“Hey, Kyra,” the brunette waitress called to her while she was making drinks for someone. It had been forever, but lunch hour rush was finally over.
“What’s up, Mick?” Kyra walked up to the girl.
She nodded her head to a table in the restaurant, “Just got you a table.”
Kyra looked up, seeing the back of a man with a baseball cap on, and a sandy blonde haired man setting across from him. The blonde was good looking.
“They’re hotties too,” Micky smiled.
“You and my brother, I swear,” Kyra picked up her ordering pad.
“What? We just want to see you happy.”
She looked at the other woman for a second, smiling, “I am happy.”
“It’s called a social life and you need one.”
She turned away from the female, walking over to the men at the table. “Good afternoon, gentlemen. May I start you out with something to drink?”
“Do you have some rum?” The blonde asked.
Kyra looked at him and smiled, “Sorry, fresh out, but we have plenty of soda.”
The one with the cap on continued to look at the menu on the table in front of him, “I’ll take a Pepsi, and he’ll have a Dr. Pepper.”
“I’ll be right back with those,” Kyra turned away, feeling one of them watching her as she walked back up to the counter, sliding the pad into her back pocket.
“Well?” Micky laughed as Kyra walked by her to make the drinks.
“Why don’t you take over and go flirt with them? I get off in an hour anyway.” Kyra couldn’t help but laugh at her friend.
“I’ll let you have the fun this time, I got the last ones.”
Kyra laughed as she finished the drinks. She went back around the counter, and over to the cute blonde. He had pretty blue eyes that seemed to constantly laugh. She liked it. Too often, customers were rude, and had no personality when you spoke to them. “Here you go,” she sat the drinks in front of them. “Are you ready to order or do you need some more time?”
She couldn’t help but look at the one with the cap. She hadn't seen him look away from the menu. Both the men were extremely tall, you could tell by the way they were setting, and she couldn’t recall seeing them in here before.
“I think we’re ready,” the blonde answered.
Kyra pulled back out her pad.
“How do you say your name?” He asked looking at her nametag, a big smile on his face.
“The ‘Y’ sounds like an ‘I’… Kyra.”
“That’s a pretty name, suits you well.”
“Thank you,” she smiled back.
“We have an extra chair if you’d like to join us,” he motioned to the chair on the other side of the table from her. She would be sitting between the two of them.
“Tom,” the one with the cap’s voice was low and deep. It went perfect with his size. He was dressed different from his friend. She knew it was warm out, so the blonde’s T-shirt and blue jeans was common to see. But the cap was wearing the shirt and jeans, with a long sleeve shirt over the top, the sleeves rolled almost to his elbows. “Stop flirting, she’s trying to work.”
“I’m just trying to be polite,” the blonde, Tom, answered.
“He’s fine,” Kyra mumbled.
The one with the cap looked up at her, his brown eyes seemed to instantly pierce through her soul and her heart fluttered for a moment. She felt her hand shake, and forced herself to look away. She shook off the feeling he gave her, trying to keep the smile on her face.
“What can I get for you?” Her voice didn’t sound as cheerful.
“I’ll take the double bacon with everything on it and some fries.”
She avoided looking into his eyes again, “Do you want lettuce, tomato, and all?”
“The whole nine yards.”
“Got it,” she looked back into his eyes, and her heart skip again.
“How ‘bout you sit down and tell me the specials?” Tom asked from her other side.
Both of them looked at him, but brown eyes spoke, “You already know what you want; it’d be mean to make her say it all and not even order it.”
“Man, you need to loosen up,” Tom shook his head.
She felt the eyes back on her again, and she looked over, accidentally meeting them once more. The man was extremely handsome, but the feeling she got threw her for a loop. Then he spoke again, “He’ll take the same thing.”
“No lettuce or tomatoes though,” Tom smiled.
She broke the eye contact, writing on her pad, “It’ll be right out.” Kyra turned, hurrying away from them. She went around the counter, hanging up the order and spinning it to the back for the cooks.
She turned around, looking back at the table at the back of the cap. The men were talking about something, and there was still a huge smile on Tom’s face. He looked up at her and winked. She forced herself to look away again.
The diner was pretty much empty now, though a half hour ago it had been full. She couldn’t wait for her time to be up and her brother to come and get her. Even though she knew, she would probably be setting in here waiting for at least another hour. Kyra didn’t mind, it was better than walking, daylight or not.
She heard the bell ding, turning to see the men’s order was ready. She looked back at them, noticing their drinks were almost gone too. She quickly fixed them each another glass, placing the glasses on the tray with the plates.
