Page 36 of Her Only Hero

He chuckled. “I’ll be right back.”

I took two plates from the cupboard and pulled the drinks from the cardboard tray. I snatched a French fry from a bag. This day had been completely opposite to my old usual routine. From morgue to crime scene, pin balling, so to speak, between two men. I had no experience in crime investigation, but I felt I wanted, no needed, to dive into all this more. I couldn’t figure out why, because I hadn’t particularly enjoyed the day’s occurrences.

Patrick came back wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. He sat and took a sip of his fountain drink. “Nickel, for your thoughts?”

“For you, no charge,” I said. “But seriously, I was just thinking about the day.”

We put the burgers and fries on our plates and dug in.

“How are you coping?”

“I think as good as can be expected. But—”

“But what?”

“It’s hard to explain. I feel that this is all, anticlimactic. We have gotten no answers. Just more questions.”

“Welcome to investigative work, love. It’s not like what you see on television.”

“Not at all. Right now, I am so happy with you, but with regard to the case, it’s like I have a black emptiness inside. I can’t describe it.”

Patrick looked at me in thought. “Black emptiness? Like a void of missing something? Or someone?”

I froze. What was he referring to? This couldn’t be about Aram. Could it? Was I being paranoid? Had my imagination gone wild because I hadn’t yet told Patrick about Aram and our past?

“I don’t feel like I’m missing anything,” I said.

“June, I think I know what you’re going through.”

“Really?” I said as I crinkled up the foil wrappings from our meal. Internally, I braced for the truth of our conversation.

“The dark emptiness you feel right now. I’ve experienced it before.”

“You have?”

“Yes. I believe you’re involved in this case deeper than you realize. Personally, professionally. And we can’t dismiss how you may be in danger.”

He had a valid point. Since the day Patrick answered that police call while driving me home, my life had changed. I had become consumed by unanswered questions, tension, and fear. If Patrick wasn’t beside me, I’d certainly be living in terror.

“I’ve never been inundated like this before,” I said.

“You can only live on adrenaline for so long, and then you crash,” Patrick said. “Tomorrow, perhaps you shouldn’t come with me to visit that hematologist, Dr. Fulthorpe. Maybe it’d be best to slip back into your usual routine.”

“Perhaps, but I want to go tomorrow. I need to.”

He gave me a sympathetic smile. “It’s addictive, isn’t it? Needing answers. Craving justice.”

His gaze pulled me in, as did his insightful words. I did need answers. And I’d always wanted fairness and justice for everyone. I remember even at an early age sticking up for kids that were teased at school.

“Yes, this really is all-consuming. How were you able to figure out what I’m going through?”

“All I’ve figured out is I’ve felt the same way you just described,” he said. “I also suspect you’re longing to make passionate love to me right now.”

I laughed. “You couldn’t be further off the mark, Officer.”

He jumped out of his chair, scooped me up, and slung me over his shoulder. Like a caveman, he carried me upstairs, and I giggled. He set me on my feet beside the bed, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“What would I do without you?” I whispered.

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