CHAPTER XX: PERHAPS A NEW BEGINNING?

We had shown Katie to one of the guest bedrooms, we had cautioned about her talking to anyone outside of this house, made sure she had what she needed for the night, and then left her to get some normal sleep, hopefully.

We went back downstairs where Drew was cleaning up from the refreshments/party/wake, and Dylan was dishing up some ice cream which of course endeared him to me for life. especially the sprinkles.

We then all gathered around the counter in the kitchen center island and ate our treasure trove.

"Rob?" Drew asked.
"Yup?"
"What you think about Johnny now?"
Rob paused, looked at me and I nodded. I could tell he and I were on the same page on this.

"I think he is in this up to his lily black neck in muck."
'You think he is the murderer, don't you,"  Drew asked him.
"Doesn't matter what I think or Dyl thinks or you think. We gotta prove a case and right now we don't have one yet. Conjecture and suspicions yes. Proof, no."
"Ok," Drew replied, seemingly satisfied of Rob agreeing with his notion of guilt.
"Just give me ten minutes with that bozo," Dylan added.
"No. I ain't got bail money. You'd have to stay in jail," Rob laughed and so did Drew and I.

I was right. Tomorrow was another day and I for one needed a tad more sleep to prepare for it. Rob agreed and so did the boys who had just announced they were going to play hookey from school until the case was resolved (Rob said no, I said no and we both knew we were outvoted immediately. I told Rob later that we would insist on days when nothing was happening that they go to classes and he agreed. Silly us). 

So we swished up the dishes and headed upstairs to make zzz's, and did.

I could tell Rob was both exhausted and troubled...and he was especially cuddly tonight which suited me just fine, except that I knew why he was and that couldn't help but bother me. I really felt for him, and the load he was carrying...the pressure to solve the case rapidly. That is what seems to be expected of police detectives these days (again, I think TV has a major influence on people's expectations. It isn't fair of course. Life is not TV or art, and shouldn't be judged by the same standards as 54 minutes of scripted video. But, life is funny and so are people and being realistic is frequently not one of our strong suits.

I also wondered about what would happen next, with Katie, Johnny, John. The families of the other victims besides Tommy. Michaelsen for example. I wondered how many more would die before this was over. My mind was going like sixty and I couldn't shut if off.

I was just grateful for my boss at the station letting me work most of the time at the police precinct. so patient and I was indeed spending most of my time at the police station (without being booked on charges...LOL), and how my folks were (no time to see them), and if the earth was round STILL, and....and...and...

I get like this when trouble besets me and this was a doozy of a beset.

I cuddled harder against Rob (God he feels good) and tried and tried to sleep...until finally I did.

CONTINUE TO CHAPTER XXI: