“Of them? No,” he said. “They were not supposed to be there tonight. That was the only reason I went.”
“So what are they trying to set you up as well? “she asked.
“Yes.” He said with a sigh. “The women have a thing for the people that surround my family. Actually, my cousin's family. All of them are friends and have been for years. They all want to date or have some chance with one of the members of the family. Abby and her sister Beth are the worst in the bunch. You put Abby in her place. That was the highlight of my entire week. Right now, she is trying like hell to set me up with one of her friends. That will not be happening. I can’t stand her friends or any of them for the most part. I only go out to enjoy my cousin and friends, not them.”
“It seems like you have no love lost between you and her.” She said as she started digging through the files and then lifted the
“How about now?” he asked as he looked at the time. “It is only nine.”“Do places still serve after nine?” She asked, and he laughed at the comment.“Yes. They do.” He said as he was still chuckling. “Sometimes, it is even better a little later.”“Really?” she asked. Then she thought that she would have to stop off at the cafeteria and pick something up to eat there as she left for the night. Going out was not something she had planned on. She looked at him, though, and she didn’t think he minded that she was still in her scrubs and probably smelled like the hospital as well. “Alright.”“Good.” He said as he smiled. “Are you ready now?”“Yeah, I can be.” She said as she handed over the stack of papers that had been copied for him as they talked. He l
“It is a little different.” He said as they made their way out to the lot, and then he showed her which car to go to. “Most of the time there is fifty-fifty custody with normally the mother having the primary custody of the children.”“Oh.” She said, “Well, she had the others almost all the time. She would talk so badly about our dad, so he didn’t get them often. He wanted too though, but it was almost a lost cause. The damage she did to the others with her demands basically severed contact with my dad and me.”“But you?” he asked. He knew he was prying, but now he was intrigued even more about her. She was beautiful and looked like a goddess in her own right, but she didn’t see it. She had no idea that her smallness was a turn-on for most men. The fact her curves were in the right places as well as another. The scrubs she was wearing didn’t hide any of those either. His guess w
As they pulled up to the place, she looked around. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but just give it a chance.” He said.“I was just looking around.” She smiled, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on about myself and my family.”“No, it is perfectly fine. That is what people do when they want to get to know each other.” He said as he got out of the car, and then he walked around and helped her out of the other seat. He locked the door as he shut the door behind her. He then walked to the door and opened it. “My manners might be a little rusty, but I do know what I am supposed to do.”“I didn’t think they were rusty at all.” She said as her forehead wrinkled for a minute. “I don’t mind old-fashioned, I think. I really wouldn’t know either way.”“Well, good.” He said as they waited as the hostess came and then
“I had a great time.” He said as he looked over to her in the car as he was driving back to the hospital so she could get her car.“So did I.,” she replied as she smiled. “If I had known, it was this easy to make friends. I would have tried long before now.”“It’s not most of the time.” He replied. “Sometimes, though, people just click like they were supposed to be your friend. Those friendships are normally the best.”“I guess I should give you my address so you can come over tomorrow, and we can go to the grocery store, and I can show you how to do the lunches and dinners.” She said as she looked at him as he drove.“How about I follow you home just so I know where it is. I mean, I do need your number as well.” He said. “I think you have my work one but not my personal one.”“That&rsqu
He looked at the time, and he knew it was going to be a long wait for a ride from the company. He shook his head and tried to think of anything else besides the woman in front of him. He made his drink a little too strong, so he was really trying to watch what he said. Though she didn’t seem to mind, he didn’t want to overstay his welcome. She was getting tired more and more by the minute. That was plain to see to anyone with eyes.“I think it is time for me to try and get the uber.” He said softly, and she looked at him with widened eyes. “You’re getting tired, and I should go home.”“How long will you have to wait?” she asked softly. She was tired. However, she had been enjoying the peace and having someone else there with her. It was a weird feeling for her to even notice it was different than sitting being out here by herself.“To about two.” He said a
