Chapter 13

thirteen

DENNIS

Small town life is everything I want. I’m able to walk around late at night without worrying about running into any trouble. That is, until I realize I’ve got a shadow.

Leaving Sydney’s warm bed was a struggle, but we both have work tomorrow, and I didn’t come prepared for a sleepover. Honestly, I want to do all the sleepovers at my place. There is something about the thought of her waking up in my home, in my bed, that makes me feel like a caveman driven by this need to own her completely. Carmen hated spending time in my home, finding it creepy that I was using the same bed frame my parents did, even if I have a new mattress. There was always something wrong with what I did. Sydney hasn’t given me any indication that she thinks the same way, but that voice in the back of my head wonders just how well I know her. I did catch her breaking into someone’s car, after all. I know Sydney isn’t a thief, but I also didn’t think Carmen was all that bad, so how much can I trust my own judgment? I can’t let myself be blinded by the chemistry we have. Hopefully, having her in my space and showing her just how deep my love of Christmas goes will help calm those doubts. I spent so many years with Carmen not knowing who she really was. I want to make sure Sydney knows everything there is because I plan to keep her.

But until Ben goes back to his own place, we’ll stay at hers so I can absorb every last sound she makes.

And boy, does she make noises. Not always a scream. Sometimes, it’s the softest sigh as she gets closer to her orgasm, or it’s the cry of my name when I find just the right spot. My favorite moments are when she laughs as we get playful, keeping our intimacy not just serious lovemaking, but a light moment of connecting.

I know what Ben would say, that I’m such a pussy for looking at moments with Sydney like this, but that’s what happens when you start to fall in love. Each moment spent with that person is spent learning all the little things about them. I want to collect this knowledge about Sydney like they’re treasured collectables.

I pause in my walking and look over my shoulder to see if I can catch the shadow following me, but there is nothing there. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being followed. I’ve learned not to ignore my gut. It told me that there was something wrong with my relationship with Carmen, and I didn’t listen. I turn on to the main street where street lights blaze, and that’s when I finally catch it making the turn.

It’s a dog or maybe a cat. I can’t tell because it’s falling right back into the shadows. Curious, I unzip my coat and fish around in the interior pocket. I like to keep dog treats in my coat, not because I expected to come across some stray dog like this, but because I run into dogs a lot while working and sometimes having a treat can help break the tension.

I pull out the milk bone and get onto the cold ground, waiting for the thing to come over to me. If I lived up to my Boy Scout promise, I would be prepared for anything, including a stray dog, but I don’t have a leash or collar .

The skinny creature strolls out from the shadows and pauses under a street light so I can get a good look at it. It looks like a collie of some kind with a spot over its eye. The poor thing reminds me of Wishbone, and I know that’s the name I’m going to give it when I bring it to the animal shelter in the morning.

“Come here,” I plead with it. Already, the ground is uncomfortable as I wait.

When it’s clear it’s not coming any closer, I break off a small piece of the bone and leave it for the dog before getting to my feet and resuming my walk. I repeat this process all the way home. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see it getting just a little closer to me with each treat I leave. By the time I get home and open the door, I’m down to the last crumb of treat, but it doesn’t matter because it waltzes right in like it owns the place.

I shoot off a quick text to Sydney letting her know I made it home and that I might be a little late stopping into Sips now that I have to take the dog to the shelter.

“I had to see this.” Sydney is waiting for me outside my door with her arms crossed. It takes a lot for me to not just pull her into a fierce kiss, but the shelter promised to have someone there for me a little early so I could drop Wishbone off. So far, she doesn’t need a leash, but I’m anxious that she might run off.

It is confirmed that it is a she after she whined about being locked in my bathroom all night, no matter how many blankets I loaded in for her. When I let her out into my bedroom, she laid out on the bed, belly up and fell asleep immediately, no boy parts to be seen.

I just have to hope she doesn’t have fleas.

“Had to see what?” I ask, locking the front door behind me.

“Deputy Perfect and the dog he rescued in the middle of the night. Are you part Disney Princess?”

“No. Clearly, if I was, I would have woodland creatures cleaning my house instead of having to do it myself. Have you seen how messy Ben is?”

