Free Dhampir Love by Shirlee Lewis

read,
     
                                  ‘ Grand Opening April 1st’ 
     
         Inside, Tony took me to the first exam room.  The IV stands were put together upside down.  I laughed.  “Did you do this?”
         Tony shrugged his shoulders.  “I tried.”
         After we took the stands apart and put them together the right way, it was time to head back home.  Tony stopped by the post office and purchased enough stamps for the envelopes.  Arriving home the lights were off and I breathed a sigh of relief.  Hopefully, Mildred didn’t want to come back while we were gone knowing I had caught her sneaking to the house.
         Tony and I sat at the table putting the stamps on the envelopes, and then Tony took them to the post office.  “Be back in a bit,” Tony said.  “I’m going to mail these.”
         “Okay, I’ll start getting the suitcases ready for the trip.” 
         The suitcases were sitting in the rafters of the garage.  Looking around for a ladder, I saw it leaning against Tony’s refrigerator.   Making sure the ladder was sturdy I climbed up.  Dropping my suitcase to the floor, I started to get Tony’s which happened to be out of reach.  Grabbing onto the rafter, I leaned to get the handle when the ladder fell to the floor leaving me dangling.  I had moved Tony’s suitcase enough for it to fall to the floor.  Looking around, I was about three feet from my Mercedes.  Shimming myself over to my car, I let go of the rafter and dropped.  Picking up the ladder, I put it back beside the refrigerator and took the suitcases into the house. Opening the back door, I noticed Mildred leaving the front porch.  Setting the suitcases inside the kitchen door, I went to the front door.  Mildred was looking at a piece of paper going back to her house.  My curiosity about her was building.  What could she be up too?  Why was she always snooping around my house?  Mildred folded the paper and put it in her pocket.  Maybe she needed to show me something and I was in the garage.  Shrugging it off, I dusted off the suitcases, and took them to the bedroom to start packing.
         I knew Tony was home when I heard the car door slam.  “Sweetie, I’m home,” Tony called from the living room.
          “Okay, I’m in the bedroom packing.”
         I heard Tony shuffling through some papers.  “Jess, sweetie,” Tony called.   “I had a paper laying here on the counter with the flight information.  Have you seen or moved it?”
         “No, I haven’t,” I called from the bedroom.  Of course, Mildred came to mind.
         “I’ll call the airline and hopefully they can give me the information again.”
         Thinking about the piece of paper I saw Mildred with, I wondered if it was the flight information.  Surely she wasn’t in the house when I was in the garage, but I did see her on the porch.  I didn’t say anything to Tony because I wasn’t sure.   I went back to work on getting my suitcase packed, so I could help Tony pack.  With both suitcases packed, I went to get a drink and sit on the front porch.  Looking over at Mildred’s, I wondered about the paper I saw her with and putting in her pocket.  Was it the flight information?  Thinking back, I didn’t think I was in the garage long enough for her to get it. 
     
         Today Tony and I would be leaving for England.  I called the police department to talk with Detective Sean.  Tony was busy getting the suitcases in the car.
         “Police Department,” the dispatcher said.
         “May I speak with Detective Sean, its Jessica Pearl?”
          “Hold please.”
          “Jess, what can I do for you?” Detective Sean asked when he came on the line.
          “I called to let you know Tony and I are leaving for England today.”
         “Hank will patrol your house while you are gone.”
         “Thank you.  I