She had done this so many times; it was easy to balance the large tray on one hand. She went back to the table, “Fresh drinks.” She handed them the glasses. “Then we have veggies,” she sat the plate in front of the cap, “and no veggies.” That plate went in front of Tom. “If ya’ll need anything else just holler.” She picked up the empty glasses.
The brown eyes found her again, “Thank you, ma’am.”
She smiled, ignoring her heart, “It’s just Kyra.”
“Thank you, Kyra.”
“You’re welcome,” She forced herself to walk away.
“Time’s almost up,” Micky commented when she came back up with the tray. Kyra looked up at the clock. She only had a couple more minutes. The hour had flown by while her mind was spinning from brown eyes. She took off her work jacket, which was actually a shirt.
“It’s all yours, Micky. I need a breather anyway.” She went towards the door.
“Are you alright, Kyra?” Micky’s voice was full of concern.
“Fine, just need some fresh air.” She went out, seating herself on the bench in front of the windows. She closed her eyes, but all she saw was those brown ones looking back at her. She opened them, looking at the cars in the lot. Her eyes fell onto a red GTO parked on the other side of the lot. She knew it had to be a 1972 by the headlights. She had always loved those cars.
She wondered who inside the car belonged too. It probably belonged to one of those men at her table. She wasn’t about to go and ask like she would any other time. No customer had ever gotten to her like that before… especially not by just looking at her.
No man had ever done that period.
They would flirt. They all did it in their own ways. She was a waitress, and she was guilty of flirting back to a degree, but she was always careful. The way her life had gone, she had to be careful. It was unhealthy for her not to be.
She looked down at her watch, only thirty minutes had passed. She knew Micky was probably in there flirting away. In a way it made Kyra jealous she couldn’t do the same. For a long time she had to struggle just to smile at the opposite sex, and really mean the smile.
“Excuse me, Ma’am…, Kyra.”
She looked up and into those wonderful brown eyes looking at her from under the baseball cap. The man was very tall as he stepped over to her.
He smiled as she forced herself to smile back, “This is for you.” He put two twenties in her hand.
“You don’t have to do that,” she went to hand it back to him. “I wasn’t even your waitress for all of it.”
“You did the most. We already took care of the other one…. Thank you.” He turned and started to walk away, following his friend. Then he stopped and looked back at her, their eyes meeting once again, “Do you need a lift somewhere?”
She shook her head, “Thanks, but I have a ride coming.”
She watched as he turned back, going over to the GTO. Brown eyes opened the driver’s side, his eyes meeting hers for a moment. She could see a hint of a smile, then he got into the car and they left.
Of course, the car would have to be his. She looked down at the forty dollars in her hand. She usually made almost a hundred in tips a day, but she had never made that much in one tip alone. She wondered how much they gave Micky.
What did they do for a living to be able to tip a waitress like that, especially for mediocre food from here?
Kyra looked up, seeing her brother’s Bandit edition Trans Am pulling into the lot. She stood, stuffing the money into her pocket, and got into the car.
“Long day?” Nicky looked over at her with green eyes that matched hers, as they headed back down the road. “You’re usually not outside.”
“We were pretty busy.”
“That’s good for Kathy though.”
“I’m sure she’ll enjoy it.” Kyra looked out the window.
“What’s wrong, Kyra?”
“Nothing,” she looked at him, forcing a smile, “just tired.”
“Alright, then we can talk.” He looked at the windshield. “You know I’m a supervisor right?”
“Don’t start on the driving thing again, Nicky.”
“But you really should start driving the car, Ky,” Nicky glanced over at her. “What if I have to stay at work late or go in early?”
“If it’s late, I wait, just like today,” she smiled at him. “If it’s early I’ll drive.”
“I don’t like you setting down there waiting. You need to drive yourself. What if something happens to me?”
“Nothing’s going to happen to you, Nicky.” She looked over at her brother.
He smiled, “I just don’t want you to ever feel stuck, Sister.”
“I don’t feel stuck,” she looked out the window as he pulled the car into the driveway in front of the garage. She was glad to be at home, and she had tomorrow off. They both got out of the car, and Kyra walked around as he waited for her.
“So what’s for dinner?” Nicky asked as they walked to the porch.
“Is that all you think about?” She smiled up at him.
“I can’t help it.” He smiled as he stepped up onto the porch. “What’s this?” He pulled the note off the door, reading it. “Anita says she needs to talk to you.”
“She can wait,” Kyra stepped onto the porch, but he stopped her.
“She’s never left a note before. Maybe it’s important.”
“She would call,” She looked up into the green eyes.
