Chapter 6Hogan’s door buzzer snapped him out of his morose contemplation of the terrible programming on television for the night. He’d been at a loss all day. His attempts to follow Maria’s directive not to think about Vera only seemed to have thrown his past into the forefront of his mind. By now it was making him totally crazy. At least he hadn’t scorched the chowder pot at the shelter again. Of course, they were having minestrone tonight which didn’t burn unless you did something too stupid for even his present state of mind.
He opened the door and almost fell back in shock. There stood Maria Parrano, lovely in a dark blue dress and the same red woolen coat as this morning. Muted with the contrasting blue, she appeared mysterious rather than as a flame under this morning’s streetlight.
