Chapter 31: Let Me Blow on It

"Hey, handsome, all set." Mario Walton had zoned out for a moment. By the time he snapped out of it, the shop owner was already holding out the bouquet of roses. "Oh! Right." He came to, caught the woman's knowing half-smile, hurried through the payment, and slipped out, sheepish. Downstairs at Clara's building, he spotted a black Passat idling in a space, headlights on, but nobody got out. For some reason, the plate looked familiar. He couldn't place it, frowned, and headed upstairs. "Ding-dong!" A...