“Only two more weeks of having to deal with him?”

“Two weeks too long.”

Wishbone does her business and then prances up to my side while we walk toward Evergreen Pet Rescue. She’s at least in good spirits after a breakfast of scrambled eggs.

“Good thing you can always come stay with your wonderful girlfriend.”

Wishbone glances up at Sydney with a look that says, “What about me?”

“Wonderful girlfriend indeed.” I lean in to kiss Sydney, and Wishbone barks.

“I don’t think your new lady likes me very much.”

Wishbone barks again in agreement.

This dog seems too smart for her own good. The walk to the shelter is short. It’s thankfully located on the edge of the business district near the vet. Whoever decided they should be that close was smart.

“You don’t have to come with me,” I hedge as we get to the door.

“Do you not want me to go with you?” There’s a note of uncertainty in her voice, and I want to take that worry out of it.

“You can, but I’m just dropping her off for a checkup and to see if she’s chipped. I wasn’t sure if you had to get to Sips.”

“Actually, Mary wants me to get all the gossip about how you managed to save a dog while walking home from a booty call.”

I laugh as I pull open the door for both of the ladies. With any luck, Wishbone has a family who is missing her dearly and I can deliver a Christmas miracle.

“There isn’t much to the story. She followed me home after I bribed her with some treats.”

“Treats are always the way to an animal’s heart,” the woman behind the front desk says. The older woman steps around the counter with a collar and some more treats, no doubt a bribe for this sweet, hungry girl.

Wishbone falls right into the trap and doesn’t even realize it as she continues to get snack after snack. My heart aches a little as I watch them lead her into the back, leaving me to fill out paperwork with the limited information I have for Wishbone.

She’s probably someone’s pet, maybe a vacationer whose dog got loose or something. I already posted her likeness on the community group online. I’m going to use that same photo to make flyers at work to post around town.

“You know…”

I turn to look at Sydney as she speaks, pausing my pen on the form I’ve been filling out.

“It is the holidays. and it would be a crying shame if poor Wishbone had to spend the holidays in an overflowing shelter.” Sydney is looking wistfully in the direction of the cages that are kept in the back.

“Well, spit it out, mastermind.”

“You should offer to foster her until her family is found.” Sydney looks away from me to play with the chain that has the pen attached. She coils it around and around and around until she lets the pen drop off the side so it all comes undone.

“And what about when I’m at your place?”

“You would bring her with you. It makes the most sense. She’ll be lonely here at the shelter, and honestly, it would be irresponsible of you to drop a needy animal off at an overtaxed shelter. I mean, they are having a fundraiser next weekend.” Sydney pushes a flyer at me for the Pets are Worth Saving event scheduled for the 21st.

The woman behind the desk hides her laugh behind a cough.

“How long have you been working on this argument?”

“Since you texted me that an adorable puppy followed you home.”

I blow out a long breath while thinking about it. “This is going to be a joint project since you’re talking me into it.”

Sydney narrows her eyes at me. “Is it really talking you into it if it was already something you considered?”

It’s scary that she knows me this well. Of course, I considered it, but not for the altruistic reasons she thinks. The moment Wishbone jumped onto my bed and looked at me with those sad eyes, I knew I wanted to make sure that she was cared for until being reunited with her family. Sydney wanting the same thing just means I don’t have to convince my girlfriend to let the dog stay over.

“If the shelter says I can foster her, then of course, I’ll take her home. After she’s had her checkup and after my shift.”

Sydney actually jumps in her spot, clapping her hands. Somehow, my raincloud girl is parting to let her sunshine through. How can I deny her anything when she gets excited like that?

The woman behind the counter looks back and forth between us. “Of course, that’s something we can do, Deputy Mitchell. Just be sure to leave a nice donation for the PAWS event.”

I reach into my back pocket for my wallet and count out a small donation and push it over. “Let me know if she is chipped. I’d like to return her to her family if she’s got one.”

Sydney slides her hand into mine as we walk out and beams up at me like I’ve gone ahead and done this just for her, and while I haven’t, I can't help but imagine coming home after work to find Wishbone and Sydney lounging on the couch, watching TV. It’s a future that I’m hoping Sydney sees for us too.

