The Dead Guy Chapter 10

LUCY- You Got Some 'Splainin To Do

I walked past my triumvirate of testosterone and into the house, where I stopped short. There were no less than four men sitting in my living room. I had never seen any of these men before. The triumvirate followed me in and then flowed around me like water. Drew took my arm and led me deeper into the living room. He was clearly the leader of this little escapade. I was already nervous about what he was up to. There was a good looking man in a green polo shirt and
jeans to my left, followed clock wise by a balding man in an Armani suit, a bookish looking man with glasses, and finally a very dark Italian guy. I say Italian because he looked like a mob guy out of central casting.

'Jack's" Drew began. "Let me introduce you to my special guests." Oh no he was in cross examination mode. I knew it by the tone of his voice and the smirk on his gorgeous face. I was in trouble. I didn't know yet what I had done wrong but it was clear that the twins were on Drew's side. He began with the good looking guy "This is Karl James, he owns the local movie theater." Karl stood and held out his hand. I moved forward to take his hand and shook it. Drew moved on pulling me with him "This," he started moving on to the guy in the Armani, "is Chester Bowles. Chester is a Corporate Attorney in Jacksonville. His wife is on the board of the country club here." I reached out to shake his hand an noticed his gold Rolex Presidential on his right wrist. Hmm a lefty. I wondered if that was important to the story but Drew was on to the next guy. "Emerson Little" The bookish looking guy with glasses "is a professor of English lit at our State University. Published multiple books on American Writers of the 20th Century. Isn't that right Mr Little?" Drew asked as Mr Little, who actually was almost as tall as Drew when he stood, making me grin. "Nice to meet you." Mr little said taking my hand. " And finally, I would like to introduce Tony Boccio. Tony is a local...uh...businessman." Tony stood, his  diamond piny ring winked at me as he took my hand and kissed the back of it. "My pleasure beautiful." Tony said straightening. He did not let go of my hand. Drew glared at him and pulled me back to the middle of the room where a chair had magically appeared. Seems this "get together" was pretty well planned. I sat in the chair and Drew moved to polo shirt guy. "Karl. Can you tell me how you know Susan Walters?" Uh oh. Now I knew what this was about. Drew was still trying to convince me that he had not had an affair. Karl shifted in his seat, took a deep breath and began his story
"I met Susan at a fund raiser for the new library.  We spoke and exchanged cards and I thought nothing more of her that night. Soon she began calling me and inviting me to other fund raising events, then to lunch, and then dinner. I went to several fund raisers, a couple of lunches, but then it became clear that she was hitting on me. I told her I was married but that did not seem to deter her. Then one night I came home to find my wife in tears at the kitchen table. She told me that Susan had told her about our "affair." I explained that I had not had an affair but my wife didn't believe me. I guess Susan was very persuasive."
"Thank you Karl." Drew said "Chester, how do you know Susan?"
"I met her at the country club. Susan was with her then husband, Dale Dyer. My wife introduced us. The four of us became friends and went several places together, New York , Miami and a cruise down the Mississippi. One day Susan showed up at my office wanting some advice. Or so she said. She was thinking of opening a boutique downtown and could I help her with the lease and all that "business stuff"? Of course I agreed to do it but next thing I knew she was calling me every day, asking me to meet her down at the shop and then for lunch. I finally told her that I was going to have to start charging her for my time. She mailed me some photo's of us having lunch alone together and asked if my wife would be interested in seeing them. Fortunately for me I told my wife about how pesky her friend from the country club was being so it never went any further."
"Thank you Chester. I know that you are in a hurry, you can leave if you want to." Chester stood shook my hand and Drew's hand and left. I turned around to find that the twins were gone. I wondered if they had gotten bored or they already knew all these stories.

"Emerson, can you tell my wife how you met Susan?"
"Ex wife" I said. everyone ignored me and Emerson began to speak. He stood, probably because he was used to lecturing and that is how he felt most comfortable.
"I was researching for my 2nd book and I ran into Susan at a fund raiser for the library.I don't know if it was the same one Karl was at  but she approached me and asked me to sign her copy of my first book the "Tragedy and Triumph". Which of course I did. She mentioned that she had a large collection of first edition Raymond Chandlers and asked if I was interested in seeing them. Of course I was and we made arrangements to meet later that week. The day of the meeting, my wife and I decided to go together because we were going out to lunch afterwards. Susan came to the door rather suggestively attired. My wife was incensed. We left with out even entering her home."
"Thank you Emerson. Did you ever see Susan after that?"
"No, but she did stop by my office at the university a week later to apologize. She was again scantily clad and this time my Grad student was the only one there. He took her out and they dated for about 3 months. He later told me that she dumped him because he was broke."
"Perfect. Thank you."
"Can I go too." Emerson asked. "It's late and I have class in the morning."
"Yes go ahead."
Karl stood too and the two of them exited my living room. All that was left was Tony the mob guy.
"Tony, please tell my wife how you met Susan."
"ex wife" Tony said.
"Thank you." I said smiling at him.
"Can we just get on with the story?" Drew said clearly not liking the flirting that was going on.
"I met Susan at Tony's restaurant. I am not the Tony of  Tony's. It is my Cousin Tony's place." he said to clarify. "So any ways I was sitting at the bar one day when this beautiful broad walks in and sits right next to me. We start to talking and start to flirting and then she gives me her card. Says I should call her some time. So I did and we had this crazy affair. She starts telling me she loves me and all and I explain to her that I have a wife. She calls my wife and cries to her about how I wants to marry her and can't my wife please give mes a divorce. Now my wife, shes from Brooklyn, no one messes with her man. So she meets with Susan they get in a fist fight, Susan she gets a black eye and her extensions pulled out and she comes crying to ME. Like I am going to feel bad for her that she messed with my wife. Crazy Broad."
"Thanks Tony." Drew turned to me and began " You can see that this woman is a crazy lying bitch. She had lied to these mens wives just like she lied to you."
I said nothing. My mind was whirring. If this was all true I had been very mistaken when I divorced Drew. I probably shouldn't have taken the ball bat to his car either. I continued to sit silent.
"Well?" Drew asked
'Well I gots to go." Tony said standing. "Miss Jacks, it was my pleasure meeting you." He took my hand and kissed it again. Then he winked at me. I smiled and stood as well. "Thank you Tony."
Drew walked him to the door and came back.
"Well ?"he said again. Standing before me.
"Well, I think I will go to bed. show your self out will you?" I walked away. I hate admitting when I am wrong. I needed to think. To process all this. Why hadn't Drew done this 2 years ago?
Drew grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. " Not before I kiss you good night. You are not going to sleep thinking about that cop's kiss." And lets just say I had a really hard time sleeping that night at all. I had two  guys kissing me on the same night, three if you counted Tony's kiss on the hand. This might be some kind of record for me.

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