smart choice.”
“And even with all of that, I got another one today.”
“I figured.” Teesha scrubbed her hands over her face. “And I’m sorry. You know I’m sorry, but how is challenging him going to help, at all?”
“Because he’s a coward, and a bully, and it’s long past time I let him know I know.”
“What did this one say?”
Adrian closed her eyes, brought it back into her head, recited the words.
“Freaking psycho!” Hands on her hips, Teesha turned two circles. “What time is the PI due?”
“Four, maybe four-thirty.”
“Okay, you come home with me, hang there until. He could be a mile away, Adrian.”
“Or he could be in damn Omaha. And this is exactly why I had to do something. I can’t keep going like this. He’s accomplished at least some of what he wanted. He screws with my head. I dread the stupid mail. And yeah, yeah, a suggestion was to close the PO Box, but the conclusion was also he’d just find another way.”
“But he might make a mistake the other way.”
“Might, maybe. And they’d still have my name on them, so they’d end up at the post office anyway. No return address. It’s not an answer. I don’t know if this is either, but I feel better. I feel like I did something to flick back at him.”
Hissing, Teesha pulled out her phone when it signaled. “It’s Harry. Hi, Harry. Yes—wait—yes, I know. I’m standing here with her right now. Uh-huh.”
Teesha held out the phone. “It’s for you.”
“Damn it.”
She let him rage at her.
“No, I’m not taking it down, and what’s the point if it’s already got over two hundred views? One of them’s probably him—her—let’s just say them. I’m not sorry I did it because, damn it, I needed to hit back. No, wait.”
She drew a breath. “I’m saying this to both you and Teesha. I’m sorry it upsets you, worries you. I’m sorry it’s going to upset and worry my mother and everyone else. But … the card he sent after Popi died, it tore at me. This one just snapped what was left. I’m done, Harry. I’m done. I’m giving the phone back to Teesha now.”
Once she did, she walked over, picked up the ball, threw it again. A few minutes later, Teesha wrapped arms around her from behind.
“We love you, Adrian.”
“I know, that’s why I’m sorry this worries you. I know, I do, it wasn’t the safe, sensible thing to do. But, Teesha, I needed to hit back, finally. I needed to at least feel like I’d taken some control.”
“I get that. I get you—we’ve been friends too long for me not to get you.”
“Same goes, so I really am sorry I’ve added more worry. Just remember I’ve done all the other sensibles. Cops, FBI, investigator, security system, self-defense classes, big dog.”
Sadie dropped the ball at Adrian’s feet, looked up adoringly.
“Yeah, she’s ferocious. Okay.” Teesha gave Adrian a last squeeze, then stepped back. “When it comes down to it, I don’t know if I could’ve held out as long as you have. And when you hit back, you hit hard. That asshole’s going to need first, second, and third aid for the burn you gave him.
“And I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow when I torture you with the budget for furnishing the youth center.”
“The Rizzo Family Youth Center.”
“Okay then. You’ve decided on the name.”
“I’ve gone around and around. Do I name it after my grandparents, after Popi—since it’s his vision? But he shared that vision with Nonna. Still, they wouldn’t have been here, had the means to have the vision, without his parents. I wouldn’t be here able to bring that vision into reality without all of that, including my mother. So family, and you can add the plaque to the budget.”
“We’ll talk about that.” Teesha looked down at the ever-patient Sadie. “Learn to growl at least.”
Adrian picked up the ball again as Teesha left. “Growling’s not your style, is it, baby?”
She threw the ball again, and again while she worked out how to tell Rachael what she’d done.
“Lectures, Sadie. I think I’m in for another lecture. Why are lectures worse than a solid smack in the face?”
When Rachael texted she was running a little behind, Adrian told her not to worry. She settled down on the front porch with her tablet, doing searches on plaques. Sizes, materials, shapes, fonts.
She didn’t want a big, flashy statement, but something more subtle, dignified, suiting the building.
She wanted what her grandparents would have wanted.
She took another