Page 61 of Letting Go
Vivian
Walker Bennett. You are such a sweet man. Thank you for sending Eloise the softest, plush, stuffed toy that looks so much like Ghost! How did you find one that looked so much like him? It’s perfect.
Me
It wasn’t that hard, but I wanted it to look close to Ghost.
Vivian doesn’t need to know that I called five toy stores before finding one that would rush ship the toy overnight. If she knew the lengths I went to get Eloise that stuffed toy she would say it was too much, but I’m finding that when it comes to Vivian and Eloise, there is no such thing as too much. I’ll do whatever necessary totake care of my girls.Huh. My girls. That’s a new concept but I think I like it—I think I like it a lot.
Vivian
You nailed it. She absolutely adores it and cannot wait to sleep with it tonight. Thank you so much, that was so kind of you.
Me
I didn’t dare chance sending an actual puppy and risk angering her mama, but I’m glad she loves it. I hope it helps.
Vivian
Smart man too, I wouldn’t be able to handle saying no to her AND a puppy right now! Guess what she named it already?
Me
Walker? Super Awesome Special Agent Dog?
Vivian
lol, no! She named it Casper and said, “like my friend Ghost.”
Me
Well that is absolutely adorable. Perfect name. Although, if you change your mind about the real puppy, I know a guy.
Vivian
I’ll keep that in mind. I’m headed to pick her up now, but thank you again. Talk soon?
Me
Absolutely. Have a great day, Sugar.
Vivian
You too, sir :)
Sir. That is not going to help me focus on my work. I round the corner and head to Christine’s desk outside my office. “I’m going to walk over to the coffee shop on the corner. Can I bring you back anything?”
Glancing up, I know I interrupted her process. Christine is a huge asset for our team and her attention to detail ensures our notes and databases are meticulously updated. “I’d be happy to run and get you whatever you need. I’m sorry I should have asked you after your lunch meeting.”
“No need to apologize, Christine. I think I gave you plenty to keep busy without having to worry about checking in with me. I appreciate your offer, but I need to stretch my legs a bit and get some fresh air. I’m spinning in circles in there and need to think and walk a bit. Can I bring you anything? A cookie, a bagel, or an iced tea maybe?” Christine somehow functions without gallons of caffeine, which only reinforces my theory that she’s part superhero.
“You know, I would love a really big ol’ iced tea to help kick the afternoon slump. My boss has really piled on the paperwork today,” she says with a friendly wink.
“That dude sounds terrible! One iced tea coming up. I’ll be back in a bit, but I have my phone with me if anything comes up,” I tell her as I walk away.
I need to get out of my office and change my perspective. We have made some substantial progress as a task force, and my gut says we’re close to discovering the identity of our sniper. My team went over the crime scene information of each murder from every angle, although the killer only left us the bullet in each victim as physical evidence. The person or people responsible for these murders left zero trace DNA, no fingerprints on the bullets, and even when the sniper’s nests were discovered, they were impeccably clean. This sniper is an intentional and methodical professional, but there has to be something that will help us uncover the sniper’s identity.
The nutty, bold taste of my coffee doesn’t lift my frustrated mood and my footsteps slam heavy on the concrete as I walk back to the office with a drink carrier holding Christine’s iced tea.
