“OK, older guys are better, but why? More money? More patience? Able to keep it up longer?”“Jeez Mel,” replied Tracy, “don’t take it too p...rsonal, OK? Sure money helps, a nicer car, some emotional maturity, all that’s good. But then again, until you entered my life, all of those men have also had wives and kids and I’ve been the girl on the side. It’s good to have you all to myself.”“What even made you aware of older men?” queried Mel, unwisely unwilling to let well enough alone. “Didn’t you. Jen had been right in her assessment – the assault and murder had been nasty pieces of work, and by all witness accounts, racially motivated – a deadly assault on a Native man drinking at the same bar Donovan and some friends were hanging out at. Jahn had stumbled over that bit, looking for the name of the man killed, but it hadn’t been Fiona’s father, who he knew by name, if nothing else. While the attack happened long before hate legislation had been instituted, the circumstances had been. ‘Cripes man,’ said the First Mate, an Englishman, brushing aside his tears with grubby fingers. ‘My loss is infinitesimal compared with yours. We thought the reason why you didn’t come ashore to help us plow through the local, ahem, maidens, was your dick must be too small. But oh dear, I see what the reason is now: you’re a prisoner of Zelda.’ Those surprisingly majestic last three words sunk through to Fred and he thrust his arms forward in grief and if to clasp the invisible spirit of Zelda.. Trust me…if one breaks your stone will be lost in a heartbeat. I’m glad that John can afford the best for such a beautiful woman as you. Now--what else, John?”“How about a tennis bracelet and maybe some other rings for her right hand?”He brought out the bracelets first and I thought that Sara would faint. Here in this tiny shop Sam must have had a million dollars in precious stones—maybe even more. “Let us find a nice bracelet that you like and then we’ll find a matching ring. Don’t worry. .