didn’t know much about her. She really should have warned him, but she couldn’t force herself. This was a nice guy and

Candy would send him running for the hills. He was so old fashioned. He already told her he hated guys that went to strip

clubs. What would he think if he found out that her mother worked at one?

Grandma poked her head in. “Dinner is on the table.”

David gestured for her to lead. She walked into the large dining room. It was the second largest room in the house, the kitchen

was the first. It was custom designed for Grandma years ago when she decided to turn the house into a boarding house. The

table was long enough to sit sixteen.

“David, why don’t you sit here? Oh, and Madison you sit here.” Grandma gestured to the third seat away from the end where

she sat.

Madison stepped around the chair and was about to sit down when the chair was pushed in behind her, helping her scoot

forward. David was such a gentleman. She looked over her shoulder, smiling “Thank you,-" the last word caught in her throat

as she looked at the one man she hadn't expected.

Ephraim.

Chapter 5

“You’re welcome,” Ephraim said. He took the seat between her and Joshua. Joshua grinned hugely at Ephraim.

“I mashed the potatoes!” Joshua announced.

“Then I believe I shall have a double helping,” Ephraim said, making Joshua’s day.

Madison couldn’t help but notice David and Ephraim eyeing each other.

“Help yourselves, please,” Grandma said as she started passing the bowls of food around. That reminded Madison to make

introductions.

“Grandma, this is my friend David. David, this is my grandmother, Mrs. Buckman.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” David said smoothly.

“David, this is Ephraim.” David’s smile faltered a touch before he pulled it back.

Ephraim stood and extended his hand. “I reside here as well,” Ephraim explained. David noticeably relaxed.

“I’m sorry you probably won’t have the chance to meet my daughter Emma, Madison’s mother, she called and said she would

be delayed.”

Madison exhaled slowly and relaxed. “Are you okay?” Ephraim whispered.

“Yes,” she whispered back. David was talking with John, another renter, while he eyed Ephraim.

“You’ll have to introduce them sometime. It would be better if you just got it over with,” he whispered.

Annoyance shot through her. “Mind your business,” she hissed.

He chuckled softly as he loaded his plate with mashed potatoes and then handed them off. Ephraim looked at his plate and

sighed. The food looked good and smelled great he just hated what he would have to do later. If he didn’t force it from his

system it would just rot in his stomach. Damn he hated that part.

It couldn’t be avoided tonight. After what he heard her talk about tonight he couldn’t sit back. Curiosity was a bitch. It had him

running down the stairs before them to tell an excited Mrs. Buckman that he would like to join them for dinner tonight. She was

thrilled. He was impatient. He wanted to see the man that Madison had settled for.

So far he was not impressed. This guy seemed too conceited. He was hiding something, he was sure of it. Everything in him

was telling him this guy was full of shit. He just had to find out what it was. He was doing Madison a favor by finding out. She

obviously held off losing her virginity for a reason. If she lost it to this prick she wouldn’t be happy, he was sure of that. Only

thing to do was help her see it.

“So, David, what do you do exactly? Madison tells me you’re an expert of British history.” Mrs. Buckman started the

conversation rolling. He could kiss her.

“I’m an author. I’m currently writing a book covering nineteenth century England.” Meaning someone loved Ephraim. It was

fate that this guy chose the century he was born. Now he just had to use it to his advantage.

“How do you make a living if you’re writing a book?” Joshua asked. The boy was getting a bike for Christmas that’s all there

was to it.

David squirmed in his seat. “It doesn’t pay anything yet.”

“So, then what do you do to pay the bills?” Joshua asked. Forget the bike he was getting a go-cart.

“Joshua! That’s rude!” Mrs. Buckman, Madison and Jill said in unison. Ephraim had to fight a smile. This was fun. He should

do this more often.

David put his fork down and held up a hand. “It’s fine.” He smiled warmly at everyone. “I actually work in a book store in the

next town. I enjoy the work.”

“Oh,” Joshua sounded disappointed, making David squirm more. He really liked this kid. “So, do you have to live with your

parents then?”

Several of the other boarders coughed, trying to hide their chuckles. Mrs. Buckman looked embarrassed. “Joshua, you’re being

very rude tonight,” Madison said.

Joshua bit his lip and looked like he was about to cry. Ephraim took pity on the boy since he was doing his dirty work for him.

He put an arm around Joshua and gave him a quick squeeze. “The boy’s just making conversation. I would take it as a

compliment, Madison. He’s the man of the family.” Joshua sat up straighter with those words and puffed out his chest. “He’s

just trying to get to know David.” Ephraim shot David a smile. “You don’t mind do you? He doesn’t mean any harm after all.”

Not like Ephraim.

