Page 51 of Little Girls Sleeping

She opened the door slowly.

“Hi,” Chad said, holding up two bags. “I’m sorry, I realize now that I should have called you first.”

“No, don’t worry about it.” She opened the door wider. “Please come in.”

“How are you?” he asked.

“Oh, just the usual first official week as a detective. You know, taking insults from colleagues, interviewing lying witnesses, and having a truck try and run me down.”

Chad laughed showing his appealing charm. “So you’re saying I caught you on a good day?”

“You want some coffee?” she asked, walking toward the kitchen.

Chad took a step to follow and Cisco gave a low grumble. “Uh, maybe I should meet him first?”

“Cisco, here,” Katie ordered.

The dog obediently circled around her and sat at her left side. She rubbed his head and scratched his ears, then made a gesture with her left hand in Chad’s direction. Cisco made a circle around the visitor and caught an intriguing scent from one of the bags.

“Go ahead and pet him. You’re fine.”

Chad set the bags on the coffee table and slowly moved toward the dog. “Wow, you’re a handsome boy with an intense look. Such a shiny black coat.” He kneeled down in front of him. “I bet you have some stories to tell, Cisco.”

“Unfortunately, he does,” interjected Katie. “He likes you a lot.”

Chad looked up. “Oh yeah?”

Katie fumbled around in the kitchen until she had the coffee maker perking away. “So what brings you here? Oh, wait. Did the sheriff call you?”

“Maybe.”

Katie sighed. “He still treats me like a little girl.”

Chad moved to the counter and took a seat. “Is that so bad?”

“Depends on how you look at it.”

“And how do you look at it?”

“Well, for one, I’m all grown up. I’ve been a cop and I’ve been in the army. And I’m now working a homicide case.”

“He’ll always see you as a little girl.”

Cisco had followed Chad into the kitchen. He really did seem to be taken with him.

Chad looked around. “You know, being here brings back such memories.”

It made Katie a bit sad, but she agreed.

“I remember the barbecues you guys used to have. Your dad at the grill. And that party here when we were in junior high school.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I love this house. Even though there are both good and bad memories.” She moved to the coffee pot and poured two cups. “Two sugars and cream?” she asked.

“Just cream. Trying to stay healthy.”

Katie passed Chad a mug. “What’s in the bags?”

“Ah, I was wondering if you’d noticed, you being a detective and all.”