Once a Mutt (Trace 5) Read Free Page A

over again.
    “ Di quella pira. Di quella pira. Di quella pira. Di quella pira. Di quella pi-i-i-ra. Di quella pira. Di quella pira .”
    “Is that fire for dinner? What are you doing?” the young woman asked. She was twenty-six years old, small and shapely, with blue-black hair and soft dark Oriental eyes that looked bottomless in the shiny taupe of her healthy young face.
    “ Di quella pira. Di quella pira. Di quella pira. Di quella pira .”
    She shouted. “What are you doing?”
    Trace turned with a big smile. He put down a pot he was holding.
    “Hello, Chico. What I am doing is cooking dinner for my honey. Did I ever tell you I love you?”
    “I’m not lending you any money,” Chico said and went into the bedroom to change.
    Later, as they sat at the small kitchen table and drank coffee, Trace explained, “It’s not like I’m trying to borrow money from you.”
    Chico had thrown out Trace’s halting attempt at dinner, something he called a sardine soufflé, and had instead cooked them steaks and asparagus and green salad. Trace had little appetite and only picked at his food, but Chico didn’t mind because she ate both his and hers.
    “It’s not like I’m trying to borrow money from you,” he said again. “Dammit, respondezmoi .”
    “Oh? Then, what is it?” she asked sweetly. She took a piece of cake from a small plate in front of Trace and bit off a large wedge.
    “I hate the way you eat,” he said. “What is it is that I’m giving you an opportunity to get in on the ground floor…”
    “Along with the ocean,” Chico said.
    “Will you listen? Levity is not called for here,” Trace said. “This is a big financial deal we’re talking about. I’m going to make you rich.”
    “Hah,” she said. Crumbs sprayed from her mouth. She picked them up from the table and ate them.
    “Moving right along,” he said. “I’m allowing you to buy into a New Jersey restaurant. One of the hottest places on the shore.”
    “It’s not even open yet. How the hell hot is that?” she asked.
    “It will be. And for fifteen thousand dollars, a mere fifteen thousand dollars, you can have half my share.”
    “For which you paid forty thousand dollars,” she said.
    “That’s right. Every cent I had in the world. I paid forty thou and now I’m willing to give you half for just fifteen thou. This is a real good deal. This restaurant’s going to make a fortune.”
    “If it’s such a sure shot, why are you selling it off in pieces?” she asked.
    “Because this is a way for you to get financial security, for all your days. And it’s only going to cost you fifteen thousand.”
    Chico shook her head, caught a dislodged crumb in midair, and nibbled it from her fingers.
    “No,” she said finally. “I don’t trust the restaurant business. Did you know that seventy-five percent of all new restaurants go foldo?”
    “Yes, I knew that. That’s why I investigated this one so thoroughly before I invested in it.”
    “Investigate? Thoroughly? That lunatic friend of yours called, and before you were off the phone you were sending him all your life savings. You’ve never even seen the place.”
    “I know the town. Oceanbright is beautiful. The restaurant can’t miss.”
    “It’ll miss, Trace. You’re in on it, it’ll miss.”
    “Come on. Half my share for only fifteen K. You could sell it on the open market for more than that.”
    “You think so?”
    “I know so,” Trace said.
    “Then, why don’t you just take your half-share and sell it on the open market? You can do better than the fifteen you want from me.”
    “Because I want to do something for you. Because you are the light of my life and I can’t bear the thought of you working while I live a life of leisure. Don’t you see, I’m doing it for you?”
    “You want to do something for me, take the garbage out to the incinerator. Your wine jugs make it too heavy for me to lift.”
    “Let me be sure I understand this,” Trace said.