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He tried to smile back, but if it looked anything like it felt, it was tight and grim. “I’ll be back tomorrow with my head on straight.”
“Take care of yourself, Sam.”
“You too.”
He made his way out of their office building and walked back to his apartment, making himself notice his surroundings. Grounding himself with the small things—the sun shining on his face, the hot dog vendor at the corner, the coffee shop where the owner always had his order ready by the time he got to the counter, the stray cat that darted across his path. He hoped it belonged to someone.
He almost called Joel to see if he wanted to meet for breakfast before he headed to the retirement home, but his friend had said he’d be in court this morning.
It was then that Sam realized that he didn’t have anyone else to call.
I need to make some more friends.
And, of course, McKittrick came to mind. She had smiled at him and, even though he was still annoyed with how they’d treated him, he couldn’t forget that smile.
She’d been doing her job. She doesn’t know me. Doesn’t know I couldn’t even hurt a fly. And, in hindsight, his behavior had been shifty.
He walked out of his building’s elevator on his parents’ floor just as his dog walker exited their apartment. Skyler swept a lock of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear as she jiggled the doorknob to make sure the door was completely closed—Siggy was a little escape artist.
Skyler looked surprised when she turned and saw him approaching. “Dr.Reeves. I thought you were on vacation and your folks were Siggy-sitting.”
“Nope. My apartment had a pipe leak and I’m staying with them while it’s being cleaned.” It was the lie he was going with. His parents would spread the same story. Nobody needed to know his business.
She made a face. “That sucks. I just got done walking Siggy. He found a stick.”
“He always finds a stick,” Sam replied dryly. “It’s kind of his thing.”
“This is a big stick.” Grinning, she spread her hands a foot apart. “He was so cute carrying it in that I didn’t have the heart to tell him no—sorry about that. I put it in his crate with him so that if he chews it up, the mess will be easily cleanable.”
Sam chuckled, his heart feeling a little lighter already. Skyler was a nice young woman and she really loved his dog. She’d been walking Siggy ever since he’d moved in four years before. Then she’d been seventeen years old, saving for college. Now that she was in college and working nights, she’d transitioned most of the dogs to other walkers, but she’d held on to a handful of customers, including Siggy.
“He really is cute,” Sam agreed. “I’m getting ready to take him to the old folks’ home. They love him there.”
“Well, he’s good and mellow. We walked about a mile.” She pressed the elevator button. “I’ll see you later. Take care!”
“You too, Skyler.” He found Siggy in his crate, chewing on what really was an impressively sized stick. “Come on, boy. Let’s go to Shady Oaks.”
Siggy perked up, recognizing the name.
Sam would play some quiet music to soothe himself and the residents. Win-win. Then he’d get back to work. People needed him and... well, he liked that.
It was good to be needed.
San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office, San Diego, California
Monday, April 11, 1:45 p.m.
Kit silently slid a piece of cake onto the ME’s desk, waiting for her to look up from the email she was typing. Only a few years older than Kit, Alicia Batra was her favorite of the MEs, mostly because she was intelligent and kind. But also because she could be bribed with baked goods.
Alicia’s gaze didn’t leave her computer screen, but when Kit moved to take the cake back, the ME lightly smacked her hand. “No take-backs,” Alicia said tartly.
Kit chuckled despite the tightness in her gut. Alicia hadn’t had the results on Colton Driscoll’s drug screen first thing that morning and had said to call her after lunch.
Kit had tried not to worry on it while she and Baz went to empty Driscoll’s locker at his workplace, hoping to find something to tie him to the murders. Unfortunately, it had been empty.
His coworkers had agreed that Driscoll being a killer was no surprise because he’d had a hair-trigger temper. But they had been surprised that he’d killed himself, saying they hadn’t thought he’d have the guts to do such a thing.
This intensified Kit’s feeling that something wasn’t right with the suicide, but she hadn’t wanted to make another call to Batra from her desk with so many listening ears in the homicide bullpen. So she’d snuck away as soon as she could, a plate of cake in hand.
