Post by Jordanna on Jan 30, 2006 19:38:28 GMT -5
"Don't wait up for me tonight, honey," said the resigned voice of Sidney Rosenstein over the telephone. "Looks like I'm gonna be late tonight. Paperwork again... you know."
Cradling a cordless telephone receiver on her shoulder, Caroline Rosenstein tucked in the covers around their youngest child, Caleb. "That's what you said last night. But it's not really that at all, is it?"
"Whadaya mean?"
"I talked to Tony earlier. He alluded he'd been around the club lately." Caroline bent down to kiss Caleb's forehead, then retreated from his bedroom and closed the door, allowing more of her emotions to seep into her voice. "You don't have to hide it from me if he's giving you problems, Sid."
A heavy sigh came over the line. "It ain't him, honey. Honest. There's just... some things I gotta think over." Sid abruptly changed tracks. "Didja set the alarm?"
"Yes, two hours ago." Caroline ducked into younger daughter Holly's room. The girl was already asleep, but her clothes and homework books were scattered over the floor. The mother's frown deepened as she bent to pick them up.
"Okay, then," Sid murmured awkwardly. "I'll... see you in the morning. I love you... Bye."
Caroline let out a huff as the stack of books slipped out of her arms. "Bye," she said in a low voice, and quickly hung up as Holly stirred on her bed.
As she regathered the books, Caroline felt a small pang of guilt for neglecting to say "I love you". In more than fifteen years of marriage, it was the first time she could remember failing to do so. A part of her felt a strange impulse to call him back, just to correct that little oversight, but she pushed it away. Her husband was a busy man, and lately he'd had a lot on his mind--much more than he would admit to her.
Although it hurt that he was holding something back from her, she couldn't help loving him for his reasons. He didn't want her to worry. It had always been that way; whenever she asked him about his concerns at the club, he would smile at her and say, "You just let me take care of business. Home is your department."
But the smile didn't come with that reply as often anymore, and that troubled her.
Consuela, the maid, had already retired for the night, and the children were settled in bed; the house was quiet. Caroline was lost in thought as she made her way downstairs and hung up the phone. Perhaps she would sit up and wait for Sid, although he had told her not to. Something seemed wrong in a way she couldn't explain, and she thought she would feel better if she just saw him and touched him.
"Good evening, Mrs. Rosenstein."
She turned with a start. A man was standing in the archway that led to the dining room--dark-haired, dark-eyed, rather bloodless-looking, with a long cape hanging over his misshapen back.
"Who are you?" Caroline asked, unable to conceal a faint tremor of unease beneath the indignance in her voice. "How did you get in here?"
"I apologize for the intrusion, madam, but it's all in the manner of business. Coming from such a family as yours, I'm sure you of all people can understand that." The man stepped forward slowly--and his gloved hands flexed at his sides, with a silent, unmistakable menace that caused Caroline to back away in horror.
"Don't scream," the intruder said very softly. "We wouldn't want to wake up the children... would we?"
Caroline felt the wall against her back, and closed her eyes, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
I didn't tell Sid I loved him.
Flicking a cigarette out the window of the black Mercedes, the Ferret watched as his employer strolled casually across the baseball diamond of a suburban park. Reaching the car, Nocturne opened the front passenger door and slipped into the seat.
"Home now, Boss?" George asked.
"Yes. No." Tiernan tilted his head thoughtfully. "The night is young, George, and I've a mind to take in a bit more entertainment. The Paragon Club, if you please."
George glanced sideways at him. "Wha?"
"You heard me." Tiernan leaned his head back and sighed comfortably. "Let me know when we arrive."
With a dubious frown, the little pickpocket obeyed.
Cradling a cordless telephone receiver on her shoulder, Caroline Rosenstein tucked in the covers around their youngest child, Caleb. "That's what you said last night. But it's not really that at all, is it?"
"Whadaya mean?"
"I talked to Tony earlier. He alluded he'd been around the club lately." Caroline bent down to kiss Caleb's forehead, then retreated from his bedroom and closed the door, allowing more of her emotions to seep into her voice. "You don't have to hide it from me if he's giving you problems, Sid."
A heavy sigh came over the line. "It ain't him, honey. Honest. There's just... some things I gotta think over." Sid abruptly changed tracks. "Didja set the alarm?"
"Yes, two hours ago." Caroline ducked into younger daughter Holly's room. The girl was already asleep, but her clothes and homework books were scattered over the floor. The mother's frown deepened as she bent to pick them up.
"Okay, then," Sid murmured awkwardly. "I'll... see you in the morning. I love you... Bye."
Caroline let out a huff as the stack of books slipped out of her arms. "Bye," she said in a low voice, and quickly hung up as Holly stirred on her bed.
As she regathered the books, Caroline felt a small pang of guilt for neglecting to say "I love you". In more than fifteen years of marriage, it was the first time she could remember failing to do so. A part of her felt a strange impulse to call him back, just to correct that little oversight, but she pushed it away. Her husband was a busy man, and lately he'd had a lot on his mind--much more than he would admit to her.
Although it hurt that he was holding something back from her, she couldn't help loving him for his reasons. He didn't want her to worry. It had always been that way; whenever she asked him about his concerns at the club, he would smile at her and say, "You just let me take care of business. Home is your department."
But the smile didn't come with that reply as often anymore, and that troubled her.
Consuela, the maid, had already retired for the night, and the children were settled in bed; the house was quiet. Caroline was lost in thought as she made her way downstairs and hung up the phone. Perhaps she would sit up and wait for Sid, although he had told her not to. Something seemed wrong in a way she couldn't explain, and she thought she would feel better if she just saw him and touched him.
"Good evening, Mrs. Rosenstein."
She turned with a start. A man was standing in the archway that led to the dining room--dark-haired, dark-eyed, rather bloodless-looking, with a long cape hanging over his misshapen back.
"Who are you?" Caroline asked, unable to conceal a faint tremor of unease beneath the indignance in her voice. "How did you get in here?"
"I apologize for the intrusion, madam, but it's all in the manner of business. Coming from such a family as yours, I'm sure you of all people can understand that." The man stepped forward slowly--and his gloved hands flexed at his sides, with a silent, unmistakable menace that caused Caroline to back away in horror.
"Don't scream," the intruder said very softly. "We wouldn't want to wake up the children... would we?"
Caroline felt the wall against her back, and closed her eyes, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
I didn't tell Sid I loved him.
Flicking a cigarette out the window of the black Mercedes, the Ferret watched as his employer strolled casually across the baseball diamond of a suburban park. Reaching the car, Nocturne opened the front passenger door and slipped into the seat.
"Home now, Boss?" George asked.
"Yes. No." Tiernan tilted his head thoughtfully. "The night is young, George, and I've a mind to take in a bit more entertainment. The Paragon Club, if you please."
George glanced sideways at him. "Wha?"
"You heard me." Tiernan leaned his head back and sighed comfortably. "Let me know when we arrive."
With a dubious frown, the little pickpocket obeyed.