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Early November in Maine was chilly before the sun rose higher in the sky, and Fleet felt it judicious to layer-up as well, so he grabbed a sweatshirt off the back of a chair before snagging leftover breakfast from the counter. He didn’t know who had babysitting duty outside today, but surely whoever it was wouldn’t turn down bacon. It wasn’t his thing, because, well, vegetarian, but he wasn’t blind. Most of the population salivated over the smoky meat.
Not waiting for Pixie, Fleet opened the door to a grinning Kyle, and a stoic Doug. He knew the less-than-friendly cop had been suspended from SWAT for a couple weeks, but he was still active on the OPD, Chief Ildavorg having eschewed the more drastic censure, and instead settling for a reprimand.
“Good morning gentlemen,” Fleet said as cheerfully as he could with Doug looking so dour. “I thought you might like some toast and bacon.”
“No shit,” Kyle beamed. “Thanks, man.” He went right for the crispy strips while Doug looked on.
“Not interested?” Fleet questioned the man, removing the plate from in front of Kyle’s greedy fingers to thrust it toward Doug.
He scowled, and was clearly about to decline when Pixie walked out of the house and smiled up at him. “It’s really good. I cooked it myself,” she told him.
His face did a one-eighty, and the smile that emerged on his lips made the man look ten years younger…and completely approachable. Who knew Doug had that in him? Lumous reached a hand out and grabbed two pieces, as well as one slice of toast. He folded the bread around the strips and took a bite.
“Mmm. Good,” he announced after chewing and swallowing.
Fleet struck while the man was in a good mood. “You want to walk with us this morning, Doug?” he asked, sending a quick shake of his head to Kyle. Here was an opportunity to maybe get to know the man a little better.
Doug opened his mouth with what looked to be a decline, but Pixie jumped in. “Please, Doug? I’d love to have you join us.”
What Pixie didn’t know, however, was that one of the officers wouldhaveto accompany them; the unknown threat to Fleet still out there.
Fleet had been given the green light by Talia to fill Pixie in on things today, but only if the previous day’s trauma hadn’t done a number on her. It looked like Pixie had not only slept well, but was gung-ho to take their walk, suffused with a natural kind of cheer, which was great, but also meant Fleet didn’t want to bring up bad shit to make the morning a downer. He wondered if there would be a good opportunity to tell Pixie about his woes, but refused to perseverate on it.
“I’ll go,” Doug finally gave in, nodding to Kyle who gave him a sassy wink. Clearly the Sothard jokester wasn’t going to let the man’s moodiness affect him in the least.
“Great,” Pixie smiled, turning to question Fleet. “Which way should we head?”
He shrugged. “This is the first day I’ve been cleared for an outdoor walk, and I’m not at all familiar with Talia’s neighborhood. I have no clue what’s within an eighth of a mile from here.”
Doug actually jumped in with a suggestion. “Let’s head toward the damn. It’s close, and you can get a nice view of the falls and the sluiceway.”
Pixie looked at Fleet, and he nodded. “Sounds good to me. I thought I heard water running somewhere nearby.”
“Just don’t fall in,” Kyle quipped as they all agreed on their destination. “I’d hate to leave my post here to help pull your ass out of the drink, then have to explain to Talia how we screwed up so badly.”
“Not interested in taking a November swim, thank you,” Fleet returned. He glanced at Doug. “Lead the way.”
The man uncharacteristically offered his arm to Pixie, who took it with a smile, and they were off.
Doug was correct, they were only a couple streets from a large damn that stretched across the Penobscot River, and what a sight it was. Over a thousand feet long, water cascaded heartily over the barrier and also down a large chute. Beside the impressive falls, an empty lot held rubble from a building that once was quite large, alongside a newer looking brick edifice.
“I wonder what those are, or were?” Fleet asked, thinking his question was rhetorical.
“Old woolen mills,” Doug surprisingly replied. “One was torn down in the 60’s, and the one still standing is apartments.”
Who knew the man would be familiar with his history. Fleet was beginning to think there was more to Doug than first met the eye, and clearly Pixie thought so, too. She began to engage him in more “local color” conversation, and it became quickly apparent that the two were finding they had historical interests in common.
Still, Fleet wasn’t sure he liked how much Pixie let Doug have the lead with whatever they talked about, but he wasn’t familiar enough with her personality to know whether it was done purposely to draw the man out, or was simply a part of her stepped-back personality.
He hated to interrupt, but…
“My watch says I’ve done half my steps, so as much as my curiosity says keep walking, the doctor and Talia would have a fit if I disobeyed orders and didn’t turn around, now.”
Pixie chuckled. “Tallie told me not to let you over-do, but I knew you’d be good.”
Fleet joined her laughter. “And I’m not going to cross your sister. She’d kick my ass.”
It seemed Doug let out a small growl, which confused Fleet even more, but Pixie clearly misinterpreted the sound. “Did some of your bacon go down the wrong way? I’ll bring you some water once we get back to Tallie’s.”
