d.: Cal.E. is still taking a nap, so I will just go ahead and share chapter four of The Inert Ingrediien with y'all.
CHAPTER FOUR: THE INQUEST
Jay pulled Alice’s chair out for her to be seated and seated himself. He feigned interest in the menu to allow him time to think of what he wanted to say. He was extremely familiar with the menu of his favorite restaurant, but he was less familiar with his date. Jay sought to remedy the situation.
Since the predominant thought in his mind was that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, Jay decided to take the direct approach. “I watched the news as soon as I got out of bed,” Magruder began. “The most interesting story was about HPD Officer Ben Jones asking for an inquest of a coroner’s report. Is HE your dad?”
Alice squirmed in her seat. Jay could tell that the question made her uncomfortable. This, at least, answered some of his questions about the situation.
“Yes, the Ben Jones in question IS my father,” Alice began. “But, Jay, I did NOT breathe a word about that cadaver in the morgue to him, or anyone else. He just saw something that he found unsettling in that coroner’s report and decided to investigate it himself.” Alice sat in silence. Jay believed, from her demeanor, that she was telling the truth. The midafternoon news report still worried him, however.
“Well, I do not think he will find anything worth mentioning to his superiors. I was just curious about the name. Now, let’s just have a nice dinner and NOT talk about work, school, politics, or religion.” Jay sat with a grim smile on his face, hoping his date would agree to his terms.
“Gee, what CAN we talk about, then?” Alice was being playful, but the question did not have an immediate answer. Both individuals were so obsessed with their work and studying that it left little time to pursue other interests. Jay shrugged and began the conversation.
“What do you like to do in the little free time you have, Alice? Do you like to ride horses, bicycles, or motorcycles? Do you swim, golf, or play any other sports? What is your favorite color and your favorite food?” Jay then sat in silence, waiting for answers to his questions.
“I suppose one could say that I am an athletic person,” Alice began, trying not to be too succinct. She wanted to spend time with the young detective. She also wanted him to know that her interest in him was genuine, so she began her part of the conversation friskily. “I like to swim, ride horses and bicycles when I have time, which is not often. I do NOT like to ride motorcycles, though. They scare me.”
“I played basketball in high school, but I have not set foot on a basketball court since I graduated from high school. I have never played golf in my life, though.”
“My favorite color is blue and my favorite food is lasagna. I do NOT, however, like blue lasagna,” Alice smiled at Jay and began to giggle, then laugh heartily. It was infectious. Not only did Jay begin to laugh, but the busboy who was refilling their water glasses let out a hearty guffaw. The tension was relieved to some degree by Alice’s playful answers, and Jay felt that he could relax for a few hours and enjoy his date’s company, as well as her unique personality. It was the beginning of what Jay Magruder would later remember fondly as one of the best times of his life.
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