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Sadie drove with me this morning, so her car isn’t here at the station. Her apartment isn’t far, so she probably walked home. I get in my truck and drive the few blocks to her place.
I park on the street and a few seconds later I’m standing at her apartment door. I knock. “Sadie?”
No response.
There’s no doorbell, so I knock again.
Then I fucking pound on the door. “Sadie? Where are you?”
Fuck, maybe she stayed in town, went to get a cup of coffee or something. Why wouldn’t she tell me where she was going?
I drive back to the station, where Austin and Chance are now exiting, and get out of my car.
“What the hell was that about?” Austin demands. “The three of us have got to stick together.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” I shift my gaze to the sidewalk. “I know I went off a little halfcocked.”
“A little?” Chance lifts his eyebrows. “I don’t like Peterson any more than you do, but it’s my ass on the line, not yours. He’s a good detective, but he’s not above fucking with you if he’s pissed.”
“Yeah, I know. Sadie gave me the 4-1-1 on him.”
“What the hell were you thinking, Miles?” Austin shakes his head at me.
“Hell, I was… Fuck. I was thinking that my woman just lost her brother. That she’s sad. That she needs me.”
They both raise their eyebrows at me.
I’m done hiding. “Yeah, you heard it.My woman. Sadie Hopkins is my woman. I’m fucking in love with her. Satisfied?”
Austin tries to hold back a grin but is ultimately unsuccessful. “Seriously? You’re in love?”
“Don’t you dare give me any shit. You fell faster and harder than I did.”
“And you don’t hear me complaining about it.” Austin shuffles his feet on the sidewalk and holds out his hand to Chance. “Pay up.”
Chance shakes his head, but he’s smiling as he pulls out his wallet and slaps a twenty-dollar bill in Austin’s palm.
I roll my eyes and set my hands on my hips.
“The receptionist inside said Sadie was going to take some days off,” I tell them.
“That was good advice you gave her,” Chance says, tucking his wallet away. “Especially now that she’s recused herself from our case.”
“I just drove over to her place, but she’s not there.” I gaze around the sidewalk and street, absently looking for Sadie’s brunette head.
“It’s close to lunchtime. She might be over at Millie’s. Or at that taco place.” Chance rubs his belly. “I could stand eating.”
“You’re just like me.” I chuckle. “The world might be caving in on us, but I can always eat.”
“I’m the same way.” Austin laughs. “My mom always said I’m a bottomless pit. That must be something we got from our father.”
“I hope that’s all we got from him,” Chance says. “I don’t want to be anything like that motherfucker. Thank God that none of us look much like him. We got his height and shoulder breadth. You sure favor your mother, Austin. Miles, I’ve never met your mother but I bet she’s a blonde with blue eyes.”
I nod. “That she is. Though she colors her hair now to hide the gray.”
“My mom was a stunning redhead.” Chance smiles.
I get the feeling there’s a story there, but Chance doesn’t elaborate.