David gave them a tight smile. “No, of course not.” From that look Ephraim knew that David did not like him. Good. “To

answer your question I rent an apartment.” He looked straight at Ephraim when he spoke. “Most men over twenty live on their

own in apartments or own their own home.” He didn’t realize that he immediately lost any respect he might have earned from

the rest of the renters and from the looks of it Mrs. Buckman was not too happy with the comment. She viewed her renters as

friends.

It was up to Ephraim to save face for everyone, but then again he didn’t have to when Joshua was around. “That’s not true. John

is an excellent carpenter and he only lives here because his house burned down years ago and he likes it here and Brad,” he

pointed to the middle aged man between John and Jill’s boyfriend. “He lives here because he sends half his money to his sister

whose husband died. He could live on his own, but he doesn’t so that she can put food on the table for three kids,” he said

proudly. Brad winked at him.

Joshua jerked a thumb at Ephraim. “He’s a police detective. He likes living here. He doesn’t have to.”

“It’s okay, little man. He didn’t mean to offend anyone,” Ephraim said, but he knew that wasn’t true.

“No, I didn’t. I apologize if it sounded otherwise.” He looked apologetic. Everyone laughed it off and told him it was not a big

deal.

Everyone went back to chatting quietly while they ate. Madison ignored him and focused on David who kept throwing Ephraim

triumphant glances. The ass.

“What did they call police in England during the early nineteenth century?” Joshua asked. A peculiar question, Ephraim

thought. What was he up to? From the look Joshua threw him he was definitely up to something.

“They were called coppers, because they copped criminals,” David said arrogantly.

That did it. He couldn’t stop himself from laughing. Madison elbowed him in the ribs, but that only made him laugh harder.

“What’s so funny?” David asked him.

He stopped laughing, but kept smiling. “I’m sorry I thought you were joking.”

David looked pissed. “I was not.”

“Ephraim, do you know?” Joshua asked as he poured a gallon of gravy over his food.

He sighed. He did know.

“What was it like back then? Did they have the same setup we have with police and judges?”

David sat back, folding his arms across his chest arrogantly. “I’m interested in your opinion as well. Perhaps you learned

something in the police academy about the history of law enforcement that I would find useful.” Ah, a challenge.

“Well, they didn’t have police officers like they do today in the early nineteenth century.” David scoffed. Everyone ignored

him. They were all eager to hear what Ephraim had to say. He was known as a man of few words and he never spoke freely.

This was a treat for them.

“What did they have?” Mrs. Buckman asked. She was eager for him to talk as well.

“They had the tradition of Constables from early history, but it wasn't until the early 1800's when people realized that a police

force was needed. They weren't as organized or law focused as we are today. The men who would have done my job were

called Bow Street Runners and the police force were called Peelers or Bobbies in the 1820’s.”

“Cool!”

Ephraim chuckled at the boy's excitement. “It was considered a lower class job. Something looked down upon. They mostly

worked for private pay, but could expect a shilling or two from the government for public work. The men they answered to

were men who either bought a commission, meaning they paid for a position in the government or they earned it through

reputation. Those positions were government based.”

“They helped people then?” Joshua asked.

He sighed, “No, not really. The whole lot was rather corrupt.”

“And today’s police force isn't?” David asked.

Ephraim ignored him. He was focused on the woman by his left who was watching and waiting. “You have to understand

something, Joshua. Back then things were different. Nobility and money ran everything. They were above the law. The Bow

Street Runners, the group that made up the policing unit and the other government positions were only created to control the

masses and keep the nobility safe and happy. If a noble man broke the law it was only viewed as good gossip.”

“A nobleman, let’s say a Duke for instance could kill his wife and no one could do anything about it. It would just be talked

about. If that man had any children it might wreck their chances of making a good match, because a good family wouldn’t want

to be linked to such scandal.”

“That’s messed up,” Joshua said. “So, they protected the nobility?”

Ephraim nodded. “And those who could pay them. They were for hire. They mostly went after the poor or did duties of a

private detective. A rich household hired footmen to protect the property. They used the footmen to get their own justice.”

“Who protected the poor people?”

“No one. They were at the mercy of the magistrate and the government. If they were in some way hurt by the nobility there was

no real way to win. They could appeal to the magistrate, but the magistrate would always take the side of the nobleman. They

wouldn’t want to get on bad terms with someone of peer.”

“The peer?”

“Noblemen.”

“Oh. Did they have jails?”

Madison watched Ephraim’s hands clenched tightly on the table. “Something like that. The cells were small, overcrowded and

inhumane. Some of the smaller districts used dungeons from earlier times to keep criminals.”

“Cool!”

“What did they do to people in the dudgeons?”

Madison saw Ephraim’s hands shake before he dropped them onto his lap where they continued to shake. What was wrong

with him? She looked around, surprised to find that he had everyone’s undivided attention.

“The magistrate was a power onto himself. The further away from London the more powerful that man became. He had the