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And then, as her daddy would say, the devil got hold of her and she couldn't resist adding, "Of course, Elvis could be in the neighborhood. You might want to take the broom out with you, just in case." 

He stopped in his tracks. "Elvis?" 

She tore a sheet of aluminum foil and was piling vegetables in the center. "Our local celebrity. Last time anyone reported seeing him, he swore Elvis was sixteen feet long." 

"You named an alligator Elvis? What's the matter with you people?" 

"We don't name all of them," she defended. "Just the impressive ones." 

"You're joking about Elvis. Right?" 

She smiled sweetly. "Sort of."

"It's sort of damned cruel to torment a man who has an obvious phobia about alligators, Mike."

"I would prefer it if you called me Michelle."

"I would prefer it if you didn't joke about alligators."