The next set of instructions was the two of them making the bed into to equal parts. When she crawled in the bed, he watched her and knew this was different than anything he had seen or experienced before. Though he understood her way of thinking and he would behave accordingly though it wouldn’t be easy. He got into the bed, and then as she sighed and wiggled around for a moment, then he could hear the change in her breathing.He followed her into sleep quickly as well. When he woke up, though, he saw her sleeping rested face. It was even more beautiful than she had been the night before. He brushed the hair that was covering half of it off her face, and he knew that he wanted to see this part of her for a very long time. He knew what he wanted as he closed his eyes and stretched slightly without making too much movement because he didn’t want to wake her.Soon he found himself back asleep until he heard her stretch. She was still blinking he
“Sure you did.” Gabe said with a sigh. “come on, you can just say you hooked up with her. I am not going to look down on you because you are having second thoughts on a quick hookup.”“Gabe, I swear to you I would not and will not ever want to go out or do anything with Nicole or any of your girlfriend’s friends. She lied.” Mack said. He was hoping that Henni was not going to be mad. He implied something happened between them last night. Though he had not said her name. It wasn’t something he would normally do.“That’s harsh. I mean, if you didn’t have a good time, that is one thing.” Gabe said. “You could just say that instead of denying the entire thing.”“No, Gabe, listen to me. Nothing happened because it didn’t happen.” Mack said. He could see Henni shaking her head at the conversation. He knew she could end it as well. He looked at her and no
Spending the entire weekend together was not in his plans, but he was glad he had that too for the that first weekend with her. The week after was slightly difficult as he did change his diet and, with her help, had packed up ten meals for him to have for the week. She said she would help him again on the following weekend, and she did without having to change anything for her days. The changes in him were easy to see to anyone who looked at him longer than five minutes, and within a month of eating her healthy meals, he had slimmed down to a healthy weight. He had more energy, and he also had more motivation to go out to the gym after he got off his shift. All the people he worked with were surprised by the end of that first month or so. He was happier and better looking than most people had given him credit for. The few people who knew what his family looked like had written him off years before. He
As the group, all headed to the small ceremony for Matt in the church. They all knew this was the real end to the situation. They thought it had ended years before, but now there was no one left but them. They were now sitting as a group behind Matt’s parents, and the children all hugged them as well. They turned to Mack, “He is gone now. I hope you don’t mind if we adopt them as our grandchildren. We have known you and your cousin since you were born.” “Ma’am, if that is what you want to do, my wife and I would love you share them with you,” Mack replied, and Henni nodded. The kids all stood with their parents. “Matt was their godfather. It would honor him to have you a part of their lives.” Mack moved into the pew, and the kids sandwiched between them. “Daddy?” his daughter asked as he whispered. “What, sweetheart?” Mack asked quietly as the service was going to start in a moment. “Why are we here?” she asked and
Max couldn’t listen to her anymore. He got what he needed from her. He turned his back and walked out without another word. He shut the door, and the Captain clapped him on the back as he walked out into the air of the main room, and then he went to his car. He opened his glove compartment and took out the box of cigarettes. He hated the fact he still carried them, and he would debate on tossing them, knowing they were stale by now.He pulled one out and lit it as he took a deep drag. He was surprised he didn’t start coughing. It had been months since his last one. The captain walked out and spotted him. “Didn’t take you for a smoker.” He said as he walked up to the younger man.“I’m not. I quit when I got out of the army.” Max said as he looked at the cigarette in his hand. “Today, I really need this.”
