Chapter 14

Bobby tried to sleep, but without Alex, he couldn't. He tossed and turned for an hour before he finally went out for a walk. His mind was only marginally aware of where his feet took him. It was growing dark, and a storm was coming in. The humidity was high and the wind was starting to pick up. He found himself at the graveyard. He hesitated by the gate, gripped his fist around one of the wrought iron bars there. Then, as the wind blew his curls wildly, he entered.

Bobby pulled some weeds and cleaned around the grave, tossing them in a trash can by the path that wandered through. Then he came back to the grave and sat down cross-legged beside the stone.

"Hello, Ma," he said. "Uhm, I've… uh… got some news for you."

By the end of the second interrogation, they had a pretty clear picture of what happened to Mike. His assessment was correct: Seeing he was drunk, they targeted him for a mugging. When he fell, his shield slipped out of his jacket pocket. Dirk has a nasty grudge against police. He started kicking, mouth running the whole time, getting them all agitated. They all landed some of the kicks, some of the punches.

Alex rubbed her eyes and checked the time. It was 8:30. She said goodbye to Andy and headed down to the car. Checking her phone, she saw that he hadn't called her. Good, she thought. Maybe he's asleep.

She parked the car in the sprinkling rain and walked wearily up the stairs. She had to use her key to get in, but Alex didn't worry until she went inside and found he wasn't there.

The rain slapped against the windows, loud and heavy. Alex tried to call him, but it went to voicemail. "Bobby, I just got home. Call me when you get this."

She made herself a bowl of cereal and nibbled at it while she waited. Finally, he burst through the door, dripping wet.

Simultaneously, she wanted to yell at him for making her worry and wrap him up in a towel and care for him. Alex couldn't resolve her conflicting impulses, so she remained silent, and took another bite of her cereal.

"It's really coming down!" he said, peeling off his wet shirt and pants. Bobby came into the kitchen in his shorts and sat down beside her. He petted her hair. "Hi."

Alex looked up between bites, and he could see the hurt and anger in her eyes.

"I went for a walk," he explained. "I went to the grave. I told my mom… about the baby."

Her expression softened. "You didn't answer your phone."

"I didn't even hear it. I guess the rain was too loud."

He could see the forgiveness in her eyes. She thumped him in the chest with her finger. "Next time write me a note. Or call. Or text."

He nodded and scooped her into a hug. "Okay."

Bobby found some pajama pants while Alex changed. She told him about the interrogations.

"And to think I've already had him twice!" she said in frustration.

Bobby ran his hand down her back. "At least you already know you can take him." That comment got him a smile. After they changed, they settled on the couch to watch a movie. Alex was asleep against his chest before the first scene was over.

Alex was up when Bobby got out of the shower in the morning. "You should sleep in," he said.

"Can't," was her reply, as she took another swig of her coffee. "Dawes & I have to work on the Perkins case."

Bobby didn't like it, but this was the job. Sometimes you were on day and night, and sometimes you worked half days doing nothing but paperwork.

"Let me know if I can help."

"You're bored, aren't you?"

"You have no idea. I can't wait for Logan to come back so I can start…working… again."

"I'll see if I can't slip something your way." She headed for the shower. She had just gotten in when she realized she felt sick. "Oh, not now," she whined. She had to scramble out, dripping wet, to vomit in the toilet.

Bobby heard her, and went in. He put a towel over her back to keep her warm and held her hair back out of the way, trying hard not to lose his own breakfast. When she finished, he helped her up. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks." She turned to get back into the still-running shower. Bobby held the towel and hung it over the bar on the shower door. He stared through the bumpy glass, feeling guilty.

"Promise you won't overdo it," Carolyn pleaded. He really looked better this morning, and she had been worried last night.

"I'll just putter around here like an invalid, I promise." Mike gave her the boy scout salute. "Maybe I can walk down to the corner store? Get a movie?"

"All right, but that's it." Carolyn cupped his cheek in her hand and leaned forward to give him a kiss. When she tried to pull away, he put his hands around her and pulled her closer, nipping at her lips. "Remember what I said about overdoing it?" she warned in between kisses.

It took him three more kisses before he could bring himself to heed her words. He backed down and let her arms free. "Have a good day," he said, burying his frustration.

"Love you," she whispered, then she gathered up her purse and headed out the door.