"Andy isn't my real cousin, is he?" Jamie asked as they were going home.

"Of course he is," said Doug. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"He's very good-looking, isn't he?" asked Jo.

"Oh!" Doug laughed in understanding. "Don't you think he's a little old for you, hon?"

"How old is he?"

"I'm not really sure, but I'd say he's at least in his mid twenties."

"Well, I'm sixteen. It's not like he's old enough to be my Dad or anything." Upon arriving home, Jamie called Taylor. "Guess what!" she exclaimed. "At this wedding I just went to, I met the bride's older brother, and he is so hot!"

"Really? Wow! Who got married?"

"Doug's cousin's daughter. Her name is Bits - well, that's not her real name, but it's what everybody calls her."

"Great! So tell me about this new guy."

"His name's Andy, and he's a missionary. He just got back from the Amazon."

"Oh, so he's an adult." Taylor giggled.

"Doug says he's in his mid twenties."

"And your folks are OK with that?"

"I don't think they really like the idea."

"Did he ask you out?"

"No, but I gave him both my phone numbers. I hope he'll call me soon."

"I think the love bug has bitten our daughter," Doug said to Jo as she was preparing dinner that evening.

"I think you're right," she replied. "I don't think you could find a better young man than Andy, but aren't you just a little concerned about the difference between their ages?"

Doug grinned. "It's not nearly as big as the difference between our ages, babe."

"That's different, and you know it is! Jamie's only sixteen. She's never even had a serious boyfriend before."

"Andy's perfectly honorable. He'd never try anything with her."

"I know he is. I wasn't talking about that. What I meant was, I'm not sure if she's mature enough for him."

"Maybe she's more mature than you give her credit for."

"Ready for a day full of excitement and adventure?" Officer Smith asked Jamie.

"You bet!"

"You don't faint at the sight of blood, do you?" asked Officer Jones.

"Oh, no. It doesn't bother me at all."

"That's good, 'cause it's highly likely you'll see some before the day's over."

It was Jamie's first day of riding along with the policemen on their regular beat, and she was very excited. The first couple of calls they received were fairly routine: a cat up a tree and a minor shoplifting. Later, they were called to the scene of a fight.

The two young men were really going at it when the policemen and Jamie arrived, fists swinging left and right. Jamie watched as a third man emerged from the shadows and stabbed one of the men in the abdomen.

Quick as a flash, the two officers had called an ambulance and put handcuffs on the two standing men. Jamie could only stare, horrified, as the man who'd been stabbed moaned in pain.

"Somebody please...help me..." he groaned. Blood gurgled from his mouth as his chest rose and fell and then lay perfectly still as his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Sir? Sir!" Jamie went to him and shook his shoulder, hard, but he didn't respond. Copious amounts of blood were all around, but she hardly seemed to notice that.

The next thing she knew, a couple of paramedics were there, pushing her aside and examining the man. One looked into the other's eyes, and the second paramedic shook his head.

It was then that Jamie saw that her shoes were covered with blood.

Jamie entered the house and went straight to her room, where she shut the door behind her without saying a word. When she still hadn't emerged several hours later, Jo became concerned and knocked on her door.

"Come in." Jamie's voice was flat, lifeless. Jo entered the room to find her daughter sitting on the bed, just staring at the wall. She sat beside her on the bed and put her arm around her.

"Honey?"

"I saw a man die today, Mom." She looked into Jo's eyes, and Jo saw the pain she felt. "One minute his eyes were open and he was breathing, and the next, he was gone!"

"I'm so sorry!" Jo felt awkward.

"It's all right." Jamie gave a shaky smile. "I didn't mean to wimp out about it. It just kind of shook me up, you know?"

"I think something like that would shake anybody up, Jamie. I doubt anyone ever gets used to it."

"Well, I suppose I'll have to, if I ever want to be a cop like Dad."

Doug appeared in the doorway. "Phone for you, Jamie."

Jamie took the receiver from him, and a moment later, her face broke into a wide grin. "Hi, Andy!"