Chapter 55

I had leftover french toast and cherry sherbet for lunch. The second batch I'd made had been sitting in my freezer since Friday and I was going to serve it tonight to Mitch. There was an awful lot of it though. I could use more dinner guests. I wondered if he had a girlfriend. I grabbed the cell and called him this time.

"Canceling dinner on me Cooper?" he said as soon as he picked up.

"Nope, just wondering if you have a girlfriend you'd like to bring along. I've got more food than the two of us could eat."

"Well, I've got a girl I'd like to call my girlfriend. I could call her and see if she would come to dinner with me on short notice. Will your girlfriend be there too?"

"I'm like you, I've got a girl I'd like to call my girlfriend that I'll call and invite."

"Okay, let me make my call. I'll call back in a few minutes."

While I waited for his call back, I called Kelli.

"Hi Cooper sweetie!" she smiled through the phone. No I swear, I could almost see the smile.

"Hi yourself, sweetie," I returned in kind. "You free tonight?"

"I am for you. What's up?"

"I've got company coming for dinner and I'd like more help eating the cherry sherbet we're going to have for dessert."

"Company for dinner and dessert huh? Who's coming to dinner?"

"Mitch Price. He's my go-to guy for computer advice. He's seventeen, and hopes to be bringing a girl with him."

"Don't want his girl to feel outnumbered?"

"He said he's hoping she'll be his girl, but that she isn't yet, so anything we can do to help him out. He's already been a big help to me."

"Sounds like fun, what time?"

"I told him seven, so if you want to come earlier, I could be ready for you any time."

"I'm sure you could," she said in a low, breathy tone that had me gulping. "So I better not come by too early. How does 6:30 sound?"

"Works for me," I said. "they're both to young for alcohol, but I was thinking we could have a drink before they got here."

"Ooh, I have an idea. I've this very tasty key lime Mojito mix. I'll bring it and the fixings. We can make a pitcher to serve with dinner. Its very good with or without the alcohol. We can spike ours if we want, but I'd rather not drink if they can't."

"That will be perfect," I said. "Dinner is going to be something Mrs. Ibarra calls Carne Asada Casserole. I've got Spanish rice to go with it."

"Mmm, that sounds yummy. Will you need help?"

"Well the casserole is already made and in the fridge waiting to throw into the oven. I've got to make the rice, but the rest of the ingredients are ready to add to it, and there are written instructions."

"Mrs. Ibarra sounds like a gem," Kellie cooed.

"She is," I agreed. Just then I got a chirp from call waiting.

"That's probably Mitch," I said. "I'll call you back."

"No need, I'll see you at six!" she blew me a kiss and was gone. I answered the incoming call.

"What's the word Mitch?"

"I'm set," he sounded excited. "Meg actually asked me why I'd waited so long to ask her out."

"Well that's cool, but she understands this is sort of a working dinner, right? Dress casual and all that?"

"Sure, no problem," Mitch laughed. "I just think that the idea of dinner with an older couple at a private home has her feeling very grown up."

I gave Mitch my address and said see you at seven. He sounded excited too. I hoped he and his date didn't blow this all out of proportion.

I'd just gotten the general area cleaned up from the morning's busy spell when the doorbell rang again. This had to be the ADT guy. I prayed it was a guy this time and not another beautiful woman in a transparent blouse.

"Mr. Cooper?" the burly guy asked when I opened the door. "Good afternoon, I'm Bill Largent. ADT Security."

"Come in Mr. Largent," I said as we shook hands. "I've been expecting you. Can I offer you iced tea or lemonade?"

"Lemonade sounds good," he said gruffly. I got him started towards the couch and went to pour a couple glasses.

He had his briefcase open when I got back and there were aerial pictures of my property on the coffee table. I handed him his glass and sat down across from him. I'd moved the chair there earlier in the day thinking the pool guy would be showing me things, but he was a she, though she did show me a few things. I felt Harley's silent chuckle at that thought.

"Your situation isn't too bad here, Mr. Cooper," he began as I sat down. "The adjacent properties are undeveloped and you have these hills backing all three of them, The highway and the Russian River front you and those limit the options of anyone interested in bringing harm your way."

"I see you wanted to come prepared," I said, impressed.

"That's why were the best at what we do," He grinned, the gruffness disappearing. "Prepare for the worst and expect the same. That's our unofficial motto at ADT, Santa Rosa."

"You obviously researched the address I gave you, did you also research me?"

"As much as possible, sir. We understand you're rich enough to make finding out how rich you are difficult. We hit blank walls with your lawyer and investment group, but were able to draw inferences from the degree of blankness those walls presented. We also found the FiberDyne press conference at Travis yesterday."