Joy and Tiers Read Free Page A

the outcome. At the time, though, it was plenty dramatic. It totally slipped my mind that Javier had also been there.
    Heather’s eyes light up when she sees Javier. “Javier!” She exclaims. “I haven’t seen you since move in day. Mindy loves her new computer, by the way, in case Kiera somehow forgot to tell you. Thank you so much for such a thoughtful gift. Mindy’s been researching things left and right. She has never been the same,” Heather explains.
    Javier’s face lights up like a Christmas tree as he replies, “Good! I’m so glad somebody could use my daughter’s old computer equipment. Otherwise, it would’ve still been in the corner of our storage unit. What are we doing out here today?” Javier asks looking around.
    Before I can launch into my clinical explanation of what happened, Heather thrusts some random pieces of paper into his hand.
    “What’s this, Miss Heather?” Javier asks.
    “It’s just some notes that I took throughout the day as all this was happening,” Heather explains, with a small shrug.
    “You’ve been taking real-time notes and this is the first time you’ve bothered to mention them to me?” I ask, overwhelming fatigue suddenly seeping into my bones.
    “Well, yes,” she explains patiently. “But you never bothered to ask because you were too busy assuming I am the world’s biggest bimbo. I figured the small details might be important, so I started writing them down as soon as I noticed the break-in.”
    Something about the way she matter-of-factly describes the way I dismissed her opinion tells me that it happens to her quite a bit. I want to kick myself in the head for being so stupid.
    “You’re right. I should have asked you what you did next instead of assuming,” I admit, as I dig around in my gear bag for evidence markers. Suddenly, today is feeling like the world’s longest day. I really wish someone else would have caught this call— it would have been a whole heckuva lot less complicated.
    “Look, Cowboy, there’s something about us that seems to react like oil and water. I’m not usually such a witch, either. Of course, I know it’s your job to tell me what to do because you are a police officer. Normally, I wouldn’t even give it a second thought. But somehow, coming from you, it feels like criticism. I don’t even know what to make of that. It makes me sound like I belong in the loony bin,” she admits.
    I feel a strange sense of relief. At least I’m not the only one that feels completely off balance when she’s around. It’s strange. I feel like I’ve had some bizarre personality transplant. One that makes me regress to my inner third-grader. I’m tempted to metaphorically pull her pigtails and throw earthworms at her to show her that I like her. Not a positive development when you’re almost thirty.
    “Now that the evidence team is here, why don’t I take you down to the station where it’s warmer? I can take your formal statement there. It will be faster, and I can even stop by Starbucks on the way so you won’t have to drink that tar I call coffee,” I suggest.
    “There’s no way I can get back in there and show them how to handle the flowers?” Heather pleads.
    Well, I have to hand it to her, the lady is persistent. I softly chuckle as I reply, “No, Gidget, I’m sorry I can’t let you do that. But Javier is extremely careful in his work. He’ll take really good care of your babies. I promise.”
    Heather dramatically sighs as she replies, “I sort of figured that was going to be your answer. But it was worth a shot in case you were feeling more charitable. I guess I’ll just have to trust Javier. But it’s okay to take this bucket of gum paste and my tools, right because they were in the cupboard?”
    Now, it’s my turn to sigh under my breath. “Yes, I’ve already logged that stuff out for you, so you may take it,” I advise.
    “Thank you very much, Officer Colton. I appreciate your help with this matter,”