AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tell you what,” I say. “How about this? We focus on The Case of Dropping Off the Money for now. Then no more work stuff. Neither one of us is on the clock. Or at least we’re both only on the clock a little.”
She laughs. “Or at least, neither of us is getting paid for this.”
“Precisely.”
We cross the last street and I walk with her up to the drop box, leaning back against the wall while she goes through the short process
“Ya know,” she says, selecting the key from her ring, “I’ve heard some banks just have these things called ATMs and you can put a whole bunch of money in them instead of having to keep track of this one ridiculously tiny key.”
“I’ve heard of those,” I laugh. “That’s for big city folks though. Chi-town. New York City. Us humble Ardeens don’t cotton to them fancy robot machines too much.”
“Ardeens, huh?”
I shrug. “I didn’t make it up. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan either, but…” I hold out my hands.
“Like sardines,” she drops the money in and relocks the small door.
“Hopefully I don’t smell as bad.”
She surprises me by leaning over and taking a sniff of my sleeve. “Nah. You’re all right. What is that? Zest? Head and Shoulders? It’s diviiiine.”
I laugh. “I’m not the only detective, huh? Maybe we’ll find a spot for you down on the force.”
“The nose knows,” she says and drops her keys back in her purse. “Well, sir, I thank you for your gallant service in escorting me safely on my way.”
I tip an imaginary hat. “Just doing my job, ma’am.”
“Ew,” she crinkles her nose. “Can I at least be ‘miss’ for just a little while longer?”
“The customer is always right.”
And this is the part I should’ve planned on, but I was so focused on trying to be relaxed and calm that, for a block or so, I actually almost was. Walking beside her felt normal, if not a little anxiety-provoking. Yeah, she’s gorgeous, and yeah, I may have let my eyes wander a little more than I should’ve, but there’s something about her that just feels like she’s always been there. I don’t know. I’ve never been good at getting all deep into my feelings, exactly. I’m not a steel case or anything, but given my lifestyle, not just as a cop, but as a bachelor cop, no less, there isn’t a whole lot of time for anymore than the usual bullshitting that goes on in the car or at the station. The rest of the time I’m on my own, and that doesn’t bring up too many emotions.
And what am I supposed to do, sit around feelinglonely? They told us early on in training that any plans we had for a wife or kids needed to be seriously looked into. Not a whole lot of folks leave in the morning wondering if they’re gonna come back from work. In Arden, it’s us and the firefighters mostly. Some of the factory guys too, if we’re being honest, but that’s a whole nother ball game.
What I’m saying is the girl kind of blindsided me and I was starting to think yeah, okay, maybe I am lonely. So what? I’m allowed to be.
“Well, I’m sorry I made you work on your day off,” she says, alerting me to yet another pause I’d let run out awkwardly long.
“Oh it’s no trouble,” I say. “Besides, if you’d been mugged I’d have to see you anyway.”
It’s a lame joke but she smiles anyhow.
“Worse,” she says. “You’d’ve had to see meandMarla. Probably Vicki, too, if she could find some way to weasel herself into it.”
“Not your favorite job, huh?”
She shrugs, leaning against the wall beside me. “My dad used to say, ‘that’s why they call it work…’”
“‘’Cause all the other four-letter words were taken,’” I finish. “He’s not entirely wrong. Some places are better than others, I suppose. But yeah, in the end, I don’t know too many folks who spring outta bed in the morning.”
“And it’s temporary,” she says, about half to herself.
I look down at her for a minute. She’s got this far-off gaze and, for once, I can see I’m not the one daydreaming. Whatever she’s thinking of, whatever plans that future in her head holds, I find myself aching to figure out what they are. Most of the college kids hit the town for their four years and skip out once they’ve got their degree in their hand. A few will stick around. Teachers, nurses. The ones who just fell in love with the school or a townie. Looking at Megan though, she could go either way.
Maybe it’s dramatic, or childish, or whatever, but I think it’s at that moment I realize I don’t want her running off after four years. That wouldn’t be nearly enough time.
Which is probably why I say what I say next.