It’s a quiet day that I spend mostly in the station house while I anxiously check my phone for anything from the shelter. It’s getting close to the end of my day when an unexpected face walks in.

“Can I help you?” I ask, getting up from my desk and approaching him.

It’s hard not to forget the guy that I watched hit on Sydney during the key party, Thor. The same guy whose car I caught her in. My stomach sinks, but I try to keep my expression neutral.

“Hey, I recognize you. You were at–” I cough and give a little shake of my head. I’ve told Ben that I went to that key party and obviously Sydney knows too, but it’s not something I’m advertising to everyone. Thankfully, he looks down at what I’m wearing and around the room, like it occurred to him that we’re in a police station. “There was nothing illegal about that night.”

Right. Just consenting adults having sex. “I’m aware. Is there something you needed?”

“Yeah, actually, I think I was robbed.”

I call on all my victims advocacy training to keep my breathing level and not react to what he’s saying. Hell, I don’t even react to my phone where it’s buzzing on my desk.

“Can you tell me what happened?” I’m impressed by myself and my ability to keep it together .

“Follow me and I’ll show you.”

I grab a notepad and a pen and follow him outside to take notes. It’s not often we get crimes of this high caliber. Actually, it’s normally just petty vandalism, another reason I love this town. But it’s made me aware of just how woefully underprepared I am to handle this. I should get the new sheriff, Maddox Whitworth, but… God, I can’t believe I’m even thinking or considering this, but if Sydney is responsible, I’m in a better position to cover for her if I handle it.

It feels wrong to even let that thought cross my mind. She’s never directly said what happened that night and I’ve never asked. I’m confident that she didn’t take anything. I saw the way the dress molded to her body. I was the one who took it off. Even if a voice whispers in my head that she went to the bathroom alone, I can’t listen to it. I won’t listen to it. I know who she is.

Thor leads me out to his Porsche, and my memories of her from that night are overlapping themselves in the present. I can see her sitting in the car, a guilty look on her face.

No. I refuse to think that about Sydney. She’s never denied that she did anything wrong that night, but I know who she is at her core. She’s a good woman. I trust her. I may not be the brightest guy, but I trust my gut, and I know I’m not wrong about Sydney.

“So, can you tell me what makes you think that you were robbed?” I ask. Through the window I can see that not only is there trash all through the car in the form of fast food wrappers and empty water bottles, but there’s also just handfuls of cash everywhere.

“I’m missing a diamond cufflink that I know I lost in here.”

My pen is hovering over my notebook when he says this, and I can’t stop but lift my head and stare at him in disbelief. “You’re missing a diamond cufflink you lost ?”

“Yeah, so I was hooking up with this chick, who is totally going to be the next big music star, and I had my jacket off, and she was trying to get my shirt off and tugged it down too hard, and I had to tell her that these were French cuffs and that she had to be careful, but then she sucked me off like she was going for the Olympic team of sucking dick, and I completely forgot about it because I mean, hello, is there anything better than getting slob on your knob? And then things progressed and, I mean, she wasn’t as tight as I expected from someone who said they only just started having sex, but I was trying to remember that getting your dick wet is better than having to fuck your hand.”

He’s silent for a beat like he’s expecting me to say something. “And the cufflink?” I prompt.

“Right, so I guess the motion of the ocean was a little too much for her because she threw the door open and puked outside, and I haven’t seen it since that night.”

I lower my notebook and study his face only to come to the alarming realization that he’s being serious. “And when was this?”

I think I can smell the smoke from him thinking about it. “Right. It was the night before Thanksgiving because we were partying up at Frankie’s, and it was all super legal, like, no drugs or anything.”

“Have you checked your car for it?” I can’t believe I have to ask something like this, but I can’t take anything for granted.

“Well, yes?” It’s more of a question, further placing my confidence on shaky ground with this guy.

“That’s not a question that can have an iffy answer. Either you looked or you didn’t.”

“I’m also missing a tablet. I’m telling you, someone broke into my car. Aren’t you going to fingerprint or something?”

“When do you believe someone broke into your car?”

