Detective Dave Thomas hung up and turned to his wife.
‘Who was that?’ she asked.
‘It was Tom,’ Dave said, bracing himself for the usual response to a call about work when he was on vacation.
‘Jesus Christ, Dave. Doesn’t he know you’re on holiday? What did he want?’
Dave paused for a moment to try and think of the best way of telling her what was about to happen. He realised there was no good way of telling her and just came out with it.
‘He’s coming here.’
‘Tom? Coming here? When?’
‘Right now. He’ll be here in half an hour.’
‘What do you mean, Dave? It’s the middle of the night,’ she exclaimed then lowered her voice, ‘The kids are asleep. What’s he coming here for?’
‘He’s in trouble. He hasn’t got anywhere else to go.’
‘Well he can’t. You’re on holiday. We’re on holiday.’
Dave really wasn’t looking forward to telling her the next part of the deal.
‘He’s in trouble so he’s coming to see me.’ He left that comment hanging in the air with the emphasis on me. After all those years of marriage, he hoped she would pick up on the hint. When her face turned from disbelief to anger, he knew he’d made the breakthrough.
That’s why I love you so much, he thought.
‘So you’re kicking us out so your buddy can come here and take over the place?’
‘I’m really sorry. It’s out of my hands. He’s at the lake already and didn’t give me any choice. What would you do in this situation? Put yourself in his place. He’s my partner.’
She let it all sink in and looked up with a glint in her eye. ‘You owe me big time, big boy,’ she said, patting his belly.
‘Anything, sweetheart. You know I wouldn’t ask you to do this if it wasn’t important.’ He knew she was on his side but he also knew that he would have a lot of making up to do.
‘If you think you’re in the doghouse with me, just wait until I wake up the gang upstairs. Leo isn’t going to be happy about not going fishing with you tomorrow.’
‘I know, I’ll make it up to all of you. I promise. Take my car if you want.’
‘It’s okay, I’ll take mine. I’d better get this over with.’
She got to her feet and Dave heard the floorboards creak as she walked up the stairs to the kids’ bedroom. The flickering golden glow of the fireplace became contaminated as she turned the bedroom light on.
Dave’s heart sank as he heard his kids’ protestations at being woken up. Whispers were followed by more protestations at being told they had to go home early.
This had better be important, Tom.
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