GNELFS

by Williams, Sidney

  "I'm on time," he said. "I guess she's late."

  Realization began to sink into Gabrielle's brain. "You're the writer?"

  "Uh, yeah. I'm Jake."

  "Jake Tanner."

  He's just a writer, she reminded herself. No big deal. That is just what he does for a living. He's human, just like anybody at the office or the grocery store. It's not every day you meet a writer, though. Books are found in stores or libraries, but the people who write them live far away somewhere. You don't meet them.

  "So you're reading this morning," she said, almost wincing at the inadequacy.

  One corner of his mouth twitched, and it was a bit of a relief to realize he was nervous too. "Yeah. I don't know what the people here are going to think of it. I've always thought they were geared more toward literary things."

  He held up a copy of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. "I guess I'll give them a try," he said. "I finally sold something to EQMM, so maybe it's worthy."

  "I'm sorry I haven't read your books yet. But I've heard they're very clever."

  "They sell well here since I'm local," he said. "And I guess they move in other places. I'm getting ready to start a series."

  "Really."

  "My agent has an editor interested. I've been doing paperbacks, but these will be hardbacks."

  "That's wonderful." She was trying not to seem phony in her admiration. He couldn't be more than thirty. He must be very determined.

  "Uh, I don't, uh, know your name," he said.

  She was about to answer him when someone rushed past her.

  "There he is. There's our author."

  The woman was heavy, and her wavy hairdo would have been at home on a sixteen-year-old's head. On hers it looked out of place. Though past fifty, she did some clever things with makeup that were almost effective.

  "Mr. Tanner, I'm Delilah Webster."

  "My strength is in my hair," he said.

  She guffawed and took his arm. "Come this way."

  He cast a fleeting glance at Gabrielle before he was dragged into the crowd. People quickly converged around him.

  It happens every time, Gab thought. Just when they're breaking ground. Feeling defeated, she took a seat near the back of the room. At least she'd hear him read. That was what she'd come for anyway, not to make any connections. Besides, she'd probably misinterpreted his interest. If she hadn't been rescued she might have embarrassed herself.

  There it was again, that feeling of inferiority. No matter how many times she was assured she was pretty, she couldn't shake her insecurities. Nervously, she smoothed her skirt, wondering if its cut made her look overweight.

  After a few more minutes of milling around, they introduced Tanner, and he took his place at the podium. He seemed more at ease at the speaker's stand than he had in conversation. Though she would have died at being in front of a group, for him it seemed natural.

  He made brief remarks that drew laughs before launching into the story. It was more involved than she had expected, not a straightforward mystery. It was told in the first person, that being a young man who encounters a friend and slowly finds out the friend has just murdered his lover.

  The ending was chilling, and she found herself literally on the edge of her seat, leaning forward as he read the final words in a quivering voice. The emotion of the story was catching him too. He closed the cover of the small magazine softly and bowed his head slightly as people in the room began to clap. A slight smile crossed his face now, a sign of the nervousness returning. He was unsure of how to accept the crowd's reaction.

  After a few moments, he began to answer questions, queries about publishing, the writing process and the plotting of mystery stories. These he fielded without discomfort, walking around the side of the podium to lean against it.

  Finally the session drew to a close, and a few people tugged out paperback copies of his novels for him to sign.

  Gabrielle slipped from her chair and eased out the back door of the meeting room, feeling lost as the crowd formed again. She was about to climb into her car when she heard his voice again. He was calling out to her.

  "I still didn't get your name."

  Her palms tingled, and a nervous lump formed in her stomach. Why were these things so difficult?

  He walked toward her nervously, his tennis shoes squeaking as they struck the surface of the parking lot.

  She introduced herself. "I thought you did a very good job in there," she said.

  "They seemed to like it. Maybe I'll sell a few books. At least it gives me a chance to get out a bit. Writers spend a lot of time hovering over their computer terminals. It's a bit monastic."

