Page 33 of Tito

We all swung our gazes over to him.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Romeo asked him.

I wondered the same thing.

He slowly shook his head. “I don’t know, but I’m gonna find out.”

Romeo stared at him in confusion. “What is it, Tito?”

He just kept shaking his head.

“Max came out of the pantry this morning too,” I spoke up. “And you acted odd about that, Tito.” I took his hand. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m not sure. But why was he in there?””

“Why?” Romeo repeated. “He’s a butler, there could have been many reasons.”

“Yeah, give me one?” Tito challenged.

“Light bulbs,” Romeo offered a good answer as he nodded his head.

“They’re in the supply room under the stairs,” Tito replied.

“Maybe he needed food supplies?” I suggested.

“I found out that he only eats stuff shipped from England,” Tito said. “Shipped to his little house.”

“Wow, this really bothers you, doesn’t it?” Romeo noted.

Tito nodded then he gazed around and lowered his voice to say, “It does now. And I found something in that pantry that shouldn’t be there.”

Romeo smirked. “Damn Tito, maybe you're watching too many crime dramas. Or horror films.”

“Ha-ha…” Tito grabbed his wine glass and took a sip.

“What did you find?” I asked him as I ignored Romeo’s snickering.

He shrugged. “I don't want to say anything out here.”

“Tito, come on,” Romeo admonished. “You think Max is… like not who he says he is?”

Tito looked over at Romeo again to ask, “Has he ever said who he is?”

Romeo stared at him.

“Like what is his full name?” Tito urged. “We only know him as Max.”

“You said you knew about his food being shipped,” I commented. “Did you ever see his name on any of the boxes?”

“I never saw the boxes up close, just them being delivered.” Tito shrugged. “Look, I never thought about it before. I mean he’s been with us for almost my whole life really. Then…it occurred to me that he never changes.”

Julianna shrugged back and replied, “Some people are set in their—”

“—he never ages!” Tito cut her off.

We all stared at him.

“He’s right,” Romeo said quietly as he stared at Tito.