Page 59 of Tortured Tones

As the swing soared through the air, Charlotte’s laughter wrapped around my heart and squeezed it. How could this little person I barely knew affect me?

After ten minutes, she’d had enough time on the swings and raced over to the climbing fort covered in green shade sails. “Cole, follow me.”

I was way too big and tall but how could I refuse? We climbed up the narrow steps, ran across the slatted, swaying bridge, and slid down the twisty slippery slide. She shrieked, screamed, and giggled as I chased her around the fort and through a flock of pigeons on the grass, sending them fluttering into the sky.

After half an hour of more swinging, climbing ,and running, we sat down at a picnic table next to each other. I handed her a drink and a cookie from the backpack. Her big green eyes watched my every move as I poured myself a coffee into the flask’s cup.

“What am I gonna do with you kid?”

Charlotte shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Do you like staying with me?”

She shrugged again as she sipped on her straw.

“Do you like your new house?”

“It’s big. Ma won’t let me touch anything.”

I liked Ma. But Charlotte was a kid. She needed a play space. “How about we turn one of the spare bedrooms upstairs into a playroom?”

“Yay.” She clapped.

“You ready to travel with me? There will be lots of bus rides, and a few plane trips, and we’ll get to stay in some cool places.”

“Can I bring some toys?” She crunched on her oatmeal cookie.

“Yes. As many as you want.”

“Okay. Can I go play on the slides?” She pointed to the fort.

“Sure. Do you need help?”

“No. I can do it.”

“Okay. I’ll have some more coffee then come over.”

Charlotte took off, zooming across the ground and climbed into the fort. She jumped across the chain bridge, then zipped down the slide. At a run, she clopped up the steps again and set the route on repeat.

Ava had remained by my car. She may have had sunglasses on, but judging by the small flutter in my stomach, she was watching us. Well, she could do that from here. “Ava?” I called out and waved her over. “Please. Come join us. I have coffee.”

That lured her to the table.

I’d learned one thing about her...she loved coffee. Strong and black. Just the way I liked mine.

I poured coffee into the lid of the flask and held it out to her. “I don’t have that many germs.”

A small smile played across her lips as she slid onto the bench seat opposite me. “I couldn’t care right now. I need caffeine.” She took the cup and savored a sip. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

As she took off her sunglasses and hung them from the neckline of her T-shirt, she glanced over my shoulder, across the park, then checked that Charlotte was in sight.

“Do you ever relax?” I grinned over the rim of the flask.

“Yes. When I’m not on duty.”

“And what do you when you’re not working?”

---