  "The way accountants hover over their ledgers?"

  "I guess. You're an accountant?"

  She nodded.

  "Does your time budget include lunch today?"

  The clever approach made her cautious. "I would've thought you'd want to linger in there awhile, basking in admiration."

  He laughed. "Not really. They have other business to discuss."

  Should she tell him about Heaven? That might immediately scare him off. Which was actually better, she decided. Let him run now if he had a problem.

  "I was supposed to pick up my daughter. I guess I could call my friend who's keeping her and let her stay a little longer."

  He grinned. "You aren't married, are you? Did I just walk out on another limb?"

  "Do authors have problems with lunching with married women?"

  "I write stories about murder. I don't want some jealous husband coming after me with a gun."

  "My husband's in California, and he's an ex." Gabrielle held up her left hand and wiggled the appropriate finger. "You were right when you checked it."

  He grinned, flustered a bit at being caught. Still, she figured it couldn't hurt to let him know she could be clever too.

  ~*~

  He was waiting in his car, an ancient blue Cutlass convertible. Since the sun was high he'd rolled the top back.

  She tossed her purse onto the seat and climbed in beside him, maintaining her cool act for the time being. No need to let all of her secrets be known. They could lower their shields over lunch. For the moment the war was still on. He was a man after all, and she was a woman. They were natural enemies.

  She found herself quivering inside at the thought of even casual involvement. I should have run to my car, she thought. I could have avoided this.

  Things were stable in her life. Except for the attention Heaven required, and the occasional anxiety over Heaven's well-being—was she selfish in that?—she was comfortable and reluctant to jeopardize her peace by introducing another variable.

  Yet as Tanner backed the convertible from the parking slot and pulled onto the street, she made no effort to escape. She'd already proven to herself that men could not control her or destroy her.

  ~*~

  Heaven consumed her hot dog without showing any signs of mental confusion or fear. In fact, she performed the task with single-minded determination. The food disappeared into her mouth in almost magical fashion.

  "It was just a remnant of the dream," Harris said. He was standing by Katrina in the kitchen, looking through the opening over the stove. It was a good vantage for observing the children at the dining table.

  "Sure hasn't affected her appetite," Katrina agreed.

  She walked back to the sink to finish washing the dishes. "Guess that settles it. Gab is having lunch with a nice gentleman, which is the first sign of life she's shown in a while. We definitely don't tell her about the tantrum."

  "Agreed," Harris said. "Heaven will probably figure out soon enough that the Gnelfs are harmless."

  Chapter 3

  Gabrielle enjoyed lunch, pizza, but was reluctant to accept Tanner's offer of a movie that evening. He was pleasant and clever, but there were other things to consider.

  For one, she didn't feel right asking Katrina to keep Heaven all day, even though Katrina would be quick to insist. Also she didn't want H
eaven to feel deserted.

  One of the things she'd read about the children of divorced parents was that they developed a fear of being left by the remaining parent. She tried not to stay away from Heaven for too long a time in an attempt to alleviate some of that fear, even if it was subconscious, despite Katrina's telling her that she read too many books and magazine articles about psychology.

  "Why don't you bring her along with us?" Tanner suggested in a too-good-to-be-true offer that made her entertain for a moment the notion that he might be a pedophile. She knew from her reading that such men often preyed on women who had young children.

  That was just one of the ironies to contend with in dating. If you found someone who didn't get scared off by your little one, you had to worry over whether he was interested in her instead.

  She dismissed that notion, for Tanner had approached her before knowing she had children.

  "What could we do?" she asked. "Movies are pretty much out for a five-year-old."

  "She's five?"

  "Almost."

  "Does she like Chinese food?"

  "I don't think she's had it enough times to form an opinion."

  "Well, why don't I fix some tonight, and she can decide."

  "You cook Chinese food?"

  "My mother gave me a wok for Christmas, and I'm learning."