At the station, he was waiting for Beth to be processed. He knew he had to make the phone call he was dreading. He picked up, knowing that he was going to make the in-person notification to Matt’s parents, but he was going to make this phone call first. It wasn’t normal, but Max needed to get it off his chest. “Hello?” Mack answered. “Mack,” Max said, and he found the words getting caught in his throat. “You found him, didn’t you?” Mack said softly. “Yes,” Max said as he hung his head down. “How long?” Mack asked. “Looks like the day of the murders,” Max said as he thought of his friend. He also had gone over the thought that Max had after he used Deanna’s paper as a clue itself. He thought he knew everything, but Mack was the one who had thought for weeks his friend was gone. “I see,” Mack said. “Well, I know the next
Max was standing in the building that was in the middle of nowhere. He had a team in the back of him that was going to breach the doors first. The two people inside were considered armed and dangerous after the break in the case that had come from his students. After that, everything fell into place just like Mack had said it would. It had been easy to locate the building after he was able to see everything more clearly. The woods were wet and chilly for the season. The smell of the forest was dank and deep. As the team was breathing deeply to make the breach a bit easier, they could feel the heaviness in the air. It was almost ominous for everyone. Walking into the unknown was never easy. This was a bit harder. They were waiting for the teams to get to all the exits covered. Max didn’t think they would run. He had to wonder if it was even them in the building. The team was moving around as they used the heat sensor to see
Max Anderson stood in front of his class the next day. It was an intro to criminal science, but these kids were the next possible generation of the police force. He looked around to the fifty or so students, and though his eyes lingered on one for a few seconds longer, she wasn’t looking at him. She hadn’t since the day she got tongue-tied and almost ran out of the room. That was a few months ago. She had shown up to class, but he could see she was having trouble with some of the concepts. She would not come to get help, though. She wouldn’t put herself in a position to be alone with him again. At least he thought that was the reason. The lecture hall was full. He was hoping to use their brains. They would be the new set of eyes they needed to get through this case and sifting the big things from the small things. If Matt knew the procedures, it was time to throw th
The Days passed. The more they knew about everything, the more they knew it wasn’t as it was supposed to be. It was a planned event to look like something else. Mack walked into the other police station to deliver a few things. He looked at Max’s office and saw him there. “I thought you would be at the university,” Mack said as he knocked at the doorframe of the small office. “I normally do,” Max said. “However, my basement office there is full of papers that I don’t want to deal with today.” “Makes sense,” Mack said as he took a step in. “What are you doing here?” Max asked as he looked at the man. “Dropping off a folder on another case,” Mack said as he sat down. “Any news?” “A thousand small pieces of information. Now just trying to make sense of it.” Max said as he looked at Mack, knowing he knew exactly what he meant without any more explaining. “The in
“Why would that matter?” Henni asked as she looked at the two men. “A crime of passion often has lesser charges,” Mack said as he looked at his wife. “Because passion can blind you from the way you normally would act. It is like a temporary, momentary insanity. You can do many things if you have that extra bit.” “I see,” Henni said as she looked at the two. “We need to go over what he does know and what he doesn’t,” Max said as he looked at the two. “This is going to take a while.” “Then we should get started,” Henni said as she sat down and then started to thinking. She was filtering the conversations with Matt that she had and the ones she overheard Mack have with him. Soon she was listing the questions and the information that the two had given him. She was rather quick about it, and Max was even more impressed with the woman. He had recorded the whole thing as he knew he would need to go back and list
“I don’t think the people are all the people we are supposed to think they are.” Max said, “as bad as that sounds.” “Henni is having the same issue.” Mack replied as he sighed, “I would say we need to wait on the DNA results before moving on.” “With that one, I agree. Your missing person, though. There are so many things not right I don’t know if I should keep it a missing person or move it up the food chain a bit.” Max said. “I think I have to move it. I am sorry because I know he was your friend, but I don’t think he is alive any longer.” “I know,” Mack said as he shook his head. “The only hope I had has already gone. Our second youngest’s birthday was a few days ago. Matt never forgot her birthday. He was there in the hospital with us right after she was born. He is her godfather. No matter what, even if he was hiding, he would have found a way to get her a message or something to h
“I see,” Henni said. Henni dreaded the reports being brought to her via her work email. She was grateful they did not call her to do the actual autopsies. She did the video observation, though. So she still had those imagines in her mind. Though right now, she was trying to be clinical about everything. She had worked on cases where she had known the person on the table before. This was different. “Are you holding up?” Mack asked as he walked into the house, knowing that she had been there to observe everything in the past three days. She hadn’t said much. She was still having a difficult time with processing everything to do with this. It was bringing up the past she had worked really hard to forget. “I am here,” Henni said. “They had to do DNA to identify Beth and Alisha. Their parents wouldn’t look at them.” “Why?” Mack asked, a little angry that someone could do this to their children