“Hey, Daisy! It’s Lou. I’m just checking to see if we’re still on for tomorrow. I hope so, since I am so excited about learning to kick some…hang on. I’ll be with you in a moment! Gotta go—customers.” The way Lou growled the word made Daisy smile. “Let me know if anything changes. Otherwise I’ll see you tomor— Just a minute! I’ll be right there to take your order!” Her voice dropped to a mutter. “Seriously? They can’t wait two seconds for their lattes? I tell you what, Daisy—I’m going to have some major aggression to work out tomorrow, so you’d better hope we don’t get paired up. Otherwise, it’s pow! And wham! And—Coming! Jeez Louise, Callum isn’t the only one who needs to learn patience. See you tomorrow!”
Daisy was laughing by the time Lou’s message ended, making it easier to listen to Chris’s. All of his were short, consisting of some variation of “Dais. Call me.” With a grimace, she tapped his name on her screen. He answered after a single ring.
“Daisy. Finally.”
“Hey, Chris. Sorry I hung up on you earlier, but I really don’t want to talk about that anymore.”
“Fine.” His heavy exhale was audible. “Just don’t turn off your phone like that. What if you needed to call for help?”
“Then I’d turn it back on?”
She was pretty sure that was a growl she heard. “What if I needed to reach you urgently?”
“Okay, Chris. I promise I won’t turn it off because I’m in a snit.”
“Thank you.” He paused for a few seconds. “You okay?”
Daisy felt a small surge of irritation. It felt like he was always asking her that. “Yes. I assaulted Max and took a shower, so I feel much better.”
“Good.” There was another un-Chris-like hesitation. “Can I do anything for the training tomorrow? Maybe pick up some things on my way to your house?”
“Since you’re the one doing the training, I think your contribution is big enough without supplying snacks.”
“Okay.” This time, the silence stretched until she checked to make sure the call hadn’t been dropped. “Do you need anything?”
“Some strong sedatives, if you don’t stop treating me like your invalid aunt.” She immediately felt bad about her sharpness. “No, Chris. I’m stocked like a good prepper. Dad could stay away for another six months, and I’d still have enough to eat.” She’d be out of chocolate long before then, though, and that could lead to severe crankiness.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
“Bye.” The word was more of a sigh. This Chris was nowhere near as fun to talk to as her friend used to be before some alien performed a personality transplant on him.
*
“Gabe,” Rob called over the construction noise. “Got a minute?”
Gabe Little scowled. “No. Not after your deputy wasted my entire morning.”
Raising his eyebrows, Rob waited.
“Chris Jennings called me and told me Daisy needed me at home.” His frown deepened with each word. “Thought she was in trouble or something. When I drove all the way home, she was fine. Said she had no idea why Jennings dragged me to Simpson. I ended up turning around and driving right back to Connor Springs. What a waste of time.”
“Hmm…” Rob was beginning to realize just how attached Chris was. He should’ve known something was up when Jennings bought a new grappling dummy for the department, when their “old” one had barely been used a year. “Sorry you were inconvenienced, but I have to admit that I’m concerned about Daisy, as well.”
“What?” His surly expression faded, and concern seeped into his tone. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Has she shown any signs of improvement since her mother…passed? Any attempts at leaving the house?”
The final traces of annoyance disappeared as Gabe deflated, sitting heavily on a concrete block. “Not really. She had a therapist for a while, but that didn’t…well, it didn’t pan out.”
“Why not?”
Guilt flashed over Gabe’s expression, and the defensive scowl returned. “What’s this all about, Sheriff?”
“Like I told you,” Rob said evenly, allowing sympathy to color his voice, “I’m concerned. What would happen if there was a structure fire? Or if she was injured or ill, and no one could get to her?”
Holding his hands palms-up in a gesture of helpless anger, Gabe demanded, “You think I don’t ask myself those questions every day? You think I don’t worry about her in that house?”
“I know you do,” Rob said soothingly. “I’m a father, too. I understand about worrying all the time. I’m not here to add to your problems. I’m here to offer to help—as much as I’m able, at least.”
Gabe slumped, and Rob knew he had him. “Thanks, Sheriff. Sorry. It’s just…hard.”
“I know.” Reaching out, Rob clasped the other man’s curled shoulder. “If something were to happen, is there any way I could reach her? Is there a key?”
“No.” Gabe didn’t raise his gaze. “There are too many locks on that inside door. My key chain would look like a janitor’s.”
Holding back a frustrated scowl, Rob asked, “Is there any other way into the house, any way to get to Daisy if she needed help?”
Gabe started to shake his head but then stopped, his expression brightening. “Yeah, there is. I’d almost forgotten about that.”
Rob listened intently, not allowing his satisfaction to show.
*
Her shaky hands had returned for the stupidest reason.
“Yes?” she said into the intercom mic, glad she could at least keep her voice steady.
“It’s me.”
“Oh, thank God! I mean, come on in, Chris.” She unlocked the outer door.