“At least go see if it can wait, Ky, be a good neighbor,” he smiled.
“Fine,” she rolled her eyes as she walked back off the porch. She went across the yard.
“You’re my favorite sister,” Nicky called after her.
She turned to look at him from the center of the street, laughing, “I’m your only sister.” She turned back around, entering her neighbor’s yard and started up the steps of the porch to the door.
The sound of loud exhaust of a car coming down the road made Kyra turn and look. The smile faded from her face as she watched guns appear out of the windows of the red sedan. She stepped back down the couple of concrete steps she had just gone up. The car slowed as it neared her home.
She looked across the street, and her eyes met with her brother’s matching green ones. “Nicky!”
Gunfire rang through the air as she started to run. A large heavy arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her to the ground. The blow to her body took away her breath for a moment, and the large body shielded her small one.
“Nicky!” She screamed again as she covered her ears, tears filling her eyes.
The shooting ended and the car sped away. She struggled to get out from under the arm as she looked at her home now covered with bullet holes.
“Let me go!” She pushed on the person, and the arm finally freeing her. She scrambled to her feet, running across the street and through her yard.
She stopped when she reached the steps of her porch, hearing glass crunching as she stepped up, “Nicky?”
She looked at the large bay window to her left, tears fell down her cheeks when she saw her older brother lying on his back between the window and the railing. She went to him, noticing the red spot in his gray shirt, under his hand laying on his stomach, and the growing redness coming from under him.
She bent down beside him, carefully brushing the glass from his clothing, “Oh, Nicky.” Slowly, she lifted his hand, but there was too much blood to tell how bad it was. The feeling in her gut told her she was going to lose him. Sirens filled the air as she gently brushed the dark curly hair from his eyes.
“Ky,” her name was barely more than a whisper as it escaped from his lips.
She looked down at the slightly opened green eyes. “It’s ok, Nicky. It’s not so bad.”
Looking at the older man was like looking at the male version of her, only now his usual bright green eyes were dull and glazed over. “Don’t lie to me, Ky.” His voice was ragged and shaky. He was struggling to get the words out. “I know how bad it is. Promise me….”
His voice faded away, making her breath catch in her throat, “Nicky?” She placed her hand on his chest. She let the breath go when she felt the shallow rise and then the quick fall.
“You’ll be careful.”
Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. She knew he was dying. “You know I will.”
“I wish,” he took a shallow breath as he tried to smile at her, slowly reaching up and touching her face, wiping her tears away. “It doesn’t hurt so bad.”
“I love you,” she whispered as she touched his hand. His eyes closed, and under her other hand she felt her strong brother release his last breath. She leaned down; kissing his warm cheek, then laid her head on his muscular chest. “Save a place for me,” She whispered.
She kept waiting to feel him take a breath, but it never came. She was alone now. Her protective big brother was gone to be with the rest of her family. She closed her eyes as she cried, her small body shaking with the sobs. She laid there for what seemed like hours, crying. She wanted to hit him, make him come back to her. She didn’t want to go on without him.
“Nicky,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry,” The deep voice caught her by surprise, making her instantly sit up. She looked up at the tall man, looking directly into the deep brown eyes from the restaurant. She remembered being pulled to the ground, and having the breath knocked out of her by the large arm. He must have been the one who did it.
She couldn’t find her voice as he leaned down, holding out his hand to help her up. She slowly placed her hand into his and he pulled her to her feet, but her knees gave out. The man caught her, sweeping her up into his arms in one swift movement, a low groan coming from his chest.
He carried her off the porch, through the yard, and past all the people. He went to the ambulance, sitting her gently down in the back of it. A shiver went through her body when the warmth of him left her, and she felt him place his shirt over her shoulders. A clean, musky smell filled her nose.
“Just need to check you out,” the female EMT began to take her pulse.
She looked over at the man as he stood in front her. He was extremely handsome with his dark tan. His dark brown eyes looked at her from under his ball cap, dark brown hair peeking out in the back of his head. She wiped her tears away, as her head took back over her emotions. Why was he here now? Had he followed her home? Was his friend here too?
No….
This man was a cop. If he weren't then he wouldn’t have stuck around any longer than he had too. He wouldn’t have come up on the porch for her. Her gut told her it was true, and she had learned a long time ago to trust the natural instinct. Usually, it was right.
He wasn’t in uniform though, so it was either his day off or he was a detective or investigator. It had to be coincidence he came into the restaurant today.
She looked across the road at her friend’s peach house.
“Everyone over there’s ok.” His deep voice forced her attention once again.
She looked at him with eyes that burned from crying, forcing herself to be strong. “You went over there?”
