Chapter 1

With her mother’s recipe notes in hand, Eva scanned the display cases in the meat department. She wasn’t much of a cook. Beef rump, bones with the marrow and kohlrabi? Kohlrabi was the mysterious white vegetable in many of her mother's stews but Eva didn't know what it looked like uncooked. Where on earth would she find those ingredients? Pethos soup would simply not be an option tonight. Perhaps stuffed green peppers would suffice. It was not her father’s favorite but any home-cooked meal like Mom used to create should thrill Dad. Neither of them had eaten an authentic Hungarian dish since Mom was killed.

Eva chose the leanest ground beef, the greenest peppers and the ripest tomatoes, all organic, paid more for them than she should, placed them in her saddle bags and trekked home on her bicycle, allowing herself all day to prepare this meal extraordinaire for Daddy Dearest.

Blue licked the sweat from her leg when she walked in the house then lay at her feet while she read and re-read the recipe to ensure no mistakes. As the tomatoes were stewing Eva heard a faint rumbling noise. Knowing the sound was not the tomatoes, she looked around the kitchen and realized it was Blue. His growling grew louder and the fur down his back rose straight up like soldiers at attention.

“What’s the matter, Blue? There’s nobody here but us.” Eva looked down at her dog. “Got demons haunting you again?”

Blue rose to his feet and glared in the direction of the front of the house.

“Knock, knock! Anybody home?” A female voice called out. It sounded like Ashley.

Eva heard the squeak of her front door opening as Ashley let herself in. Blue’s growl metamorphasized into a fury of barking. He leapt out of the kitchen and bound toward the door, bearing his teeth between barks.

“Blue, NO! Stop!” Eva sprinted after her dog. “Ashley, get out!”

Ashley screamed and reversed back out the door, slamming it shut just before Blue reached her. The dog lunged at the door, snapping his jowls as he barked and slung saliva onto his nose and cheeks.

“Blue! Stop it!” Eva stood behind the dog wanting to grab him but was afraid he might bite her in the chaos.

“Ashley?” Eva yelled through the closed door.

“What the hell was that?”

“I’m so sorry, just hang on.” Eva rolled up a newspaper and swatted Blue on the back. “BLUE! No! Sit.”

Blue would not sit but he stopped jumping on the door long enough for Eva to take hold of his collar and drag his hundred-ten-pound body into the basement. She locked the door and rushed back to let Ashley in but Ashley was already half way to her car.

Eva ran outside. “Wait Ashley! It’s okay now, I locked Blue in the basement.”

“I don’t care where he is, I am not going inside that house with him in it. That was messed up. I could’ve just died.”

“Don’t exaggerate, you didn’t almost die.”

“I could have. What is he doing here anyway, I thought Carrie moved out.”

“She did, but she didn’t want Blue. So I kept him. It was that or euthanasia.” Eva paused, troubled by the mere thought of hurting an animal. “I’m standing out here in my socks. Can we go inside and talk please? I haven’t seen you since winter break.”

“No, I’m not going in there. That wolfhound-beast-thing you call a dog is insane and needs to be euthanized. Call me when he’s dead.”

“Ashley, don’t be obnoxious, just come inside.”

“Look at me, I’m still shaking. I don’t want to go in there.”

“He can’t get out of the basement, I promise. Come on.”

Ashley stood thinking for a moment then walked back up the sidewalk to Eva. She gave Eva the evil eye then a hug. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Eva told her. “Welcome back. And I really am sorry about that. You could’ve just died!”

Ashley hit Eva on the arm. “Brat! You owe me.” She walked directly behind Eva using her as a human shield.

Eva led Ashley into the kitchen so she could continue cooking. As usual, Blue didn’t make a sound once in lock-up.

“What have you got to drink? I need something to calm my nerves.” Ashley opened the refrigerator and rummaged around before Eva could answer her. “Ooo la la what’s this?” Ashley pulled out a bottle of champagne. “Wait, oh my God, don’t tell me. You’re cooking…and have champagne chilling…does my little virgin have a date tonight?” Ashley’s eyes grew big.

“I’m not a virgin. And no, I don’t have a date.”

“You’re practically a virgin, but a skinny virgin. What happened to you? You’ve shrunk.”

“Don’t open that champagne! You really think I’m skinny? I’ve started bicycling and lost 15 pounds since last semester.”

“Bicycling? Yuck. Why would you do that? Well, you look good, but don’t lose any more weight. You’ve still got a good rump and men like that. So who is all this for? Why can’t I drink it?”

“My dad. He’s coming over for dinner tonight.”

“Since when are you two buddies?” Ashley took a diet Coke out of the fridge and opened it.

“We’re not, but he’s the only family I’ve got, so I’m making an effort to get closer.”

“Whatever you say. I don’t know how close I’d want to be to that man.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Eva scowled. “You haven’t even seen him since we were kids.”

“Has he changed?”

Eva shrugged her shoulders. “I’m going to help him change.”

“Yeah, that’ll work. Men love when women try to change them.”

“Shut up, Ashley. I’m trying to help him.”

