Page 57 of Aftermath
“It’s the middle of the day,” she argued. “And I need to get Birdie and Alonzo set up.”
She packed items for the two cats still in the trunk of the convertible.
“I’ll grab everything and make sure they’re all set,” I assured her.
She sat down on the bed and looked as though she might fall asleep sitting up. “All right,” she conceded. “I’ll rest for an hour, and then I’ll come back to help.”
I closed the door on my way out, leaving her to relax. I wasn’t worried about her helping for the rest of the day. There was plenty I could start on my own, and realistically, I didn’t need a new partner.
There was just something about Len…
She was nothing like Blythe; the pair was almost complete opposites. Yet, somehow, I knew if my partner were still alive, she would’ve loved Len.
My heart twinged at the sharp pain of the memory. I found myself glancing down at my hands covered in red.
It wasn’t real…
I shook my head, trying to push out the memory.
It didn’t take long for me to get everything set up for the two cats, as well as for myself in the living room. Hours passed, and when Len didn’t re-emerge, I started shifting through the papers the sheriff had given us, memorizing every little detail of the case and the reports Len had asked for.
Close to 9:00, Len appeared from the room.
“You let me sleep too long,” she accused, rubbing her eyes.
“You needed rest,” I pointed out.
She pursed her lips and walked to the kitchen. When she returned, she held a makeshift sandwich she managed to whip up with what little groceries I had. I realized I hadn’t eaten at all and quickly hurried to the kitchen to find something for myself.
I should’ve made food for us both.
I settled on a basic salad and returned to the living room. Len sat in an armchair, her legs pulled in close. She’d already finished the sandwich, flipping through a book she found on the shelf beside the chair.
I could’ve watched her read all night long.
“I can feel you staring,” she said without looking up from the book.
“I like that one,” I said, recognizing the title and trying to find a valid excuse.
“I’m only three pages in,“ Len said. She closed the book and stood, eyes avoiding mine. “If there’s nothing to help with tonight, I’m going to read this in bed.”
“Do you need anything?” I asked gently.
I knew it was loaded question.
She shook her head. “Goodnight, Beck,” she said quickly.
Before she passed the couch where I sat to head up the stairs, I reached out and caught her arm. “Stone,” I said for the first time in months.
“What?”
“You don’t have to call me Agent Beck,” I said. “You can call me Stone.”
* * *
“Shit!” Len yelled.
I came rushing into the kitchen to find her staring at her phone.It’d been a few days of Len staying in the rental with me, and I’d grown accustomed to her presence. The first day or two was hard; I wasn’t used to sharing a space with someone else.
