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MICHAEL

I t's just another crappy Monday at the station. The suspect who’d been arrested the night before turned out to be a piece of shit liar who turned himself in so he could be arrested. Word on the streets these days has suggested to some being arrested got them three free meals and a roof over their heads.

Had to cut him loose a few hours after I arrived that night, having missed out on a date with Patrick. I shrug. Truth be told, I was more upset about missing the date than not catching the murderer. What that says about me right now, I don’t know. But, I can’t stop thinking about him.

Trying to focus on the job at hand, I'm sitting at my desk with Joe, going over the details of the murders for what feels like the hundredth time. We're both frustrated at the lack of progress. Maybe if we start from the beginning again, we'll catch something we missed before.

"This is really getting to me," Joe says, finishing off his stale coffee.

"Are you talking about the coffee or the case?" I ask.

He smirks and tosses the cup into the trash. "Both."

"There has to be something we're overlooking."

"Of course there's something we're missing," Joe replies, running his hand through his hair. "We just haven't figured it out yet. I need a break. I'm going for a walk."

"Good idea," I say. "Could you grab me one of those sandwiches from the corner store while you're out?"

"Dude, do you have a death wish?" Joe laughs. "No way. I'm getting us burgers from Lou's. Chili fries or regular?"

"Chili fries, definitely," I reply.

Joe's eyes light up. We've both been too absorbed in this case to eat properly, and greasy food sounds perfect right now. "I'll be back soon."

"Thanks, man."

As Joe leaves, I turn back to the whiteboard covered in pictures of the victims and possible suspects. We've eliminated everyone except for one problem - we can't find any solid leads. What are we missing?

Leaning on my desk, I can't help but think about Patrick. Just the thought of him eases my stress. But then I remember our near miss the other day. We were so close to finally being together, but work had to interrupt.

My phone rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. It's Patrick.

"Hey," I answer. "I was just thinking about you."

There's a pause on the other end, making me wonder if I said something wrong.

"Patrick?"

"I'm sorry," he finally speaks. "I shouldn't be bothering you. You're probably busy with work."

"Are you okay? What's going on?"

Another pause.

"Patrick, where are you? Do you need me to come over?"

"I'm at home," he says. "But Tina asked me to call you."

"Okay, what's going on? You sound worried."

He hesitates. "Someone stole my keys – to my car, apartment, and work."

"When did this happen?"

"Today," he replies. "We were at the shooting range, and when we got back to the cars, I realized they were gone."

Damn. "Do you know if the range has security cameras?"

"I'm not sure," Patrick admits.

"I'll check it out," I say, grabbing my jacket. Just then, Joe returns with our food.

"Thanks, Michael," Patrick says. "I really appreciate it. Sorry to bother you."

"It's no bother," I assure him. "I'll be there soon."

"Can you come over after work?" he asks. "I could really use your company."

"Of course," I reply. "I'll check the cameras and then head over."

"Thank you," Patrick says, sounding relieved. "I'll see you later."

"What was that about?" Joe asks, digging into his chili fries.

"That guy I went out with the other night," I explain. "His keys got stolen, and he's freaked out."

"Looks like you're his knight in shining armor," Joe jokes.

I chuckle. "Something like that. I'm going to check the security cameras at the shooting range. Wanna come?"

"Nah," Joe declines. "I'll stay here and stare at this whiteboard a little longer. Plus, the Missus is making lasagna tonight."

"Save me some leftovers," I request with a grin.

"You got it," Joe replies, handing me a bag of food. "Go save the day."

I head out, but the more I think about it, the less funny the situation seems. Missing keys could be nothing, but with the case I'm working on, it could be connected. Not to mention, that day at the mall where I know I saw someone following Patrick and Tina. It was a dead end at that time as the mall security cameras were offline, but it still adds up to being interesting… suspect.

As I drive to the shooting range, I can't shake the feeling of unease. When I arrive, I ask about security cameras, but it turns out they're all fake. No footage to review. Again? What were the chances?

Back in my car, I ponder the situation. There's no way I'm not spending the night at Patrick's place. And I'm not there for anything other than to help him feel safe.

When I get to his building, his neighbor, Diamond, approaches me.

"Hey, mister," she greets me. "Looking for a good time?"

I smile but politely decline. "I'm here to see Patrick. Is he home?"

She nods. "Sure is. He got back a while ago."

"Do you keep an eye on him?" I ask.

"That boy needs someone looking out for him," she says. "I feel responsible."

"I'm glad you do," I reply. "He needs friends."

"We all do," she agrees. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make some money."

I hand her some cash and my business card. "Consider it a donation to the Patrick Protection Fund. If you see anything suspicious, let me know."

She accepts the money and promises to keep an eye out. As she walks away, I hurry up the steps to his place and knock on the door. I hear him approach, no doubt double-checking through the peephole to make sure it's me before unlocking the door.

He opens it. "I'm so glad you're here. Come inside."

I step through the door, and he locks it behind me.

"Here," he says, handing me a glass of red wine. "Come tell me about your day. I want to hear all about it."

I take the wine and smile. It feels so right. Even though I'm here to help ease his concerns, he welcomes me in as a trusted companion, and I love it.

We sit on the sofa side-by-side and clink glasses.