  "I don't know. Heaven is going to be tired. We usually stay in on Saturdays. Coming to your reading was an extravagance."

  "Look, I'll rent some movies for her."

  The car turned into the library lot, and he eased the Cutlass in beside her heap. He didn't kill the motor.

  "What do you think?" he asked.

  "Persistent, aren't you?"

  "Writing is the loneliest profession. When something gets me out into the world I have to make the most of it."

  "Is that a line?"

  "No. You're the prettiest girl who ever came to hear me read. That's a line."

  "That might work if you keep it up. What time?”

  “Seven-thirty?"

  "That'll do. Heaven will have time for a nap. Where do you live?"

  He gave her a few brief directions, mentioning landmarks, and she nodded. "Seven-thirty, then," she said. "I'll see you."

  "I'll have the stir-fry sizzling," he returned.

  She slid from his car and was already in the driver's seat of her own vehicle as he pulled away. Sitting with her hands on the steering wheel, she couldn't keep a smile from her face. If he was a playa, he was a sly one.

  But she didn't think he was a mover. There was a chance, perhaps ever so remote, that by some fluke she'd found a nice guy. At least he was cute and close to her age. If nothing else, he'd made it more than a typical Saturday.

  ~*~

  "I send you out to get a little culture, and you come back lookin' like a schoolgirl," Katrina said.

  She'd been waiting in ambush when Gab hit the front door. The questions which had been building since Gab had called to say she'd be a little late all flowed out.

  While Harris played with the kids in the back yard, Katrina sat Gab down at the kitchen table for coffee and began to pelt her with questions.

  "What's he like?"

  "Cute. Pleasant."

  "Cute?"

  "Yes, cute." She wrinkled her brow. "I guess he's safe."

  "Don't go worryin'. I've heard about him around town. If word was out he was an ax murderer or anything I woulda known it. Just 'cause he writes about murderers doesn't mean he is one."

  "I just don't know if I want a man in my life right now," Gabrielle confessed. "In some ways I do, but, my God, relationships are complicated these days. I mean I wonder is he going to be nice or is he going to take me for granted? Is he going to be considerate, or is he going to be possessive like Martin?"

  "Martin was older, and he had fifties attitudes about women. This guy is young. He's a sensitive artist.”

  “That's another thing. Aren't writers strange?”

  “How would I know? I live with Arnold the Accountant. Harris can be so normal it's annoying."

  Gab smiled. She knew how hard Harris had worked to bring himself out of near poverty, and she knew Katrina respected him for that. She wondered if she would ever find something like what they had.

  For some reason, romance had always eluded her. She always wound up with the wrong people, from high school onward. Maybe it was the passive nature she had toward dating. She'd never been given to pursuing men the way her friends had.

  Sometimes it became frustrating, seeing relationships that seemed to work for other people.

  "Scared aren't you?" Katrina guessed.

  "As always."

  "It'll work out. Just give him a chance."

  "Oh, I will. I always do that. And they always cause me pain."

  ~*~

  Rows and rows of brightly colored boxes lined the shelves in the Best Buy family section. Tanner browsed carefully as Jamie Hyatt stood over his shoulder.

  "It's easier helping you pick out film noir titles," she said. "Sure you don't want something with Bogart?”

  “Not tonight." He picked up a tape entitled Gnelf Voyages. The artwork depicted a crew of little green Gnelfs tying off lines on a sailing ship. "Is this good?”

  “They’re insanely popular and that’s the newest one, where they go sailing to everywhere and encounter pirates and sea monsters.”

  “Release the Kraken?"

  "In a kid sort of way. Everybody's renting these things, so I guess they're not too bad."

  "Okay. I'll take this one. What else is good?”

  “You're in luck. Noble Gnelfs is back in stock. And there's Journey with the Gnelfs."

  He studied the artwork on the covers. In each the little creatures with their scrolls and swords wandered about.

  "Gnelfs travel a lot I take it."

