Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Bud stopped the car and stepped out before crossing around to open my grandmother’s door. I jumped out and noted what looked like lovely holly bushes against the whole front side of the home.
We walked along the freshly shoveled walk to the stark-white front door that held an adorable heart-shaped pink decoration where a wreath would be at Christmastime.
My grandmother rang the bell. The door opened, and a woman who appeared to be in her late fifties stood there, a good foot taller than me. I don’t know why, but I expected Camille to be around my height, or at least petite, considering Lenny couldn’t have been more than five-and-a-half feet tall.
“Elda Albertini,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “My goodness, come in. What are you wearing?”
“It’s my work outfit,” Nonna said, taking the woman’s hand. “We’re so sorry to bother you like this.”
“Oh, no, not at all.”
Nonna turned. “Anna, this is Camille. Camille, this is my granddaughter, Anna Albertini.” We shook hands.
Camille had curly blondish-gray hair piled on the top of her head and light-green eyes. Her skin was surprisingly smooth, and when she smiled, not much of her face moved. My guess was Botox. But her eyes twinkled. “I have seen you featured in the paper quite a bit, Anna. It’s nice to meet you in person.”
I grinned. “Yes. For some reason, I get covered a lot.”
“Please, come in,” she said.
Nonna swept inside. “This is Officer Bud Orlov.”
“Hello, Officer.” Camille shook his hand. “I hope I’m not in trouble.”
As a pretty tall guy, Bud stood eye-to-eye with the woman. “No, ma’am. I’m just trying to keep Anna out of the paper.”
“Sounds like a full-time job,” she said, smiling.
He nodded, apparently warming to the woman. I decided to act like an adult and not roll my eyes.
Camille ushered us all inside a quaint living room with upholstered furniture with light pink flowers. “Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything?” she asked.
“Oh, no, no. We’re good. We’re here on business,” Nonna said, sitting.
Bud waited until both Camille and I sat before taking a chair by the door. I sat on the sofa near Nonna.
“We’re here to talk to you about Lenny. I’m so very sorry for your loss,” Nonna said.
Camille sighed and put her hands in her lap. “Thank you. He was a nice guy. I don’t know what he was doing, robbing people so he could buy me jewelry. Honestly, I did not see a future. We were just having fun.”
“I understand,” Nonna said.
“You know, those guys hit fifty or sixty years old, they take the blue pills, and they can go all night,” Camille said.
I coughed, and Bud shifted his weight uneasily.
Camille leaned forward as if telling a big secret. “There’s something about being much taller than a guy. They work so hard for it.”
I tried not to gulp, and I noticed Bud looking anywhere but at Camille.
Nonna nodded wisely. “So I’ve heard. Anyway, we were wondering if you had any idea who was the head of their gang?”
“I don’t,” Camille said. “I’ve talked to the police several times. First after Lenny was killed, and then after Saul was murdered. He was a decent guy, too. They just wanted to make some extra money. I assume they found it somewhat romantic to act like Cupids and give the riches away to the poor.”
Nonna whipped off her glasses, her brown eyes sparking. “They kept plenty of it.”
Camille nodded. “I read that in the paper. Maybe Lenny and Saul were looking for adventure, or they just needed some extra cash. But I truly have no idea why they decided to rob people. Then that Cupid started actually shooting people with arrows.” She looked at me. “I’m so very sorry you were hurt. Lenny never would have wanted that.”
“I know,” I said. “We were trying to get to safety when it happened. I’m truly sorry you lost him.”
“He was a good friend,” she said, winking at Bud. “You’re cute.”
Bud turned the color of my Nana O’Shea’s crimson damask curtains. “Thank you.”
Camille brushed a curl away from her cheek. “Are you dating anybody?”
“I’m married,” he said instantly. “Very, very, very happily.”
That wasn’t true, but I wouldn’t contradict him.
“If it doesn’t work out, you should give me a call.” Camille winked. “I like standing eye-to-eye with a man. You know what I mean?”
I’m not sure any of us knew exactly what she meant. But I tried to save Bud when he made a choking sound. “Lenny never told you anything about his friends, the other two robbers?”
“No.” Camille reached for a framed photograph of the two of them with coolie cups in their hands. It looked like it had been taken down by the river in the summer. “He seemed to have a lot of friends, but nobody I would expect to rob people around town. From the description of the ringleader, I just can’t think of anybody. Rumor has it he was tall and fit like you.” She looked at Bud again.