Page 47 of Paranoia

While I concentrated on flipping the eggs perfectly, so they were actually “over easy,” Juliana walked into the kitchen fully dressed.

“Where are you going so early?”

“Got a lot of work to do today and I want to meet with some people at school this morning to go over some class requirements. It may not be Ivy League, but City College is still a college. Don’t worry. Brian said he’d take the kids to school.”

“I can do it. Brian’s got a job. You guys have covered for me enough. And for the record, I think City College is a good school. A really good school. I’m proud that you go there.”

That earned me a weak smile from my oldest child. Without any more conversation, Juliana just said, “Bye.” And walked out the door. It all felt a little awkward. Then I tried to put it in context with her reaction to Trilling the previous night. I still didn’t get it completely, but I knew it had to do with him.

Just then the other kids started filing out of their bedrooms and moving like zombies toward the kitchen. I handed out plates with food randomly piled on. The twins both took plates out of my hand without acknowledging me in any way.

While everyone was eating, I slipped back into the bedroom and got dressed for work. Mary Catherine turned in bed and said, “Come lie down with me for a bit.”

“That’s the best offer I’ve heard in a long time. But I need to get the kids to school in a little while.”

“If that’s all I can get, I’ll take a little while.”

I sat, then stretched out on the bed next to my beautiful wife. Her tangle of golden hair shot through with glints of red made it look like she was a feral child. Of course I didn’t say that.

Mary Catherine said, “Any crises this morning?”

“Nothing really. Juliana shot out of here like a missile without eating or talking to anyone. I think it might have something to do with Rob and his date last night.”

Mary Catherine propped herself up on her elbow. “Really, Dr. Phil, that’s your analysis?”

“Why? Am I wrong?”

“No. You actually got it exactly right. Juliana has had a crush on Rob Trilling since the first day you brought him home.”

“Rob does attract pretty girls. Why do you think that is?”

“You think it might be because he’s good-looking, polite, smart, loves his family, and has a good job? Gee, that’s a tough one to figure out.”

I had to laugh at Mary Catherine’s sarcasm. She knew me better than anyone. And this was one of my blind spots. Especially when it related to my own children. Criminals and murderers were more in my comfort zone than relationships.

We chatted for a few moments. She kissed me lightly on the lips. That turned into a little more serious kiss. Before I knew it, I lost track of time until Eddie knocked on the bedroom door and said in a low voice, “Hey, Dad, we only have fifteen minutes to make it to school. Sister Sheilah will never let you forget it if we’re late again.”

I looked at Mary Catherine and said, “Duty calls.” I got the kids to Holy Name with almost a full thirty seconds to spare.

CHAPTER 68

I WAS SURPRISED to see Terri Hernandez huddled with Rob Trilling and Walter Jackson when I stepped through the office door. They sat at a table surrounded by desks that were rarely used. We called it the temporary duty area. That’s where detectives who were helping us could do their work. As I came closer to the trio, I realized this was not a social get-together. Instead of greeting them, I simply said, “What’s wrong?”

It was Terri Hernandez who turned to me and said, “Another drug dealer was killed.”

“Trilling said you thought it was a domestic. Did you learn something new?”

“That was Saturday night.Lastnight, a guy named Oscar Tass was murdered in his apartment. We even have the time of death narrowed down to a tiny window. He had his on-again, off-again girlfriend in the apartment. They had some kind of argumentand she left. When she came back less than twenty minutes later, Tass was on the floor with his neck slashed and almost a dozen stab wounds in his lower back. Someone who knew what they were doing didn’t want to take any risks with him surviving. Forensics hasn’t come up with any decent leads. It looks to me like it was a professional.”

Trilling added, “And Sunday night’s victim was friends with Saturday night’s victims.”

I eased into the chair at the next desk. “That also makes Saturday night’s shooting look more like a hit than a domestic.”

Terri said, “Exactly.”

I took a few minutes to fill Terri in on the investigations I had been working quietly for Celeste Cantor, with Trilling’s and Walter’s help.

Terri said, “I’ve also been trying to find another drug dealer—or, supposedly, former dealer—Trilling and I talked to last week. His name is Silbas. He’s not answering his calls and he wasn’t at home when I knocked on his apartment door. I think we should make an effort to find him. Or maybe he’s already been crossed off someone’s list.”

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