"Did they applaud her when we went out the door?"
"No, but all the people at the party saw you two leave. Now they know Loraine slept with the guy who shot her ex. I'm assuming you slept with her...none of my business. When that juicy tidbit filters into the community at large it's not going to help your case."
"You're quite the sales person, aren't you? You just told me my job and my life are doomed, and I'm sitting here grinning, eager for any more bad news just to hear you talk."
"I could sell water to a drowning man."
"Good that you're so successful at something you like to do. All your buy and sell tickets come across my desk, I know you're good."
"Not successful every time. I've been working on a personal scheme for about a month now, trying to get a particular idea into a certain guy's head, but it's not working. I can't seem to get the pitch right. He's ignoring me."
"Well, I'm sure you'll win him over eventually. You have a marvelous appearance and a dynamite personality. I hope I thanked you at the party for inviting me."
"Well, you didn't exactly go on and on about it." Her mood seemed to change. She shook her head slightly and stood to leave. "Must run, I'm supposed to be out making calls this morning. But I wanted to see you."
"You're my only visitor so far. Thanks for coming."
"Ray, I know you're innocent, and it's horrible you're in this mess. I want you to know there are people who truly like you and are pulling for you. I want to be your friend."
"Well, I appreciate that."
"No, you don't, but you will someday." She turned and left.
He started to get up when the officer put a hand on his shoulder. "Sit right there, you have another visitor."
He looked over to see his sister charging through the door. Was that really her?
She signed in at the Sergeant's desk and then strode across the room with a briefcase tucked under her arm like a shotgun.
She gave her brother a half-hearted wave and declared, "Okay, I'm here. Geez, orange really isn't your color. And you're still wearing those dumb glasses."
They had known each other as adults and used to see each other a few times a year on holidays and such, invariably at their parent's house. Their parents had been killed in an auto accident six years ago. Although they both lived in Philadelphia, their last physical contact had been at the funeral. At first, Sandy would occasionally phone him, and twice she invited him to dinner parties. There was always some conflict, and he was never able to make it.