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Beau tucked the blanket around him and stood to leave the room. Then he stopped. “Could she pick him out of a school’s yearbook?”
“I don’t know. I can ask.”
“Good. Call her now. I’ll go get dressed and take you for something to eat before I go into work.”
“Goody!”
“Shut it, monkey-face.”
“Hey, don’t you want to hear about my new love interest?”
He stopped dead and turned to her, his face a picture of a man trying not to let jealousy appear. “What’s his name?”
“Ball.”
“First name?”
“Doesn’t have one. It’s just Ball. Oh for pity’s sake you’re as bad as Dad. It’s not a guy, it’s a sport. Basket… ball. I love it. Lately, Mom’s been on my case about how much time I spend with my face in my phone, blah, yada, blah and urged me to get involved in something that would move my body. So… me and Leanne, we signed up for practice at the gym. The place is awesome. Lots of nice-looking guys there.”
“You had me at awesome and then you just had to go and spoil it, monkey. Okay, stop with the sour looks, you can tell me all about these so-called nice guys over breakfast. Mind you, I’ll want their full names for a search.”
Mellie laughed and answered, sarcasm dripping, “You’re soooo not funny.”
As he disappeared he muttered loud enough for her to hear. “Who’s joking?”
Chapter Thirty
When Beau finally watched Lori approach at headquarters, she looked as tired as he felt. Sleeping on the couch had been as bad as he remembered. His back wouldn’t be the same until the kinks wore off. The muscles in his neck ached, but thank the Lord for small mercies – no hangover.
“Hi, Lori. Sleep well?” Larry piped up; his voice filled with such cheer that Beau had to block the impulse to drive his fist into the man’s belly. For some strange reason, Larry’s happy face tended to draw out the meanness in his soul.
Lori stopped by Larry’s desk. “Buddy, if you want to remain on my birthday card list, never ask me again if I slept well.” Her neck angled from side to side, and she rubbed it viciously.
“Then quit sleeping in the chair, dummy.”
Her head stopped twisting. “How’d you know?”
“I’ve got a two-year-old.”
“Right. Sorry.” Lori pulled one of the three coffees from the four-cup holder she set down and slid it over to him. Muttering, she added, “You’re lucky. Came close to ending up in the garbage can.”
Turning, she plunked a cup down for Beau and took the last one for herself. Organizing her things, a process she’d followed each day, she finally sat, took her first sip, and groaned with delight.
Beau gave her a few seconds to soak in the liquid joy. He wondered if she’d slept on the chair because he hadn’t been with her to hold her in her bed. Soon as he got the opportunity, he’d ask. Yeah… no. Probably not a good idea to scratch that itch until they were in a better place.
“Nothing new with the case?” She finally spoke.
“If you’re wondering if they found Billy, then no. Nothing. But I have some news. You about ready to hear it?”
She looked at him, straightened her back, and nodded. “Bring it on.”
Once he’d explained everything that Mellie had shared, her expression lifted. “This is good. Will Leanne go over the yearbooks for us?”
“You realize that’s a lot of images for the kid to check out?”
“It’s all online now. We can forward her the works, and she can take her time.”
“Right. Okay. I suggest she starts with the seniors for all three schools. Stands to reason if a kid hits that level in a particular place, he’s probably been there at least two years. I’d start with Mellie’s school. It was the first shooting. Then she can work through the others in order.”
