“I know. Which is why you’re gonna find an excuse swap shifts with the on-duty station manager, give him the night off.”
“How...” Sarge paused, realizing it could be done.
“You’ll figure it out,” Hines said as he turned and walked off.
After Hines left, Sarge went straight to the bathroom. Splashing cool water on his face, he regarded himself in the mirror. He’d finally arrived at the point of no return. If he didn’t do this, ABCs would make him pay. If he did, he would forever be corrupt. How did I let this happen? He looked down into the worn porcelain of the sink and shook his head as he reached for a paper towel. Gathering himself, he stood, straightened his clothes, and walked out of the bathroom as confidently as he could manage.
Sarge approached the dispatch desk and got the attention of the on-duty station manager. “Hey, Frank, how we doin’ tonight?”
“Busier than a one-eyed cat watchin’ two mouse holes. You?”
“Livin’ the dream. Actually, I need a favor. I have family coming in town next week and I’m scheduled for the desk. Would you mind taking off the rest of tonight then covering for me one night next week?”
The on-duty officer hesitated. Sarge went for the kill. “How ‘bout I throw in a couple Spurs tickets?”
“Who are they playin’?”
“The Mavericks,” Sarge said.
“I hate the Mavericks.”
“Yeah, me too, which is why I’d love to see our guys beat them.”
The two men shared a chuckle. “Come on, I really need this,” Sarge pressed.
“Okay. Come around and have a seat, let me bring you up to speed.”
Chapter Ten
Jackie had called the nurses’ station to ask about dinner. They explained it was already on the way and they couldn’t change anything but that she could go get something from the cafeteria and bring it up to the room. So, Jackie and Elena had gone down to the cafeteria and returned with a few containers and a bag of bottled teas and water.
The mellow brass of a saxophone emanating from Clay’s phone greeted Jackie when she entered the room. Crush played in the background as she unpacked the containers. The mood lightened as the smell of fresh food combined with Dave’s powerful lyrics coaxed their minds toward better thoughts.
Clay moved from the bed to one of the guest chairs where he felt more comfortable. “Been lying in that bed almost all day,” he said. “Need a change of posture.” Jackie pulled one of the short tables into the center of three chairs where Clay sat opposite her and Elena. As Jackie and Clay set out the food, Elena gave Jackie a troubled look. “Momma?”
“Yes, honey.”
“What if the Fairies don’t leave my new soccer gear because we aren’t there?”
Clay looked up. “Fairies?”
Jackie smiled as she fixed Elena a plate. “Don’t worry, honey, they’ll leave it.” She looked over to Clay. “It used to be a running joke between her and Evan.”
“It’s not a joke, Momma.”
“I know. Let me explain it to Clay.”
Elena gave Jackie a doubtful look as she nibbled on a slice of apple.
“Elena needed a new soccer ball.” Jackie looked away while she evoked this deeply cherished memory. “She and Evan had shopped online until they found one she liked. It had been this whoooole process.” She made a slow arc with her arm as she drew out the word ‘whole.’
“Finally, after days of waiting, the soccer ball magically appeared by delivery from a Package Fairy, or so Elena named the delivery man. Fascinated by the process, she couldn’t stop talking about it. One day, in a moment of exasperation, Evan had tried to convince her it was Package Corp, not Fairies.” Jackie paused and smiled. “She and Evan debated the point constantly. In fact, it was the last conversation he... they...” Jackie paused.
Clay nodded to let her know he understood.
Satisfied with the explanation, Elena sighed heavily and settled into her chair with her headphones on, watching one of her favorite animated movies, Blusteria, as she ate.
Jackie and Clay shared a quick smile before digging into the food. Clay had been reflecting on their earlier conversation with Martha. “I’m having a hard time understanding how a spirit... or what did she call it?”
“Geist,” Jackie answered through a mouthful of salad. A little bit of lettuce popped out unexpectedly, hanging from the corner of her mouth. She looked down, embarrassed, then looked back up and cracked out laughing. Clay joined her.
“Right, Geist. I’m having a hard time with the fact that it...” he caught himself, “...he made the electronics go crazy.”
“I know, right?” Jackie said thoughtfully, piercing more lettuce.
“He must have been an intense person,” Clay remarked offhandedly as he fished his fork around the salad, searching for another walnut.
Her eyes widened a bit as she recalled Evan’s intensity while he taught. Nodding her head, a mouth full of lettuce crunching as she chewed, Jackie agreed. “Yeah, and it created a gravity around him that drew a lot of people to the gym. Good and bad.”
“Bad?” Clay asked.
“Ummhmm,” Jackie responded, nodding with her mouthful. “A few weeks after he died, one of his so-called friends, Luke, came on to me, real strong, in the parking lot. I had to fight him off.”
“The parking lot?” Clay repeated. “I couldn’t think of a creepier place to approach a woman.”
“Ummhmm... Well, it wasn’t quite like that, but I had to stop going. Just too many memories. He didn’t own it, but that place belonged to Evan for a long time.”
Clay nodded and focused on the last few bits of salad.