“Is that what you’re going to wear?” Ashley looked Eva up and down.

“I don’t know, why?” Eva had on a t-shirt and shorts; her long blonde hair was pinned up under a baseball cap.

“You still dress like a boy. Your dad would probably appreciate it if you put a little effort into it. Put on a dress and some jewelry. And pluck those eyebrows for Christ’s sake. You’re probably the only female left in the state of New York that still has a uni-brow. Other men would notice too. You might even get a real date.”

“I don’t have a uni-brow.” Eva mumbled as she mixed the rice into the ground beef.

“I’m just trying to help you. Or are you the only one allowed to help people?”

“If you really want to help me…I was thinking…why don’t you move in here, at least until we finish grad school?”

“And live with that beast who only moments ago tried to kill me? I don’t think so. Anyway, my dad’s paying for me to have an apartment in the village. I don’t know how you can stand it out here in the suburbs of this podunk town. Even the village is tiny. I would’ve never come back here if Daddy weren’t paying for grad school. He’s doing it on purpose you know.”

“Doing what?”

“Paying to keep me close. I wanted to go to Pratt but Daddy said he’d only pay for school if I stayed in town. He’s so controlling.”

“I think it’s nice. He loves you and wants you around. The only person who wants me around is that damn Hellhound.”

“I hear the violins playing. Poor little girl. You should consider yourself lucky you don’t have family breathing down your neck. Just get another roommate and call it a day.”

“I’ve been trying all summer, no one wants to live with Blue. I hate being alone in this house. It’s creepy.”

“It would be less creepy if you got rid of your mother’s things.”

Ashley said nothing further and wouldn’t look Eva in the eyes.

Eva glared at her. She knew Ashley was right but couldn’t bare the thought of throwing away anything that connected her to her mother. It had been five years since the murder yet the only difference in her parents’ bedroom was that now Dad was gone too.

“Sorry,” said Ashley. “Maybe you could find a home for Blue so that he wouldn’t have to be euthanized. Then you could get another roommate.”

“I don’t want to get rid of Blue. He’s protective. There are some crazy people out there.”

“Protective! That’s an understatement. You’re certainly safe with that beast. No one will try anything on you as long as he’s around, I guarantee that. Listen. Give me your class schedule, I’m going to register today.”

“You haven’t registered yet? Ashley, the classes could all be full.”

“I’m not worried. I have my ways.” She winked at Eva. “Just let me see your list.”

Eva copied down her list of classes and Ashley sped off to register.

Alone again, Eva opened the basement door. “Okay, Blue. You can come out now. You shouldn’t try to eat mommy’s friends. Now come in the kitchen, maybe some beef will fall on the floor.”

Eva mixed her stuffing until it was thick. While it simmered she cut off the tops of the green peppers and removed the seeds and ribs. As a novice, it took her the better part of an hour. She re-checked the recipe; do not overstuff the green peppers, place in a large pot, cover with tomato sauce and cook over low heat.

While the entre simmered, she made poached eggs as an appetizer and crepes for dessert. Hours later, when she finished the cooking and cleaning she went upstairs and looked through her closet. She owned four dresses. She put on the only one that still fit and looked in the mirror. Not too bad. It was a navy blue sleeveless empire-waist dress that was cut just above her knee. She hadn’t worn it much because she never liked her legs. At 5 feet 9 inches she’d always been a big girl and the extra pounds made her feel like an ungraceful Amazon woman who towered above all the boys. Now her legs were slim with muscle definition from bicycling. And the boys, now college men, had all caught up in height. She unpinned her hair and brushed it down her back. She didn’t look like a boy anymore. Maybe she would dress as a girl more often.

She went to her jewelry box. There wasn’t much inside. The year before last Dad forgot her birthday, as usual, then gave her a diamond necklace a week later out of guilt. She put it on even though it was too formal for her dress. She wanted her dad to know she appreciated the expensive gift.

Eva was ready just in time. It was a few minutes after 6 o’clock. Dad was late but that was to be expected. She was glad. It gave her time to put Blue back in the basement and to go out front and pick flowers for the table. She arranged the bouquet as a centerpiece, set the table and got the champagne out. 6:30 and still no Dad. She put the appetizers on the plates and poured water in two glasses. At 6:45 she called her father.

“Dad?”

“Yes, Eva. What can I do for you?”

“You were supposed to be here at 6:00.”

“Oh, shit. Was that tonight? I’m so sorry.”

“You can still come. I made stuffed green peppers, they taste even better re-heated.”

“It sounds delicious, but I’m afraid I’m on a train to D.C.. I’ll make it up to you when I get back. I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble.”

Eva tried not to cry. Letting Dad know he let her down would not be the way to build their relationship. “It’s okay. I’ll just eat really well for the next few days. What are you doing in D.C.?”

“I’ll tell you about it later. Bye Eva.”

And that was that. Eva let Blue out of the basement and placed a stuffed green pepper in Blue’s dish and put a couple on a plate for herself. She sat in her dining room staring at the set table. Too bad Dad couldn’t see it. It was just like Mom would have done. It was lovely.