Pencil, Paper, and Passion.

Chapter Nineteen: Let The Games Begin

          Mr. Kalebrow and I arrived at my house ten minutes before Ben did.  I stood in the open doorway and watched in amusement as Mr. Kalebrow headed straight for the kitchen.  After he'd disappeared from view, I turned my gaze outside, keeping an eye out for Ben's arrival.  When he drove up, I walked outside and down the front steps to meet him at the bottom step.  As soon as he was within arms reach, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me in, planting his lips against mine.

            I smiled into the kiss, and wrapped my arms around his neck, keeping it light.  When it ended, he kept me close and rubbed his nose against mine.  "What's on the agenda for this evening?"

            "Mm.  I've got homework for almost every class and you have papers to grade.  I thought we could do that before dinner, if you're staying, and then watch a movie, if you want." I pulled away and grabbed his hand to lead him up the steps and into the house.

            "I want." He tugged on my hand when we reached the door and I looked over my shoulder at him questioningly.  He grinned.  "Those papers I have to grade are in my car."

            "Oh.  Well, go get them.  I'll be in the kitchen." I smiled at him and let go of his hand to go inside.  I grabbed up my book bag from the entryway floor and carried it to the kitchen.  Mr. Kalebrow sat at the counter, watching Maya bake on the other side, as he shoveled something in his mouth.  I shook my head at him as I walked over, put my bag on the counter, next to a plate of brownies, and sat.  "Don't you ever stop eating?"

            He finished swallowing the food in his mouth before answering.  "Not when it's this good."

            "You're going to get fat.  Then you'll be of no use to me as a bodyguard."

            "No, I won't.  I have a very high metabolism." He shoved the last bite of food in his mouth, just as Ben came in with his leather case and sat down next to me.

            Maya spoke up from across the counter, where she stirred something in a metallic bowl.  "So does Miss Eliza.  That's why she can get away with eating so many sweets and not gain a pound."

            I paused in the act of lifting a brownie from the plate and grinned.  "Nothing sticks." I took a huge bite of the chocolate morsel and talked around it.  "But I keep trying."

            Ben spoke up, leaning around me as he spoke to Mr. Kalebrow, "Have you learned anything new?"

            Mr. Kalebrow shook his head.  "No, there's nothing new.  I'm trying to get my hands on the police report from the day Eliza was attacked, but until then, there's not a lot I can do."

            "Except?" Ben inquired, his brows drawing together.

            "Investigate everyone I know." I interjected, thinking back on that morning.  I still didn't know how I felt about it, knowing my friends' private lives were being pried into, except that I knew how necessary it was.

            Mr. Kalebrow narrowed his eyes at me, and I watched as the man I'd first met came out again.  His posture was rigid, defensive.  His eyes were cold and when he spoke, the light Italian accent was chilly.  "It has to be done."

            Did he really think I didn't know that?  I wanted this to be over.  If investigating everybody was what it took, then so be it.  He could investigate the entire state, for all I cared, so long as he resolved this situation.  I wasn't a child, hiding beneath the blankets.  I knew what had to be done.  So, I returned his stare, just as cold, and inclined my head. "Yes, I'm aware of the necessity of your investigations."