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He puffed hi in asto loom over me He expected me to back down Nearly everyone does He’s not a small man, and he’s loud and obnoxious Most people don’t want to antagonize him They seem to sense that he lives to doh couple of days And I ell and truly tired of Ron’s bullshit

"Eight fifteen Why?" He spit the words atin another huge lungful of air, preparatory to screa

I stepped directly in front of him "Dawna’s hours are nine to five It’s not nine She’s not on duty"

He opened his esture upward, re like that does not make you look i the facilities and the secretary’s time does not make you more important than the rest of the tenants, who pay just as e as you do It makes you a selfish, obnoxious prick" I hadn’t raised h to be conversational But that didn’t fool hiressive Anda half step back This time I let him keep it

"I have had two attempts made on my life in as many days I am tired and out of patience As a personal favor to me, Daent on her own time to the store so that I would not have tolike this Unfortunately, the clients arrived early But you will not berate her for not being here at your beck and call You will not, in fact, berate her for anything"

"Is that a threat?" he blustered, but I could smell the fear on him Fortunately, I’d already eaten My sto sure to flash plenty of fang "If I decide to threaten you, you’ll know it In the estion" The lisp was back, but oddly, I didn’t mind Not even a little

And that hen he finally took a good look at s But despite his obvious fear, he continued to bluster "How dare you!"

I was saved a response The front door opened and Bubba stepped in with ham and Bruno DeLuca

For a full ten seconds the world stopped I swear Right on its axis I stood there, staring at Bruno, the e

MyFor just a minute the rest of the world disappeared and it was just ed He was still five feet, eleven inches, of pure Italian studliness But there were touches of gray at his temples, and worry lines had appeared between his brows and at the corners of his hter sparking in his dark brown eyes Then again, there nearly alhen he sawrace "Celie?" My mother’s voice rose nearly an octave between the first and second syllables of my name "Oh my God, honey, what’s happened to you? You look like hell"

Everyone turned to stare--including Ron He sees for the first tiht, Graves You look … terrible Are those your pajae of the situation before things got any worse It didn’t see, but you never could tell "Yes, Ron I caas company wouldn’t let me back in the house" I turned to h couple of days Come by the office when you’re done with Bubba and I’ll drive you hoo join everybody else up in ular party in there" Okay, the sarcasm was a little overdone, but I couldn’t help ave esture, but it really did , I turned back to Ron He was still staring, his eyes too wide "Are you telling me the truth? Did somebody really try to kill you?"

"Yessss" I pointed at my mouth "Notice the teeth? I didn’t have them last week"

"Twice?"

"Yup"

"Why?" He seeh to even consider elied "Damned if I know But I intend to find out"

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