Well, Mike had told me as well, but I wasn’t sure if he was supposed to have said anything. Some lines had been blurred by our intense connection.
“Fuck.” Wesley ran his hand through his hair. “It would have been better if you made a copy.” Wesley looked at me, obviously hoping I had.
“I didn’t.” The lie rolled off my tongue easier than it should have. Before I disclosed it to Wesley, Mike needed to agree. And that required Mike putting a lot of trust into someone he didn’t like. I assumed my history with Wesley had little bearing on Mike’s opinion of him.
Time for a subject change. “Umm… was Leslie mad about the interruption last night?”
“No, not at all. She understands we’re close. She’s headed out of town for business. We got to spend some time together last night. All’s good.”
“Good. We’re about to discuss the services for Vickie. I know Gladys and Doug would want you to be a part of it. Come in and say hello.”
For a second Wesley didn’t move, and then he touched my shoulder. “Remember in junior high how I told you and Vickie that I would always be there for you?”
“Yes.”
“If you ever need anything, Sydney. I am here for you. Anything.”
I gave Wesley a hug. “Thank you. You’ve always been someone I could count on. Always.”
“And I’ll never stop being that person.”
The afternoon at the clinic dragged on. I lay in bed that evening with a heavy heart. There was going to be a memorial service to Vickie the following Monday evening for close friends and family. Doug and Gladys didn’t think they could bear having a full-blown funeral. I completely understood their position.
At least the day is almost over.
Maggie Maye was curled up next to me, snoring softly. So far, no one had come forward to claim her, thank goodness. Since Mike was covering the evening shift for a fellow officer, I’d offered to watch Mags. I also believed Mike wanted some more time to investigate the jump drive’s disappearance. It bothered him that someone had been able to knock out so much security. For a town with a not terribly significant crime rate, it had rocked our community. The police hadn’t found any fingerprints that weren’t supposed to be in the area, which I knew had Mike questioning if there was a dirty cop working in his department.
My phone rang, and his name flashed across the screen. “Hey.”
“Hey, how are you doing?”
I snuggled deeper into bed. “Blah. It’s been a tough day. I’m glad I have Mags with me. She’s been giving me lots of love.”
“Good. You in bed?”
That was an odd question. “Yeah, why?”
“Will you come to your front door?”
I sat up, a smile instantly on my face. “Officer Murphy, are you on my front porch?”
“Come find out.”
I hung up the phone and raced down the stairs. Mags scrambled down in front of me. Peering through the peephole, I saw him standing there dressed in his uniform. Officer McHotty for sure. I opened the door a little. “Good evening, officer. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Mags squeezed through the side to get a peek at her dad. “Well, I brought something for my two favorite girls.”
That squishy feeling had me falling a little harder for Mike Murphy. I opened the door wider and saw that Mike was holding a dozen roses and a rawhide. He knelt to give the rawhide to Mags, who took off to the couch. Mike stood and stared at me, taking me in from head to toe. It was then I remembered I was still in my little cotton nightie that tied at the shoulders.