Valerie jumped when she heard the gunshots. The retort was too loud to be coming from outside, so it had to be coming from somewhere in the building. Instinctively, she grabbed the phone to call the police, but when her hand touched the receiver, she paused. Though it pained her to do so, she sat back on her bed and did nothing. There would be no police or ambulance called to try and save Ralph, which she doubted was possible at that point anyhow. Though she loved him, Ralph was a rat and got dealt with accordingly. She would mourn her man, but for as much as she loved him, she knew he had brought the terrible fate on himself.

31

“Mar!” Paul called out, bursting through the front door. “Where are you, baby?” Not getting an answer, he proceeded to search the house for her. P.J. was sound asleep in the guest bedroom, with the Cartoon Network still playing on the twenty-inch television set. Watching P.J. sleep reminded Paul of a happier time in his life, a carefree time when he didn’t feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. Stroking the sleeping child’s face, Paul vowed that he would never have to suffer. Clicking off the television, he kissed his son on the forehead and left the room.

Paul searched the kitchen, bathroom, and master bedroom, but there was still no sign of Marlene. He knew she had to be there somewhere because she would never leave P.J. in the house alone. That was the kind of move Rhonda pulled. He was just about to call her cell phone when he heard voices coming from the downstairs studio. Careful to make as little noise a possible, Paul crept down the stairs. He could hear Marlene whispering on the phone, but couldn’t make out what she was saying. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, she was standing off to the side with her back to him.

“Marlene?” he called.

Marlene spun around with a fright. The movement was so sudden that she almost dropped her phone. “Hey, baby,” she said, trying not to look like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “Audrey, I’ll call you back,” she said, ending the call before getting a response.

“What’re you doing down here using the phone?” Paul asked suspiciously.

“Oh, I didn’t want to wake P.J.,” she said.

“Then why not just go in the bedroom?”

“Baby, you know how loud Audrey and I can be when we’re on the phone.” She kissed him on the lips. “I didn’t expect you back this early.”

“I told you I’d be right back.”

“Yeah, but your ‘right backs’ can sometimes last until damn near the next day.”

“Whatever, Mar. Do you wanna hear what he wanted or not?”