“I don’t know. Some time after I hooked up with that chick.”

He is looking at me with such earnestness that I feel bad for being a bit of a dick. “Do you have photos of the cufflink? I can circulate it to local pawn shops.”

There is a lightbulb moment for him. “Yes!” He pulls out his phone and swipes a few times before loading a photo where some woman’s bare ass is exposed. She’s looking over her shoulder in mock-shock as Thor is swinging his hand down on her ass. It’s a posed photo, so at least there's no movement.

“What am I looking at?” I ask, looking away from the photo.

“My cufflink.” He says it like I’m the idiot. It’s an unkind thought, but my patience is waning with Sydney potentially on the line. What if Fran?ois has cameras outside and caught footage of her? Could I go to Carmen and ask her to delete it?

“Respectfully, that’s you spanking a woman.”

“It’s here.” He zooms in until he’s showing me what I think is a very pixelated cufflink.

“Okay, I’ll take your information. Do you mind if I look around in your car?”

“No, of course.”

We go back inside so I can grab some latex gloves to poke around in the car while the receptionist takes down the information from the guy, including his name and contact information. He’s about to hand over his ID when he stops to grab a cleaning wipe off the reception desk. He runs it all around his license before handing it over. I forgot Thor’s name is Aaron. Fran?ois yelled at him for touching himself while Sydney drew keys, but I was so focused on her pulling my key, and then my disgust at Aaron, that I totally forgot.

With the gloves on and an extra pair on my pocket, I approach the car. I’m glad I also grabbed a trash bag because it’s going to make searching the car much easier. Aaron was light on the details surrounding where in his car his hookup was, but remembering what I do about high school, I start in the backseat. There is definitely some sort of procedure I should be following but I’m going to play dumb on this one and hope that I can convince this guy that he can find it in the car.

“When was the last time you cleaned your car?” I ask as I poke at the crap that covers the seat.

“Oh, uh, I think…uh. Oh! It was Halloween because Cammie threw up after deep-throating Frankie a little too deep, if you know what I mean. Probably because of all the booze, because I swear that woman has no gag reflex.”

“Cammie?” I ask, depositing a few fast food wrappers into the trash after opening them to make sure nothing was stuck in them. The nickname sounds familiar for some reason.

“Yeah, I think she brought you to the key party. She said you were friends from school and she needed a date so you volunteered.”

I’m glad I’m facing away from Aaron when he delivers this information as he flicks through his phone with his free hand. After the key party, I had my suspicions, but I wasn’t going to ask. Never ask questions you don’t really want the answer to, and for me, it was already over with Carmen. But to find out that she was sucking some other guy’s dick when I asked her if she would hang out with me while I patrolled Halloween night… She told me they had bad takeout at the office and she felt sick. When I offered to drop something off, she told me she just wanted to sleep.

My hand fists around the strap of Aaron’s gym bag as this revelation calls into question every other time she begged off spending time together. My mind offers up dates and events, like my parents’ going away party or my birthday last year. I expect to be devastated after finding out she was cheating on me, but instead, I’m just angry that she wasted my time when it’s clear she really had no interest in being with me. It begs the question of what is wrong with me to not only let Carmen walk all over me for so long, but that I’m the type of man that could have that happen. I want answers to know why and for how long and what I did wrong to deserve to be treated like that. No, I can’t let myself spiral because if I do, I’ll miss something that could protect the woman I’m falling for, and I won’t let Carmen ruin another thing for me.

I’m off to a rough start with a pair of molding gym socks. Aaron at least stands there holding the trash bag while I clean his car. When I became a civil servant, this isn’t exactly what I had in mind. I’m methodical, going as far as putting my hands in the crevices of the car. Clean first, and then with fresh gloves I’ll come at it with a flashlight. If I have to detail this entire car to keep Sydney out of this, I will. There is a chance I wasn’t the only one to see her leave that night. If there are cameras, Carmen will definitely be deleting the video for me. It’s the absolute least she can do.

Aaron is clearly getting bored, if the various videos I hear from his phone are any indication. In my quest, I manage to find four different earrings and two thongs in different sizes. I uncover one tablet, and then a second that has Aaron cheering and abandoning the bag of trash. At least five hundreds make an appearance as I go, and that’s before I even get to the front seat.

