QB1 (4 page)

“Well, can you come for dinner? We’ll put out
a spread for you.” I said I’d try and we talked for an hour before
some customers started coming in. I told them I’d call tomorrow and
confirm. Uncle Billy also gave me a mixed case of wine and wouldn’t
accept any money for it. There were kisses all around and I said
goodbye.

I drove to downtown Sonoma. Put on a Giants
cap and sunglasses and strolled around the antique, galleries and
specialty food shops. Walked into a cheese shop and bought some
salami and cheese. I watched three guys making cheese in big vats
out back. I strolled down to Sebastiani Winery and did a quick tour
and tasted their wines. Bought a couple of bottles. I walked back
to the car and decided to go into my favorite wine bar on the
corner. I sat down at the bar and ordered a glass of Zinfandel. Big
alcohol, big fruit, I love Zins. I looked over at a copy of the
Santa Rosa newspaper sitting in a pile. I could see a picture of
Roger holding up his hands, with a picture of Hinton beside it on
the front page. Butcher Killer Slain read the headline. I grabbed
the paper and opened it to page two to see a picture of me from my
cop days.

I looked around and there was hardly anyone
in the place. It was only 3:30. I spotted the piano and asked the
bartender if I could play it.

“We only have one requirement; you got to be
able to play it.” We both laughed and I took my glass over. I’m not
very good at the piano. I’m a guitarist. I use to be in a band when
I was high school and college. I dabble at the piano, but there is
one song I do play. I played and sang Crocodile Rock by Elton
John.

“I remember when rock was young; me and Susie
had so much fun.” The few people in the bar clapped when I
finished. And then, a beautiful woman sat down on the stool beside
me. Blond, blue eyed, freckles, just pretty much a knock out.

“Pretty good,” she said. “What else don’t you
know?” We both laughed. Perfect teeth.

“That’s pretty much the repertoire,” I said.
“Maybe a little blues?”

“Oh good, you play the chords and I’ll play
the bass line,” and we played. The moment we started I saw I was
way outclassed. The bass line carried the song but it sounded
great.

At the end, I scooted over and said, “Now
you. You’re the piano player.” She thought for a second and played
“Walking in Memphis.” She played and sang it flawlessly to a big
ovation, well at least to the half a dozen people in the bar.
“Where did you come from? I didn’t see you sitting here.”

“I heard you playing from outside and decided
to poke my head in.”

“You must be a professional. You’re
fantastic.”

“I’ve played some professionally. I use to
entertain on a cruise ship.”

I held out my hand and said, "I’m Tom
Mullins."

She said, “Oh wow, I thought you were Ray
Charles.” I still had my sunglasses on. We laughed as I took them
off. “I’m Liz McNulty, and we shook hands.”

“Can I buy you a drink, Liz McNulty?”

“I could probably force one down. What are
you drinking?

“A really good Zin,” I said.

“I’ll have what you’re having. You going to
play something else?" she asked.

“No, I suck. Please play something else.” I
ordered a couple of glasses and she played, “I’ll Always Love You”.
It was better than having Whitney Houston in the room. I was
floored. She got a standing ovation from the crowd.

I believe I fell in love with her at that
moment.

She acknowledged the people in the bar and
grabbed her glass and my hand and said, “Show’s over. Let’s go sit
down.” I laughed and toasted the people in the bar. Picked up my
glass and we found a table in a corner.

“Wow, you’re something special, Ms.
McNulty.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, Mr.
Mullins.”

“Forget about it,” giving it the Sopranos
lilt. “So, no more cruise ship entertaining?”

“I don’t think so. I’m working on a recording
project now, doing house music with a partner. I’m excited about
it. We’ve gotten a lot of positive reaction to it. We’ll see.”

“So what brings you to Sonoma on a Friday
afternoon?”

“Oh, I just needed a change of scenery. I’ve
never been here before. I read about the Sonoma Mission Inn and
wanted to indulge myself for a couple of days.”

“Where you from,” I asked?

“I grew up in Mission Viejo. Went to UCLA and
then lived on cruise ships for the last two years. And you?”

“I live in San Francisco on Ocean Beach,
about halfway between the Zoo and the Cliff house.”

“Isn’t it really foggy there?” she asked.

