Word Count: 60,049
Summary of Events:
Jesse went to the Good Friday Mass and was convinced to go to lunch with the family, although he hadn't wanted to; he left immediately thereafter, pursued by his oldest sister all the way home, where they talked and she apologised to him before leaving without him because he refused to go back with her. He was returning from dropping off his article for the evening edition of the Tribune when he spied something suspicious . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
"As he approached the house he slowed. There was a a man in a dark coat and a fedora walking the same way as he was, but on the opposite sidewalk. Jesse stopped and waited, watching as the man stopped after a distance, turned around, and headed back.
The man appeared to be loitering. Jesse hadn't ever seen a loiterer on their street before. But that wasn't really disconcerting. The more disconcerting thing about it was the fact that he was loitering directly across from the house.
Was the man looking for him? Some sort of a gangster or a rival gangster who wanted to talk to him — or shoot him? Jesse shifted his jaw and watched as the man continued to pace.
Finally he started forward again and went inside, pausing in the vestibule to glance out the sidelight window to see the that the man was still pacing. From the glance Jesse got of his face he looked young, and almost vaguely familiar.
Jesse headed upstairs, wondering if maybe the man was out after Mr. Nichols, but he had his doubts that was the case, after all, there was that bit of recognition.
Upstairs he found Georgia was leaning against the window sill, looking outside, not playing with Eugenia and their dolls.
After a few moments she turned away from the window and saw him. A flash of happiness lit her face, but only for a moment. By the time she'd reached him, having hurried across the room, her expression was very worried.
"Come," she said, grabbing his fingers and towing him across the living room.
Jesse followed her to the window, where she released his fingers, looked up at him, and pointed in the general direction of the loiterer.
"Who's that?" she asked.
"I don't know," Jesse replied.
"Why is he standing outside?" Georgia asked.
"Because he's loitering," Jesse replied.
"What is loitering?" Georgia asked.
"Wandering around outside of someplace waiting for something," Jesse replied.
"Why is he loitering?" Georgia asked.
"I don't know," Jesse replied.
Georgia sighed.
"How long has he been there?" Jesse asked.
"All day," Georgia replied.
"I didn't see him when I left this morning," Jesse said.
"He came after that," Georgia replied.
"Oh," Jesse said.
"And he's been there all day, and I don't like him," Georgia said.
Jesse couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "And why is that?"
"Because he won't go away," Georgia replied.
"Well, I don't like him either," Jesse said.
"Cause he won't go away?" Georgia asked.
"Well, yes," Jesse replied. "And because of the fact that he's standing across from our house, which means he's waiting for something to happen here, and I don't know if he's waiting for something to happen with us, or with the Nichols."
"What would he be waiting for?" Georgia asked.
"I don't know," Jesse replied. "But I feel like it might be me.""
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