Prologue

Beth Faighin and her son Jon live in a two bedroom apartment in an older but well-kept building with four tenements. Charlie, Beth’s ex-husband had left her and Jon over 2 years ago. He had traded Beth in for a younger woman. This hurt Beth who had always kept herself in good shape. Beth looked more like 26 years old than her true age of 36. Beth felt lucky to have found this apartment, mostly because of the landlord, Mr. Joseph Smith.

Joe and his wife Carol had owned the building for over 30 years, since Joe had retired from the army. He was a kindly man who loved his wife Carol, who has dementia. Last year, unable to keep up with Carols care, he had admitted her to a nursing home. She had gotten to the point she no longer remembered Joe. Joe was still in good shape for his close than 80 years of age. He was a little shorter than 5’-8”. This along with his slight build and his bald head made him look smaller than he was. With his obvious Irish heritage, green eyes, and thin reddish-gray strip along the edge of his jaw, chin curtain, brought the word leprechaun came to mind.