“Yea, I love it. I’ve lived in the same house
all my life, across the street from the beach. I surf. Run along
the beach. I just can’t imagine living anywhere else. My father
actually gave me the house before he died a couple of years
ago.”

“I’m sorry. That’s a nice thing to do for a
son.”

“He was a great Dad. He was always there for
me. He raised me alone when my Mom died when I was eight. And he
left me financially secure for the rest of my life when he died. I
have a lot to live up to be as good as he was.”

“We’re both orphans, she said and smiled. You
have any brothers and sisters?”

“No, I was a late life surprise for my
parents. They had given up trying to have kids. My Mom was 44 when
I was born.”

“Wow, that must have been a surprise. You
don’t hear about that happening very often.” We finished our
glasses of wine.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

“Yea, I am. I just had fruit and yogurt for
breakfast. What did you have in mind?”

“Well there are half a dozen good restaurants
around the square. I bought some food for the weekend. We could
have a picnic.” I hesitated. “Or, we could go up to the house where
I’m staying and cook something on the grill. I’m a good cook and
the place has an incredible view.”

She raised her eyebrows. “How do I know
you’re not going to rape and dismember me?”

“I don’t do that on the first date. Besides,
they caught that guy.”

She smiled. “What do you have to grill?”

“We can stop at Safeway, maybe get some
salmon or steak and some veggies, salad.”

“Got any wine?”

“I stopped at my Uncle’s place and got a case
earlier. He owns a winery.”

“How about some Rombaurer Chardonnay? It’s my
favorite.”

“We’ll pick up a bottle at Safeway.”

So, we left and she followed me to the store
and then up to Scott’s house. I found the key and we went in.
Scott’s house does have a spectacular view and the sun was setting
over the Sonoma Valley. The sun was setting over the fields of
vines below us. “Wow, this is beautiful,” she said. I got out some
cheese and bread and poured a couple of glasses of wine. We sat on
lounge chairs soaking in the view and the wine. “Was this a set
up?” she said. “Were you stalking me?”

“Damn it! You saw through my ruse.”

“I just hope you’re not a liar. She looked at
me. You better be able to cook.” I laughed.

“You’ll see. I can cook better than I can
play the piano.”

“I hope so,” she laughed.

“Oh, that hurts.”

“Is the hot tub hot?” she asked.

“Should be, he’s got it on solar panels.” I
got up and took the cover off the tub and saw the steam rise.
“Looks like it.” I fired up the gas grill and went in to spice the
salmon fillets and assemble the salad. When I came back out again
her clothes were on her chair and she was in the hot tub. I said,
“I’m sorry this is not a clothing optional establishment.”

“Too bad, don’t look, prude.” We both
laughed.

“A little rosemary and olive oil on your
salmon?” as I put the fillets on the grill.

“Sure, that’s a good sign you may know what
you’re doing.” She leaned back in the tub resting her head on the
side.”

“This is pretty close to perfect; hot tub at
a perfect temperature, incredible view and a man doing the cooking.
Can you hand me my wine?” I retrieved her glass and handed it to
her.

“What are you looking at,” she said as I
handed it to her.

“The bubbles,” I said as the water jets
obscured everything below her bare shoulders. She looked
unbelievably sexy. I sipped my wine and fed her a piece of cheese.
“You got about 5 minutes till dinner, girl.”

“I guess I’ll need a towel,” she said.

“Well, you’re going to have to get it
yourself. I’m sick of waiting on you,” as I sat down and stared at
her. We both laughed. “Jesus, my work is never done,” as I stood
up, walked over to the grill, flipped the salmon and went looking
for a towel.

She came to the table in just the large beach
towel knotted around her. I placed the dish in front of her. I had
placed a small flower on the plate as garnish with the salad and
salmon. “Oh, is the flower edible?” she asked.

“Yea, it’s an aphrodisiac.”

“Really?”

“No,” I said dismissively, chuckling. “It’s
just the flowering part of the rosemary.”

“You’re a wiseguy,” she said taking a bite of
her fish, “Ummm good.” She pulled my head over to her, kissed me on
the mouth and said, “in fact, it’s delicious.”

