AllFreeNovel
Share Us
10
I know I shouldn’t get cocky, but things are looking up, don’t you think?
Eve still likes me. Even if I did blow it a month ago, today, I made her smile. I know the ham salad sandwich was cheating, but hey, give me a break, I’m a desperate man.
I only have one chance to get this right.
So, yes, I scrolled through my twenty-plus-year-old knowledge of my Eve, and remembered how she forgot to eat when she focused too long on a case. In fact, she’s always been just as obsessed as I am, which we’re going to fix right now.
Then again, it was my obsessiveness and fear of losing myself and my family that led me to the Colossal Argument between me and Booker.
So, maybe I just saved us all from future heartache.
I’m feeling fairly stalwart—thinking of the inscription on my watch—as I head outside into the parking lot, get into the Camaro and motor down to 305 Chicago Avenue, to the Medical Examiner’s office. It’s located in the basement of the old HCMC medical building. It’ll move in about a decade to the western suburbs, a shiny new building with all the latest technology. But now it’s just a few blocks away. I turn up the volume to Don’t Look Back, by Boston, a stalwart song if ever there was one.
There are only four cars in the lot—a Lexus, the coroner’s van, and an Integra. Burke has beaten me here and I spot him standing in the shade near the door. The July heat hasn’t wilted his shirt, and of course he’s wearing his suit coat.
I’ve ditched my tie, my jacket, and rolled up my sleeves.
I shut my door. “What?”
“You went to see Eve, didn’t you?” He gives me his raised eyebrows look.
I grin and he rolls his eyes, even as he leans off his car and falls in step with me. “You know you’re playing with fire.”
“I’m not scared of Danny Mulligan.”
“You should be, Rem. He’s not in charge of the Gang Activities unit for no reason. He’s the kind of guy who knows every hoodlum in downtown Minneapolis on a first name basis—because he’s tracked them down and arrested them. If he finds out you’re sniffing around Eve, you’re going to start getting visits—”
I hold up my hand. “He’s going to like me. You just wait and see.” I reach for the door handle. “Besides, Eve is worth it.”
Burke purses his lips and follows me in.
The place is clean, clinical, and our footsteps echo off the tile floor as we head down the hallway to the tiny waiting room, more of an alcove with chairs that line the walls.
I jerk at the sight of Jeff and Karen Holmes. They look exactly the same as I remember them, and of course they would because they, um, are the same. Jeff is dressed in a blue suit, yellow tie, a white oxford, and glances at his watch as if he might be annoyed. Again, I don’t like him. Karen, however, looks at me with a terrible mix of hope and dread in her eyes. She’s wearing a pink summer sweater, a pair of white jeans and dockers, her hair straight and when she tucks it behind her ear, I realize…
I don’t want to do this again.
It was hard enough the first time, with Karen collapsing onto the floor, her husband stalking down the hallway to leave her behind and Burke and I calling 9-1-1.
I hope Burke has his phone out and I instinctively step closer to Karen before I stick out my hand to Jeff and introduce myself. His grip is cool, quick and firm like we might be here to make a deal. Buying a car or something. I’ve forgotten what the man does for a living, but something about him still raises my skin.
“I’m so sorry to have to call you in—” Burke begins.
“Have you found her?” Karen touches my arm, swallows.
I touch her hand, removing it from my arm. “Yes, but…” I glance at the chairs. “Maybe we should sit.”
She presses her hands to her mouth and I manage to get her to the chairs before she goes white. “Is she…”
Burke takes a deep breath. “I’m so sorry, ma’am but, yes. We found your daughter this morning.”
This time I have something to add. “We tried to revive her, but despite all our efforts…” Now it’s my turn to breathe deep. “I’m sorry, but she didn’t make it.”
She leans over, her hands around her waist, and begins to keen.
Jeff’s face has hardened, and he looks away.
