“I’m having a small gathering tomorrow night and I’d like for you to join me.”
“I’m not sure. What time?”
“Around eight.”
“If I can, I’ll stop in.”
He hung up and turned his attention back to Kirk.
“I don’t see it in the file. I’ll check my desk,” Kirk said.
Jake emailed Al Burke, agreeing with his take on the suspicious death. He spun his chair around and looked out his window at the downtown area. Across the street from the station the staff of the Town Hall Café had started setting tables for the lunch crowd out on the terrace. The restaurant offered American cuisine with an Italian flair and stiff drinks. The owners, when they had remodeled, kept all the old wood crown moldings. Refinished, it gave the place a days-gone-by charm, while offering a classy atmosphere. It was one of his favorite places to dine.
He pondered the personnel files he’d recently reviewed. A couple of detectives from Missing Persons were a problem for him. Their service records were dismal at best and their politics left him cold. He wondered which one he’d have to deal with first.
Jake left the station at four and headed home. The dog he’d recently adopted needed tending. It hit as he walked in the door. It’s like having a kid.
“What am I going to do with you, Brigh?”
Jake Carrington stared down the brown-eyed beauty, then bent to wipe the floor with the cleaner and paper towels. The dog had a nervous bladder, which let loose every time the doorbell rang. Adopting a dog now wasn’t one of his brightest decisions. He didn’t regret it.
Oh, he knew what he was doing. We each understand cruelty. They made quite the pair. Brigh learning to trust again, and him, trying to keep his mind occupied while dealing with the possible release of George Spaulding, the man convicted of killing his sister. Add to that, the loss of Mia, the woman he had fallen for. It had taken one look into Brigh’s big, chocolate eyes for the dog to own him lock, stock, and barrel.
The bell rang again. Jake pointed to Brigh before he started toward the door. “Go lie down.” Trembling, she inched her way to her bed. With one last look at the dog, Jake turned and opened the door.
“Why didn’t you answer the door?” Louie Romanelli asked.
“Me and Brigh were having a much-needed conversation. You’re early.”
Louie scratched his chin, staring first at Jake then at Brigh. “Sophia’s on the warpath with the kids. Before she turned it on me, I left.”
The two constants in Jake’s life were Louie and Sophia. He learned years ago not to get in the middle of their arguments.
This is all Louie’s fault anyway. He pushed Brigh on me. Jake studied his friend and partner as he walked in the house. Brigh turned her big doe eyes up at him as if she knew what was running around inside his head. Not for one minute did he regret his decision to adopt her, but…it was going to take some big-time adjustments for both of them before they got used to each other. At least the dog kept him occupied and pushed Mia out of his head. And what was he going to do about her? Jake bent and gave Brigh a rub between the ears.
The two men went into Jake’s comfortably furnished living room.
“Brigh and I need to get to know each other,” Louie said. “LJ will be over after dinner to play with her. He figured with you here, the dog’d be more relaxed. He wants to avoid any trouble when he comes over to walk her.”
Louie’s teenage son had jumped at the chance to make money. Jake had hired him to walk the dog after school to keep Brigh from getting lonely. It was also insurance he’d have no surprises waiting for him when he got home from work.
“I’m glad he’s agreed to walk her every day after school. Brigh’s one skittish dog. She hates to be alone.”
“Anything more you want to share on the Missing Persons’ case?”
“Gee, Louie, it’s only been a couple of hours since I last saw you. What, I’m now a miracle worker?”
After dealing with the last two cases, Jake had hoped for some downtime. Instead, he got another department and several murders to deal with. And what looked like a deliberate attempt to botch an investigation.
“You got something in your head,” Louie said.
“I do. Who benefits if the missing guy never turned up?”
“Yeah, anything interesting there?”
“I believe he’ll be one of our murder victims if he’s ever found.”
Jake sat on the couch. Brigh inched over, laid her head upon his lap. He stroked a hand over her coat.
As Louie approached, Brigh backed up, squatted and turned toward Jake. Pointing at her, Jake said, “Don’t. It’s all right. Louie, sit for a few minutes here but don’t touch her.”
“Have you heard from Mia?” Louie asked, changing subjects.
“No, and I told you the subject’s off limits.”
Louie shrugged.
“Now start to pet Brigh while I’m holding her. Once she gets used to you, I’m going to head to the pet store.”
“You want me to babysit your dog?” Louie tossed him a pained look.
“Yes, until LJ shows up.”
“Jake, it’s a dog. She’ll be fine on her own. Besides, I have to get home to dinner before I’m on Sophia’s list along with the kids.”
“Then I’ll take her with me.”
Louie cocked his head to the side, studied him and the dog, then left without another word. Alone, Jake and Brigh gauged each other.
“I’m not going to baby you.” Brigh licked his face. Crap, the dog already has me wrapped around her paws.
On the ride to the store, Brigh stuck her nose out the window. Before heading in, Jake opened the window wider, then poured some water into the dish he’d brought along for her. It’d been a hot June and he didn’t want Brigh getting dehydrated. Inside the pet store he picked up a few chew toys and more dog food. If he didn’t get control, he’d buy out the whole damn store for the pooch. He decided he had enough stuff and got in line to check out.
A riot of red curls greeted him. He wasn’t usually one for redheads but…he wanted to see the face all that hair belonged to. A small boy darted between him and the woman.
“Mom, can I get this for Zelly?”
He got his first look of the woman’s face when she turned to speak to the child. Deep green eyes stared down at the boy. Her bowed mouth firmed as she spoke. “Trevor, we have enough stuff for the cat. Put it back. And apologize to the man for pushing by him.”
“He’s fine,” Jake said.
“Sorry, mister.”
The kid pushed past him. Jake smiled at the woman before she turned toward the clerk to continue checking out.
He paid the kid at the counter then headed to his car and put his purchases in the trunk, except for the chew toy, which he unwrapped and placed in front of Brigh. Once he was sure Brigh was okay, he walked across the lot to the grocery store. He had to eat too.
* * * *
Kyra enjoyed the last two days with her son. Yesterday, when the school nurse called her, she rushed over to pick Trevor up. Tom was unavailable and should’ve never sent the kid to class. The poor child was running a fever. But after two unscheduled days