Page 14 of A Rose of Steel
He always kept his curly hair cut close and tapered on the side. He had stubbly five o’clock shadow all day and bright hazel eyes and caramel-colored skin. He’d had a crush on me from the day I arrived in Roble. Self-appointed guardian of the uppity black girl who thought she was French. He made sure no one bothered me and I got to grieve over the loss of my parents in my own time.
Although I couldn’t ever see myself dating him, he was a good friend and I cared very much for him. I was just as protective of him as he was of me.
“Well, let’s not stand in this parking lot all day,” I said. “Let’s see what you’ve got on this truck.”
“I got it,” he said. “You go on in and unlock the door. Can you prop it open for me?”
“Sure can,” I said and smiled.
The new ME facility was up-to-date, well-lit, and beautiful. It made me beam with pride. I had been the point person for the County on style, design and functionality. Everything was state-of-the-art and had been ordered and installed by the contractor I chose and equipped with all of my suggestions. The County had been more than pleased with my work and was disappointed that I committed only to the design aspect of it all not taking the job.
I didn’t even hesitate when I told them no I wouldn’t take the position as the Tri-County Medical Examiner. Dr. Harley Westin, long time ME and longtime friend of our family, would have been happy that I followed in his footsteps. It was his shoes that I stepped into when Roble had its first ever murder. A murder that put the Ball Funeral Home front and center. A fact not taken too well by my Auntie Zanne, especially since it involved one of her closest and dearest friends, Josephine Gail Cox.
Josephine Gail suffered from depression. It was something well understood and well-guarded by my Auntie. She cared for her friend when her bouts would incapacitate her like she was her child. They had been friends since I could remember, and it was Auntie who nursed her back to health after her stays at the mental hospital, sometimes after sessions of electro shock therapy. When Roble’s first murder involved Josephine Gail, my Auntie took up the case without hesitation.
I had asked Catfish to help me with what was left at the old office, mostly paper files and personal equipment that Doc Westin had left, and a few pictures that I thought would look nice on the walls.
Doc Westin had boxes of old autopsy reports that needed to be scanned into the new computer system. A few boxes looked personal. Looking through those was a Catch-22. I didn’t want to pry into his business, and was planning on giving his personal items to his widow, but I wasn’t sure if those boxes also contained confidential information on deaths and cases he’d worked on. I surely couldn’t take the chance that I passed on such sensitive information.
“So I heard Chicago was trying to swoop you back up,” Catfish said, he pulled his hat off his head and sat down across from me. He had a twinkle in his eye
“What are you talking about, Catfish?” I asked, a chuckle ready to erupt.
“Your gentleman caller.”
“Ha!” I said. “Where’d you get that word from?”
“That’s what he is, isn’t he?”
“I thought you didn’t hear anything about what happened today.”
“I didn’t hear about the asthma attack, but I know that you had a man come in town looking for you. One driving a real fancy car.”
I shook my head. Alex must have stopped and asked for directions or something. I swear, Roble was the capital of Rumor Town.
“A red Jaguar,” I said with a nod.
“You leaving with him?”
I tilted my head, thoughts racing through my head, I didn’t know what to say to him. It’s what I wanted to do. All my hopes resting on me going back to Chicago and being with him had been the reason I refused to take Doc Westin’s position.
And Alex had said he had something to tell me.
“Don’t have an answer for that?” Catfish broke into my thoughts. “Or just not an answer you want to share with me?”
“I don’t mind sharing with you, Catfish,” I said and shrugged. “It’s just that I don’t have an answer for that.”
My cell phone rang and saved me. I didn’t want to wax emotional. I dug it out of my bag and looked at the screen.
“It’s Auntie Zanne,” I said. “What could she want?”
“When it comes to Babet, you never know.”
“Hi,” I said, swiping the ACCEPT icon.
“Got bad news,” she said, never one to beat around the bush.
“What?” I said. My mind went straight to Alex. “What happened?”
