Page 78 of Rigid

“Nope. Not Mr. anything.” P-Nut stepped to the side. “Get your ass in here and have a seat, son.”

Sandy was sitting on the loveseat reading a book, and Eddie was cowering in her bedroom, ashamed of what might happen.

Richard walked in, paused at the edge of the loveseat, and nodded slightly. “Mr. Wallace?”

By my guess, he was six foot tall. His slight build made him seem taller, but when standing beside P-Nut, their height wasn’t measurable different. His hair was dark, and kind of all over the place, but a neat mess.

Dressed in khakis, loafers, and a plaid button-down short-sleeved shirt, he looked like a dork.

I stood and extended my hand. “Nice to meet you, Richard. Have a seat.”

He sat at the end of the loveseat, turned toward me, and smiled. “I’d like to ask your permission, Sir. I’d like to take your daughter on a date.”

P-Nut posted himself up behind the loveseat with his arms crossed, and his eyes fixed on the back of Richard’s head.

“How long have you been driving, Richard?” I asked.

He crossed his legs. “Almost two years.”

“How long, legally? By yourself?”

His shoulders slumped slightly. “Two months.”

“You’re barely eighteen years old?”

“I turned eighteen two months ago. Yes, Sir.”

“Do you live with your parents?”

“Yes, Sir. I sure do.”

“Both of them?”

He grinned and nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“What does your mother do for a living?”

“She doesn’t work. She looks after my youngest brother, mostly. He’s four.”

“And, your father?”

He looked embarrassed. “He’s the finance manager for BMW in La Jolla.”

“Do you drive a BMW?”

His eyes fell to the floor. “No, it’s a Mini Cooper.”

“Made by BMW, aren’t they?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“If I let you take her on a date, what are your plans?”

“Short term?”

“For the night, Richard.” I said, my tone a little harsher than I wanted it to be. “What will you do from the time you leave here, until the time you return?”

“We were going to try and see a movie, if possible.”