  "They're nomads."

  "Why are these things so popular?"

  Jamie shook her head. "They're like The Hobbit and everything I guess. They're just in right now. In two months it'll be something else."

  "Guess you're right. Wrap these up. I don't want to eat them here."

  ~*~

  After debating what to wear, Gabrielle opted for jeans and a simple blue blouse with a sweater and scarf. Tanner had been dressed casually for his reading, so he would probably not be in tie and tails for a quiet evening at home.

  Heaven had napped after returning from Katrina's, but her clothing was still fresh so Gab didn't make her change. After a few brief reminders about behavior, they piled into the car.

  Tanner lived in a rustic-looking house made of redwood lumber. It was situated at the end of a street, tucked back behind some thick old pines. With a front porch and shutters, it resembled a mountain cabin, but its appearance seemed to thrill Heaven.

  Gab pulled into the driveway and killed the engine before the child had much opportunity to struggle against her safety seat.

  The smell of frying vegetables and sesame oil hung in the air when Tanner answered the door. Smiling, he ushered them into his front sitting room.

  "This must be Heaven," he said.

  "Um-hum."

  "Yes, sir," Gabrielle prompted.

  "Yes, sir," Heaven echoed.

  Her eyes were scanning the room. The interior of the house was a bit rustic also, with dark paneling and various antique lamps and items of furniture.

  "This looks like the stuff we saw at the dirty store," Heaven said.

  Gabrielle rolled her eyes and tried to keep from blushing. "She's talking about the antique shop," Gabrielle explained.

  "No problem," Tanner said. "I've got something I'll bet you'll like Heaven."

  He walked over to the television, which sat against one wall and held up the disks.

  "They told me at the store these are popular with little girls. Do you like cartoons?"

  "Um, er, yessir."

  After glancing at her mother to make sure it was all right, she moved across the room to Tanner.

>   "I got the three newest Gnelf tapes. How does that sound?"

  Heaven's mood suddenly became more subdued, but she nodded. "Gnelfs are okay," she whispered.

  "Does she not like them?" Tanner asked, looking back at Gab.

  "She's really a big fan. She just had a little nightmare about them earlier in the week."

  "Oh, I can pick 'em, can't I?"

  "It's all right," Heaven said, remembering her mother's admonition to be polite.

  "Maybe we'll watch a little later," Gab suggested.

  "Maybe," Heaven agreed.

  "Well, you can both watch me cook, if you want," Tanner suggested.

  "Should be fun," Gab said. "You don't see men engaged in that activity very often."

  "It was that or starve."

  "It smells good."

  "It's the only thing I know how to fix."

  They moved through an opening into his kitchen, and he pulled up a chair for Heaven before returning to his efforts at dinner.

  "You really are reasonably proficient at that," Gab said, leaning against the counter.

  "I'm better at mystery writing, but I do my best at cooking."

  He dumped something onto the wok, sending a spray of smoke toward the ceiling.

  "So what's next for you, mysterywise?"

  "My series character is going to be a Cajun private eye who works in New Orleans. Agent’s idea. His name is Gaston, and he was raised in the swamp country before he went to study at Loyola."

  "You doing much research?"

  "A lot of it I'm drawing from Cajun people I've known. I've been making trips to New Orleans now and then to absorb local color."

  "I love New Orleans. The French Quarter is so beautiful."

  "It really is."

  He finished cooking, and set the food on plates rather than setting the table. Then they moved back into the living room for the meal.

  Heaven warmed to Tanner quickly, and she began to laugh when he teased her. Gabrielle found herself beginning to relax too. This was just a preliminary outing, and it was too early to tell overall, but he seemed decent enough.

  The fact that he'd been willing to have her bring Heaven along won him points. First, it meant he didn't hold the child against her, and secondly it meant he hadn't approached her just to get her into bed. At least she hoped he didn't plan to try that while Heaven was occupied.