Stop Me by Brenda Novak

Author:Brenda Novak
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: mom 03/21/2014
ISBN: 9780778329053
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2008-04-01T05:00:00+00:00

Bookwalter’s house smelt of baking. It hit Leo as soon as he walked in through the glass front door and he again wondered if it was another of his host’s devices for putting him at his ease.

‘Mind if I leave this front door open?’

Bookwalter kicked off his flip-flops and turned, a look of bemusement on his face. ‘Whatever makes you comfortable, Leo.’

He’d had the same smirk on his face when Leo had reluctantly agreed to accompany him. Leo was beginning to think it was because Bookwalter recognised the fear in him – and that, he had long surmised, was what his host thrived on. The expression also seemed to suggest that Leo was in no danger and that it was comically entertaining for Bookwalter to witness Leo being so hyper cautious. DON’T EVEN BEGIN TO THINK THAT.

He took in the interior of Bookwalter’s home. Not only was its populated location unexpected – the sounds of children playing and suburban bustle following them through the door – but it seemed genuinely warm and welcoming. Leo had envisaged him living in a trailer or a single apartment, but the hallway that stretched in front of him had terracotta walls and immaculate yellow Aztec design carpets indicating an owner who was fiercely house proud.

Bookwalter padded down the hallway and walked into the first door on his left. Leo looked back out of the front door and could still see the cab driver glancing at his watch.

If I’m not back to the car in three minutes it means Laura is here.

He dismissed the thought and followed; he could make out the sound of an oven door opening.

Leo found himself in an equally spotless, spacious and modern kitchen, all washed out blue cupboards and chrome and the baking smell twice as inviting. A slim woman was standing at the central breakfast bar with her back to him: long dark hair, black T-shirt, denim shorts and bare feet. Her hands were slipped inside two huge oven gloves which she was using to rest a baking tray on the black marble-effect counter.

It couldn’t be Laura. She was the right build, the right height but her legs were too tanned, her hair too different.

‘Pumpkin, say hello.’

The woman turned with a slitted smile at the ready. She was barely a woman, probably only in her late teens. Her features were Hispanic, her nose hooky but her young face still quite beautiful. Large hooped earrings looked as if they counter-balanced her head. ‘Hi,’ she said shyly and it appeared to be more than she was used to saying. She turned back to the counter.

‘She’s a little busy. Her name’s Perfecta. I don’t know how I’d survive without her.’ Bookwalter snaked a finger into the crook of her neck and her shoulder lifted and crushed it there.

She giggled. Unlikely as it was, she appeared to be Bookwalter’s girlfriend. Or perhaps he had a very intimate arrangement with his housekeeper. What was she, eighteen…nineteen?

‘Looks like she’s baked some bizcochitos in your honour. We didn’t eat out so we might be needing some of your pot roast.

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