Page 19 of Diamonds

“If I may ask, why are you driving this late at night?”

Maddox opens his mouth, but no words come out.

Looks like it’s up to me to stick the landing.I utter the first words that pop into my head.

“I’m pregnant,” I say.“I’ve been suffering from terrible morning sickness.Driving around in the car helps to settle my stomach.”

Officer Brillig looks at his watch.“But it’s nearly three in the morning.”

“Do you have kids, Officer?”Maddox asks.

He glowers at Maddox for a moment before saying, “Yes.”

“Then you know morning sickness can hit a woman at any time.For my wife here, it gets to be terrible in the middle of the night.”

Officer Brillig raises his eyebrows.“I thought you said she was your girlfriend.”

Maddox sputters for a second.

“We’re engaged, Officer.We’re going to go to the courthouse to get married this weekend, on account of the baby.”I pat my stomach.“My fiancé has been referring to me as his wife since we made the decision.”

Officer Brillig scratches his chin, a scowl forming under his thick mustache.He rakes his gaze over me.“I don’t see a ring.”

“We left it at home,” I retort.“Like you said, it’s late at night.I like to keep it locked up while I’m sleeping.Seemed like it would be foolish to have it on while we roam the Chicago streets at this hour.”

“Speaking of which, Officer, my girlfriend really should be getting her rest,” Maddox says.“Are you detaining us, or are we free to go?”

Officer Brillig lifts a hand, glaring at Maddox’s fingernails.“Have you been digging for treasure, son?Your nails are filthy.”

The muscles in Maddox’s neck tighten, but he keeps a cool head.“Gardening.My girlfriend’s friend, Dinah.We were helping her in her garden this afternoon, after we went shopping.”

“There are two shovels in the trunk if you’d like to see them,” I add.

He crosses his arms.“Gardening?In winter?”

“She has a greenhouse,” I say.“I’m happy to give you her address and you can see for yourself.She’ll vouch for us.”

Officer Brillig looks at Maddox, and then at me, and then back at Maddox.The wrinkles in his forehead are creased.

But finally, he extends an arm toward the street.“You’re free to go.That ticket is due within thirty days unless you’d like to go to court.”

“Much appreciated, Officer.”

“Take your girlfriend, or fiancée, or wife—whatever you call her—home.She needs her rest.She doesn’t need to be wandering the streets of Chicago in the middle of the night.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” I say.“It’s my fault.I’ll ask my doctor about some nausea medication.”

“A much sounder idea.”Officer Brillig tips his cap.“Evening.”

He walks slowly back to his car, and Maddox rolls the window up.

I let out a breath as I will my heart to stop pounding.“Fuck, Maddox.I hated every minute of that.”

He wipes a few beads of sweat off his brow.“So did I.”

“I don’t think he was convinced by our story.”

He rubs at the back of his neck.“I don’t think so, either.But he let us off.You okay?”