Author's Note: Thanks for your patience, dear readers, and a big big thanks to Beesnbears, who got the ball rolling again. This one's all hers! :)

Chapter 5

The BMW eased through the North Hollywood neighborhood. Maddie flipped through a file folder full of loose paper, the wind making it difficult to keep the sheets from flying away.

"Looks like our boy Viola went beyond the call of duty once again." David grabbed a loose piece and handed it to Maddie with a little smile.

She wrapped a rubber band around the folder, its contents protruding from the edges haphazardly. She felt the same way…like a large pile of loose ends haphazardly stuck together, tied tight with obligations…expectations. Everything in her life had always been sorted, organized, before Blue Moon. Now, five years later, she felt she'd lived a whole other life; the exact opposite of how she thought things would turn out for her. She'd been advised, even warned, that life's expectations could turn a different direction, that it could be good for her to explore new paths, to let go.

David parked the car along the curb. "Maddie?"

She met his gaze. "As I was saying, what was it exactly that he wanted?" he questioned.

"Who wanted? What?"

David looked at her strangely. "You just read the entire case folder from Bertie Boy. What did Sofer want with Blue Moon? He had a winning lottery ticket, which he had torn in half, most likely so he could get the loot and stash it without obliging all of those people who THINK they are entitled or deserve their fair share."

"I don't want to work this case anymore, David."

"Too late. We're at his house and more than likely the other half of that ticket is in there."

"What does this have to do with us?"

"What does it have to do with us? Maddie, the man croaked in your office!"

"Yech! Don't remind me," she shuddered.

"And he came to us looking for help. My guess is he was going to share a little of that dough as our fee."

"How can you think about money after a day like today? I can't go in there, David. Mr. Sofer never asked us to find the other half of his ticket."

"Well, never mind the fact that he had one half of it clutched in the palm of his hand. Talk about a death grip..."

"Ugh! I can't do this! How can you be so glib about death and dying?"

"The same way I can be so glib about most things you THINK I'm glib about,"he muttered.

"What?"

"Maddie, just what is it that's got you so hung up about death and dying? I mean, it's not like I'm excited to cross over to The Other World."

"More likely The Netherworld for you."

"Aha! I knew you at least believed in something!"

Maddie rolls her eyes.

"So David, you're telling me that you're ok with leaving this world, the world as you know it for someplace else, even though you don't know what or where that someplace else is?"

"Well, when you put it that way! No wonder you're so afraid of death."

"I'm not afraid, exactly..."

"Maybe just a little irrational when it comes to permanent sleepover camp."

"Call it what you want, David, but I just think when you die, you die. Seems like having a set of expectations for life after death can be just as disappointing as having a set of expectations for living. It's all just one big disappointment half the time. There is no reward or gift waiting for you—"

"No sex in the afterlife?!" David interrupted, clutching his heart in exasperation.

Maddie finally gave up. "You just like to make stuff up so it'll make you feel better, when in reality you will only be disappointed because of the expectations you had."

Now it's David's turn to roll his eyes. "Well, when I do get to where I'm going I'll put in a call for you to visit."

"Visit? Oh brother," she laughed.

"Sure! It wouldn't be heaven without you," he winked, getting out of the car.

Maddie couldn't fight the smile he invoked. "Oh David..."