Dinner didn’t last long. About half way
through she was sitting on my lap. The towel fell away and we moved
quickly to a bedroom. Kissing, licking, passion I hadn’t
experienced in a long time. When it was over, it started again and
then again. Darkness fell over the room and after the intense play
and a lot of wine, we slept.

I was out cold, just exhausted. Later, from
somewhere deep in a dreamland, I heard someone talking. As I
listened and tried to understand what he was saying I realized I
knew this person. It was my attorney. I lifted open an eye and saw
an answering machine beside the bed. I picked up the phone and said
hello.

“Tom, is that you?”

“Yea, what’s up, Dominic? I turned my phone
off.”

“I’ve been trying to get you all day, Tom.
There is a lot going down.”

“Listen Tom, are you near a TV? Roger is
about to go on Jay Leno.”

I sat straight up in bed. “What the
fuck?”

“Early this afternoon, offers started coming
in for TV appearances. NBC put $100,000 on the table for exclusive
rights for Roger to tell his story. There are options for
additional opportunities that if this goes well might earn him a
lot more. NBC flew him and his family down to Southern California
for taping. He’ll be on next, turn the TV on.”

“Holy shit! I’ll call you back.” I found the
remote for the TV at the end of the bed and turned it on. Found
Leno, just in time to hear him introduce America’s youngest private
detective and hero, Roger Goody. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Out
walked little curly red haired, freckled Roger in a black suit with
an open white shirt. He shook hands with Leno and sat down next to
him. His legs were far from the floor. He looked like a midget. The
TV audience laughed as he sat with a big smile just looking out at
the camera.

“Hello Mr. Leno,” he said in his squeaky
adenoidal voice. The crowd again laughed. I should mention here
that as much of huge pain the ass Roger is to me, people and
especially women, find this kid adorable. I don’t get it. I may be
a little too close to him to think of him as adorable.

“America’s youngest detective had a pretty
big week. Here you are on the front page of the Los Angeles Times,”
said Leno. The screen flashed to the picture of Roger holding up
his hands in front of the SWAT team from yesterday.

“Yea, that was a pee your pants moment,” he
said glancing away from the monitor. The crowd went nuts, laughing
and clapping. Roger flashing a big smile.

“Well, lets back up a little and tell us
about what happened,” said Leno.

“Okay, I work for a private investigation
company that is owned by next door neighbor Thomas Mullins.”

“What about school?”

“I’m home schooled and I take some college
classes in Math. I only work at the agency part time. Or at least
they only pay me part time.”

“And you do private investigation cases?”
asked Leno.

“I don’t have a license or anything, more
like work in the office and on the computer but sometimes I ride
with Mr. Mullins.”

“So what was going on in this Butcher
case?”

“Our agency was working on another case. We
were watching a man who we thought was guilty of another crime. Mr.
Mullins and I were observing this man yesterday and he was acting
very strangely. Yesterday while we were following him, he picked up
a woman…” Roger stops talking and looks over at Leno. He gets up,
stands on his seat and whispers into his ear.

“Ahhh,” says Leno, “allegedly a woman of ill
repute.”

“Exactly,” say Roger. The crowd laughs and
claps.

“Go on, Roger”.

“The man takes the woman back to his house
and we became very worried for the woman’s safety. Mr. Mullins told
me to stay in the vehicle and call the police while he went into
the house. While there he determined the woman was being attacked.
So he confronted the man.”

“You didn’t stay in the vehicle, did you
Roger?” said Leno.

Roger breaks into tears. “I was very worried
about Mr. Mullins. I went to the door and saw Mr. Mullins holding a
gun and the man holding a large knife against the throat of the
woman. Mr. Mullins said put the knife down. The man said a bad word
and said, “I’ll cut her head off”. Leno hands him a tissue and
Roger wipes his eyes.

“And what happened, Roger?” The crowd wasn’t
laughing now.

Mr. Mullins said, “I know.” Roger hesitated.
“And then he shot him.” He pointed to the center of his forehead,
“right here.” The TV audience went crazy.

“And this turned out to be the man who had
killed seven women in the Bay Area. What happened then, Roger?”

“Mr. Mullins leaned down to help the woman
and sent me out to let the police know it was over. The police were
already there and someone took my picture. I was surprised they got
there so soon.”