“There’s time for fish and there’s time for business. And the business of the people comes first. Dara, what did you think?”
Mooshie smiled bravely. “I’m still putting it together, Cousin.”
Elias sat between them on the couch, which was more comfortable than any bed Puppy had ever slept on. Kenuda took their hands; Annette watched enviously.
“No Cousins here. Except for Puppy, who is an employee. It’s Elias.”
Annette’s strands stuck out a little.
“Elias.” Mooshe gazed deeply into his eyes. “I think it’s inspired.”
“And she’s the creative one here,” Kenuda said, gazing back.
“I design shoes…” Annette tried.
“Yes, shoes.” Kenuda rolled his eyes. “I like the gloomy appeal of death visiting death, with Hayden as a tour guide.”
“Makes you unafraid,” Mooshie chimed in.
“Courage. We need courage in these times. Boldness. I approve. It’ll go out tomorrow morning on Wake Up My Darlings.”
“Can we start the dinner party now, honey?” Annette asked.
“Damn straight. Keep the food warm. Time for the tour.” He squeezed Mooshie’s hand so together they gestured around the living room. “The living room.”
“Magnificent,” she oohed and aahed syllable by syllable.
He stood by the fireplace, ready for a portrait. “This is real wood.”
“Smells it.”
“That was my idea,” Annette said. “The wood.”
Puppy helped himself to more bourbon.
“The llama rug, leather furniture. All hand-crafted.” He leaned over to Mooshie, making this more a private discussion. “Not what you get in the stores.”
Mooshie murmured delightedly.
“Both of you. Into the study.”
“Elias,” Annette protested. “Can’t we wait until after dinner? We already had the funeral.”
“Nonsense,” he thundered and marched down the hallway decorated with sports memorabilia, ducking beneath balls into a large wood-paneled study with an oaky smell. “Are either of you squeamish?”
“I sat in one of the coffins,” Puppy said.
“I’ve done that, too,” Mooshie added.
Puppy poked her in the butt.
“Look down.” Kenuda pointed at the wide brown and gold rug. “What is it?”
“Hand-crafted?” Mooshie asked breathlessly.
Puppy poked her again.
“Elias, please don’t make them guess,” Annette said wearily from the doorway.
He waited for two seconds. “The prayer rug of Imam Khali, the Butcher of Stockholm. This is where his filthy camel body touched. Look.” They all bent. “A trace of blood. Supposedly where a brave American finished him off while he was praying to his Godless God…”
“The battle of Stockholm, 2064?” Mooshie asked.
“Yes.” Kenuda was surprised. “A student of history as well as talented and beautiful?”
“It’s not fair, I know.”
“Then you’re going to appreciate this.”
“I’m not watching, Elias.” Annette squirmed.
Kenuda pressed a button over the fireplace. A door slid open to the left, lit by soft purple light. Two crossed scimitars dominated the huge closet. A tattered crescent moon and star flag hung off a hook. Elias brought out a black crystal jug on a silver plate.
“Sure you’re not squeamish?” Kenuda pulled out a shrunken head. Annette groaned and hurried down the hall. Puppy’s stomach churned, but his fiancé calmly examined the head.
“Who was it?”
Kenuda touched her shoulder a little too warmly. “They say Elijah bin-Qatar. Ever hear of him?”
“Yeah. He kicked our ass in Sicily.”
Elias frowned. “I wouldn’t say kicked our ass.”
“He drove us the hell out of southern Europe. We lost 125,000 soldiers on the boot. What would you call that?” She returned the head, a little more shrunken in Elias’s eyes. “I thought he escaped.”
“Very dead.” Kenuda shook the head.
“What he wanted us to think. We were down to assassination squads after that because our soldiers were overrun everywhere. They stood and fought and got slaughtered and we did nothing,” Mooshie said harshly, catching herself before the men’s curious stares. She switched on a smile. “I read he faked death to avoid being on the list. Typical Allah cowardice.”
“Typical.” Elias nodded. “There’s more. I have…”
“Elias!” Annette yelled.
“After dinner. How about seeing the view?”
“Sounds lovely. Puppy, why don’t you help your lovely ex?” Mooshie slid her arm through Kenuda’s and strolled off toward the balcony.
Annette was swigging red wine out of the bottle when Puppy wandered back into the kitchen.
“Can I help?”
“Boy, she’s got you well trained already. You never helped me.”
“You never cooked.” He scooped up an oversized chunk of salsa with a chip while Annette checked the chicken roasting in the oven.
“Dara’s very nice, Puppy.”
“She says with an air of slight surprise that Puppy could find someone so nice.”
“Kinda.” Annette grinned. “And pretty for a woman of her age.”
“Astonishingly.”
“How old is she again?”
“I already said I don’t know.” He couldn’t figure it out so quickly. Mooshie was 46 when she died. Or was it 45…? “It’s not important, Annette.”
“Just that you’re in love?”
“Yes.”
Annette basted the chicken. “And she loves you.”
“Is that a question or statement.”
“She seems a little, you know, standoffish.”
“She’s shy. Entertainers usually are off stage.”
That bought a brief delay in the interrogation. “You met in a bar.”
“Where she sings.”
“Was Dara married before?”
“I think so.”
“You don’t know that, either?”
“What’s it matter?”
“Because there are special papers for divorced couples. You have to make sure everything is legal and correct, Puppy.”
“They are legal, Annette. Did you invite us over to make sure our engagement is on the level?”
“No. I wanted to be nice.”She slammed the oven door. “I really do want you to be happy, Puppy. I realize how hard that is to believe. Because you hate my guts and think I suck and you’re probably amazed I could get a Third Cousin. So we’re even.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “I want you to be happy, too, Annette. And I’m not surprised at all you could get someone like Kenuda.”
“Really?”
“Maybe a little. And I don’t hate your guts.”
“Really?”
“Usually.”
“Screw you, Puppy,” she said with a pleased smile. “Remember to cut your food properly. I don’t want to be embarrassed.” Annette took another long sip and yelled, “Dinner’s ready.”
• • • •
MOOSHIE CRAWLED BACK into bed carrying a bottle of white Arkansas Chablis. She poured herself a drink and rubbed cream into her hands. This was the first time he shared a bed with the woman he
