Chapter 6
Dean and Jon walked into the apartment building where Dean resided. When they approached the elevator, Dean pressed the 'up' button. The elevator dinged as the doors swung opened. They stepped onto the elevator and rode it to the second floor in silence. The elevator repeated the ding signaling they were on the second floor. They stepped off the elevator and turned right walking to apartment 213.
Dean reached into his pants pocket for his keys to his living quarters. He found the key to put into the keyhole. However, his hand began to shake and the keys slipped out of his hand landing down on the brown and red carpeted floor. Dean sighed frustrated, muttering a familiar four letter 'D' word. Jon touched Dean's left shoulder in a show of brotherly care.
"It's okay, Dean."
"Is it really okay, brother?" Dean asked angrily, meeting his brother's gaze. Jon slowly pulled his hand away from his brother's shoulder. Dean sighed softly rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. He exhaled a slow breath before meeting Jon's caring concerned eyes.
"You're the second person I snapped at tonight. I'm sorry."
"No reason to be sorry, Dean."
"Yeah there is, Jon. My girlfriend is dead. I'm upset. It doesn't give me the right to take my frustrations out on you."
"Dean...you've had a hard night. This night has been very unforgiving for you. They will catch the person responsible for taking Stacy's life. Trust me."
"I'm just not thinking clearly, that's all."
"Hey. If I were you, I wouldn't be thinking clearly either."
"How do you going to put up with me?"
"I've put up with you for almost 30 years now. It's nothing new."
Jon bent down to retrieve the keys from the floor, found the key and unlocked the door. They both stepped inside, then Jon closed the door behind him. He looked around his apartment. He was surrounded by pictures of their youth. A desk with bills in a tidy pile upon it. To the left was a kitchen. No dining room table. TV, couch, chair, just the bare necessities. He followed Dean into his bedroom. Nothing much either. Bedside table with a lamp and alarm clock, bed, closet, bathroom connected to the room, book shelf, chest of drawers. Simple. Very simple, which is how Dean liked it. Dean walked toward his closet and reached for a duffle bag on the floor.
"Would you like some help?"
"Actually, I would like a little help. Would you please get my toiletry bag in the bathroom and put a few things in there I might need?"
"Yeah. Where is it?"
"Top shelf in the towel closet."
Jon walked into the bathroom retrieving the toiletry bag from inside the closet.
"Don't forget my tooth brush." Dean called out from the bedroom.
"Hey, Michelle. It's me."
"Hey, honey."
"Listen. I'm sorry I had to bail like that on you and Kaia."
"It's okay, Mark. What happened?"
Detective Calaway looked around his desk to see if anybody was listening in on the conversation before turning back to talk to his wife on the phone.
"A woman was murdered tonight."
"Good Heavens."
"Yeah. I really am sorry on how this night turned out."
"Honey, I understand. It's part of your job."
"How did I ever get lucky to have a woman like you? You know I love you, right?"
"Of course. I love you too."
"Is Kaia there?"
"Yeah. Hold on a second."
There was some noise in the background before a small voice came on the line.
"Daddy?"
"Hey, sweetheart."
"Are you at work?"
"Afraid so. I know I promised to read you a bedtime story, but I'm stuck here at work tonight."
"Really?"
He hated hearing the disappointment in his little girl's voice. It tore at his heart strings. "I'm afraid so, darling."
Just then, Detective Calaway felt a tap on his right shoulder. He turned to see his partner behind him. He reached forward and took the phone out of Detective Calaway's hand then placed it to his ear.
"Kaia?"
"Yes."
"Hey, this is Detective Glen Jacobs. Remember? Your dad's friend?"
"Oh yeah. I remember you."
"Here's an idea. How about I send your dad home so he can read you that bedtime story, huh?"
"Really?" Kaia asked happily.
"Really?" Detective Calaway mouthed to his friend.
"Really. He'll be home soon."
Detective Calaway heard the excitement in his voice on the other end of the line and it brought a smile to his face. Detective Jacobs said bye to Kaia, then hung up the phone.
"Uh...how much did you hear of that?"
"From 'I know I promised to read you a bedtime story, but I'm stuck here at work tonight'."
"Oh."
"Well, why are you still sitting here, Dad? You have a promise to a little girl to keep. Now, get your butt out of here this instant."
Detective Calaway grabbed his jacket off the back of his desk chair placing it over his muscular frame.
"Glen, if anything happens."
"You'll here about it tomorrow, Mark. I've got it covered."
Detective Calaway grabbed his cowboy hat off his desk top and adjusted it atop his head. "Thank you, Glen. I owe you one."
"Buy me a beer after the case is over and call it even."
"Deal."
Detective Calaway turned to walk away only to hear a jingling sound behind him.
"Forget something?"
Detective Calaway turned back to see his partner holding a ring of keys between his right thumb and forefinger. He patted at his pockets before quickly huffing through his nose.
"Right." Detective Calaway said as Detective Jacobs tossed him the keys.
"Now get out of here."
"I'm gone." Detective Calaway said turning his back to his partner. Detective Jacobs shooks his head chuckling softly to himself.
"Oh, Mark, Mark, Mark. You have that little girl wrapped around your finger, don't you?"