I sit in the front driver’s seat, and okay, maybe I’m a little turned on by the idea of sitting in a car with this much power, but the memory of Sydney sitting here sobers me instantly. Nothing feels better than having her at my side, so I need to double down and find this cufflink. There is no way it’s not in this car, unless his mystery hookup stole it. I won’t discount anything.

The center console has way more money in it than I want to even count, and I find a broken diamond bracelet inside. Each one of these items I uncover has Aaron making various sounds of surprise, which only serves to piss me off further. He’s putting the love of my life at risk because he’s a rich prick who can’t be bothered to actually look for anything.

It's a thought that stills me as my hand reaches for the stack of, I hope, empty coffee cups sitting in the cupholders. I lean back in the seat, letting the whole idea wash over me. I should be more hesitant when it comes to dating. I was with Carmen for years and the entire relationship burned me.

Maybe it’s the magic of the holidays, but things with Sydney have felt right in a way they never did with Carmen. I feel comfortable with her in ways I don’t think I ever have before, and every part of me yearns to be near her. What I felt for Carmen was never love, not when faced with the enormity of what I feel for Sydney in such a short period of time.

Sydney is my destiny and I’m tired of fighting it.

I want to get out of the car and tell Aaron he can go fuck himself so I can run to Sydney to tell her exactly how I feel even if it is the middle of her shift, but I’m not going to leave a job half-finished. I finally take the cups and throw them into the bag at Aaron’s feet.

“Did you find it?” he asks, looking away from his phone to check me out.

“No, but I did clean your car. You should try it once in a while.”

“What about my police report?”

I grind my teeth, afraid I’ll crack a filling I’m clenching so hard. “Why don’t you try looking, and if you still can’t find it by the time I’ve washed my hands, I’ll file the report.”

I’m an asshole. I should just do my job. I shouldn’t make my help contingent, that’s not why I became a cop. But I also didn’t become a cop to clean some rich guy’s car. I mean, this car is worth more than my annual salary. I’m sure he could afford to get it detailed daily.

Aaron considers my words, bobbing head. “Deal.”

I toss out the dirty gloves and start to head inside. Before I even get up the stairs, I hear Aaron exclaim, “Wow, it was in the cupholder this whole time!”

I turn to face him, about to say something, but he’s already driving off.

Back at my desk, I have several texts from Ben, Sydney, the animal shelter, and Carmen. I start with the animal shelter, afraid they’re going to tell me that they found the family for Wishbone. Somehow that pup became part of the vision I’ve started shaping with Sydney. Thankfully, they’re just saying they’re holding her overnight while they wait for some results to come back in, but she seems in good health and thankfully has no fleas.

Sydney’s text is looking for an update on Wishbone and a screenshot of a shopping list for things we need to get Wishbone. I lock my phone just so I can look at the picture I snapped of her while walking home from work one night. She’s standing just beyond a street light, her head tilted up to the stars as a light snow fell. I wonder if she realizes how she studied the depths of the ocean instead of the stars she loves so much. Seeing the open joy on her face that she hides behind her cynicism helps me level out before I can look at the last two texts.

I flick open Carmen’s text then close it without even reading it. Leaving her on read will be worse for her ego than me responding or just ignoring it. I’m not ready to deal with her.

Somehow, I saved the worst for last, a text from Ben saying that he misses hanging out and asking if he can have my night instead of me going to Sydney’s. Before answering any of the texts, I consider what to do.

I have been neglecting Ben in favor of spending all my time with Sydney, and I’m not mad about that. He may be sleeping on my couch, but I do owe him more than just ignoring him. More than that, I could use input on processing this new Carmen information. It would be good to drink beer and figure out how I’m feeling before I see Sydney. Before I can let my dick write this text, I tell Sydney I’m going to hang out with Ben tonight, but that all signs point to taking Wishbone home tomorrow after work, so we’ll have to hit the pet store when her shift is over.

Her response is immediate emojis of excitement before signing it off with an xoxo.

It’s silly and simple, but it has me rubbing my heart, knowing that it’s hers.