Dawn of Danger (ONC Entry)

Ten

"Ah-ah. Work and pleasure don't mix, remember?" He asked teasingly, holding her at arm's length.

"Oh. Sorry." Bonnie extricated herself from his grasp and smiled sheepishly. "I guess I should stick to my own rules, shouldn't I?"

"Only if you want to," Colin said flippantly. "But then you'd be a hypocrite." Bonnie gave him a look and he grinned. "But a cute hypocrite."

She elbowed him. "Work and play, Colin. We're working."

"Right, right." He cleared his throat and pretended to read from a list. "Now...for today, we're going to talk to the other widowers and see if they're any help."

"Lead the way, Mr. Everton."

They left the station and headed for the second house that had been hit by the "mother murderer."

"So...did you get any matches from the prints?" Bonnie asked after a while.

"Well...of course they matched mine, and Whelan's. He did a stint in jail."

"For what? Drunkenness?" Bonnie said disapprovingly, her words twisting along with her mouth.

"Theft, actually. This was almost twenty years back." Colin watched a patrol car pass by. "He hasn't been booked for anything else."

"Mm." Bonnie sounded skeptical.

Colin glanced at her. "Just because you don't like him doesn't mean he's a bad guy."

"He may not be a bad guy, but he's not a good father."

Colin tilted his head to one side. "True. So all of this ill-will of yours is because he's a bad father?"

"Isn't that plenty of reason for ill-will?" Bonnie demanded. "But Suzie should be fine now. I asked Nancy to keep an eye on her. I think she already was, though."

"Nice that Whelan has neighbors who'll help him out."

"Yeah."

They walked along in silence, Colin listening to the pigeons that were already walking the streets. One took to the air in a flurry of wings.

"Colin?" Bonnie asked suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you carry a gun?"

Colin was taken aback for a moment. "Uh...yeah. Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Just curious." She was silent for another moment. "Do you think I should carry a gun?"

Again, Colin was taken aback. "You mean...in general...or during this case?"

"Well...both, I guess."

Colin eyed her thoughtfully. "Can you shoot a gun?" He asked finally.

"I think so."

"You think so? You'd better be sure before you start carrying one around. I wouldn't want our partnership to end because Bonnie Taylor shot a hole in herself by accident."

Bonnie laughed. "I can picture the headlines now. 'Proof that Women Should Stay At Home.'"

"Staying home is what got Alice Whelan killed, it seems like," Colin mused.

"Are you championing the rights of women?" Bonnie gasped in mock surprise.

Colin smiled amusedly. "Not exactly. Just...thinking out loud." He exhaled and glanced at Bonnie. "I'll teach you to shoot the next time we have a little time."

"I've got the concept of it," she hastened, "I've just never done it."

"Yeah, that's what everyone says - before they try."

Bonnie squared her shoulders and lengthened her stride. "I'll be different."

"Ha. Ten bucks says you won't hit what you're aiming for."

"You're on!" She elbowed him.

Colin winced. "What's with the elbows? For such a shapely girl, you've got bony elbows." He attempted to dodge another dig from Bonnie's elbow, but couldn't get out of the way fast enough. "Ow!"

Bonnie laughed. "Serves you right."

"What! How does that serve me right?" Colin rubbed the sore spot on his side, feeling sure he would have a bruise later on.

"It just does."