Cold Cases and Bitter Enemies by J.M. Dabney

Author:J.M. Dabney [Dabney, J.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781947184572
Publisher: J.M. Dabney

23

GRAVES

I stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing my hand over my curls in search of coffee. The apartment was quiet, but I’d heard Marcel softly snoring on the couch. The guest bedroom door was closed, but the hallway bathroom shower was running. It was a school day, and Savvy must have been getting ready. My left hand was pretty much useless, but it had been a week, so the bruises were fading. They’d started turning that sickly jaundiced color that stood out on my pale skin. The bullet graze over my ear wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. The scar would be minimal.

A lot of that night was still a blur after I entered the shipyard. As hard as I tried to remember, the memories seemed to get farther away. I’d known I told myself to catalog everything, but the details weren’t there other than the pain and me ordering them to kill me. They’d wanted Savvy. That’s why I was beating myself up so much because it was her, and I needed to protect her.

I started a pot of coffee as quietly as I could and started searching the fridge for something to make for breakfast. I needed to start learning to do things for myself. More than anything, I needed to go home soon. At least I was decent in the kitchen. I hadn’t needed those skills in a long time. Cooking just for myself was depressing on a good day. I remembered pre-Cold Case squad vegan and gluten-free, no fat Simon Graves. My former diet went the way of my buzzed head.

The new unit meant a chance at a do-over with my life. Summons by my parents was the only time I ate anything I hated. I cursed as I struggled opening packages but worked it out when I found a pair of kitchen scissors. By the time I sensed I wasn’t alone in the kitchen, I had bacon in the oven to keep warm, eggs ready to scramble, and toast started. That task turned into a bit of a nightmare.

“Why aren’t you still asleep?” Marcel asked as he passed close behind me and patted my hip as he went to pour himself coffee. I frowned at the affectionate touch.

“I slept all night.” His answering grunt amused me.

One thing I’d learned above all else—midnight to two AM, and Marcel was ready to go, seven AM, and he was unbearable. I dropped butter into the pan, dumped in the eggs, and instantly started stirring.

“Savvy sounded like she was getting ready for school.”

“This is about that time,” he muttered as he refilled my mug and poured one for Savvy as I heard steps coming down the hall.

“Am I in an alternate universe? Breakfast that’s not leftovers or microwaved?” I heard her backpack hitting the floor, and I glanced over my shoulder.

“Good morning to you too. Thank Simon, because this wasn’t my doing.”

“I know. Morning is fending for myself.”

I chuckled as Marcel growled, and she hugged my waist. I dropped a kiss to her soft hair.

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