“Hey, no harm done,” I assure her.
She smiles through the tears.
Getting up, Sloan smiles back.
“We’ll keep you updated on the case,” I tell her before we walk out.
She nods and follows us to the door, watching us leave. She looks like the entire world’s burden has been lifted from her shoulders.
We walk out of the gate, Sloan shooting a glare at the bush on the way.
“You could have come in sooner,” I complain as I open the driver’s seat door.
“Eh, she was harmless,” she says.
I start the engine and pull onto the road. “Yes, because spooked people with guns are the most harmless.”
“Maybe it waskarma.”
***
I drive straight to Elliot’s after delivering the criminal to the lockup at Bureau headquarters. Now he’s the criminal justice team’s problem. They’ve already made a strong case against him, but he’ll be given a fair chance to contest the allegations, albeit without a lawyer or a court date.
He’ll stay in a holding cell until his case is finished. Then he’d either be transferred to the Bureau prison in Fresno or be released, which has never happened before as far as Iknow. We don’t take our arrests lightly. We have a saying, “Once you see the back wall of a Bureau holding cell, you won’t see anything else for a long while.”
Sloan made me drop her at a random spot on the way, far enough away from her home that I know she’s not going back any time soon. When I enquired about her plans, she threw a ‘Why hasn’t Elliot called or messaged all day?’ at me. I wasn’t very curious after that.
When I park in Elliot’s driveway, the lights are on. I switch off the engine and let the sounds and smells from inside wash over me. Soft music is playing, and Elliot is saying something, probably to Mickey because I can’t smell anyone else inside. Just a soothing, spicy-sweet musk that never fails to make my heart pick up, and Mickey’s familiar, comfortable, cozy scent that calms me down.
Home, that’s what it smells like.
I tune in to Elliot’s words. “...should have been here, but you know what, we don’t need him. Or anyone. We can make delicious dinners by ourselves.”
Mickey whines.
“Yeah, okay, we can order a delicious dinner ourselves and eat it. We don’tneedto watch sitcoms while eating. We’re completely self-sufficient people… and a dog.”
Mickey barks excitedly.
“Exactly, we don’t miss him.”
I smile and close my eyes, letting his words wash over me. Letting everything I’d been holding for days slip away. Because that’s Elliot for he misses me.
I get out of the car, a little bothered that Elliot didn’t hear my car in his driveway. But that doesn’t deter the goofy smile that I know he loves despite his constant denial.
Hitting the doorbell makes Mickey finally pay attention to someone other than Elliot. It’s hard, I know. He barks up a storm.
“Yeah, yeah, I would have loved it if you had opposable thumbs too. You could have helped me with chores,” Elliot says as he swings the door open.
Mickey barges out from under him and demands pets while complaining.
“Be careful what you wish for, bud. Elliot is lying. He’ll make you do all the chores if you had thumbs,” I warn the poor guy. Elliot tries to fight a smile.
Mickey barks some more, moving his large body between my legs.
“Well, he needs to pay for his food and board some way,” he says.
I laugh, and Elliot lets himself smile. He looks lighter, happy. I hate to bring up the topic that would make him decidedly unhappy and worried. Maybe after dinner?