No emotion showed on the stranger’s face, but then she hadn’t expected to find any. And it didn’t surprise her when he didn’t answer.
“That’s part of the job right?” She noticed blood on the sleeve of the man’s t-shirt.
“Am I that obvious?” There was no surprise in his tone, only a slight tilt of his thin lips as he watched her. He leaned back on the vehicle behind him, his hands going into his pockets.
“I guess I have a knack for picking ya’ll out,” her mind floated back to the porch and her brother, and she looked down at her hands. Fresh tears stung her eyes before overflowing onto her cheeks. If this man hadn’t been there, would she be dead too? Even though she would have given her life for her brother’s, she knew Nicky would have wanted it to happen the way it did. Now, she supposed, she owed this man her life.
“Apparently, you don’t think too much of the people in that line of work.”
She tried to control her tears, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been given a reason too.” She took a deep breath and looked back at the handsome man, “I guess I need to thank you.”
“For what?”
She looked away again, towards the street, but she could feel his eyes watching her, “Saving my life.”
“I…. You’re welcome.” He never stopped looking at her. “Has it been that bad?”
She looked back at the cop again, reminding herself she had to keep her head clear. “Does it really matter?” It didn’t matter, nothing mattered anymore, and she knew what was coming next.
“I guess not.”
“She’s good,” the lady moved away as the man nodded at her.
She took another deep breath. “I don’t have a choice but to go with you now…. Answer all your questions about who would want to do this to my family, even though I don’t have any answers.” She slowly stood up, hoping her legs would hold, and he followed. “After all, it’s standard procedure. Or at least, it used to be.”
His gaze at her didn’t falter; he wasn’t failing at what she expected. He lead her around the ambulance and over to an unmarked police car. “It still is. But in my defense, I’m not like most officers.”
“What makes you so different?” She returned as he opened the passenger door for her and she got in.
“You’ll just have to wait and see.” He shut the door, going to the other side and getting in. He started the car. “How do you know about standard procedure?”
She felt his eyes on her, but she didn’t answer him. She looked at the porch of her home where many people gathered, finding the blue eyed friend there. He would find out soon enough, so she stared out the window as they drove away from her home.
The large brick building loomed over her as the tall man escorted her through the thick glass doors and up the staircase. It never got any smaller, even though she had gotten older. The place looked the same as it had the other times she had been here. Even the glass windows with blinds leading into the private offices hadn’t changed. The file cabinets scattered everywhere along with at least a hundred desks throughout the large room, and the little redhead setting in the front of it all.
“Detective,” she greeted Kyra’s companion as they entered.
“Pam,” he nodded in return. “As soon as Tom gets back, could you send him and Cap to my office for me?” He placed his large hand gently on the small of Kyra’s back, barely touching her as he led her through the maze of desks and people to his own glass room.
The office space was as dreary as they had always been. Two chairs turned slightly towards each other sat facing the large wooden desk. Plaques hanging on the walls, papers stacked on the desk. She heard the door close behind her as she looked around.
“Have a seat,” the man invited.
She sat down in the farthest one of the soft plush brown chairs, noticing the pictures and the nameplate on his desk. The plate read ‘Detective Ben Chamberlain’. Now she at least had a name to go with the face. She looked at the pictures. One was of a smiling older couple, the man making her think of the detective in older age. The couple looked very happy. The next had two smiling sandy blonde boys in it, each sporting the brown eyes of the detective. Next to that, was a picture of her savior and a dark blonde girl with soft brown eyes. She figured it was his wife, and the boys were his children. She wondered how the woman was able to live never knowing if her husband was coming home or not.
“That’s my parents, nephews, and my sister.”
She looked up at him. He was standing behind the chair beside her. She felt relief flow over her, but she didn’t know why. “I figured it was your wife.”
“Most people do,” he seated himself beside her instead of behind the desk. That surprised Kyra. Even her father had sat behind the desk. “Can I ask you a question?”
“I’m sure you have many,” she whispered as he leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. She saw a piece of gauze sticking out from underneath the bloodstain on the shirtsleeve. He looked at her, his brown eyes seeming to pierce her soul even though they were soft. “Ask away.”
“I remember Kyra from the diner, but what’s the rest of your name?”
She shouldn’t have been surprised over him remembering, he was a cop and it was their job. Her father always had a hell of a memory. “Baldwin.”
His eyes were full of surprise, “Baldwin? Any relation to the Captain Stephan Baldwin?”
“He’s…,” she hesitated, looking down at her hands, “was my father.”
“The man’s a legend around here. I’ve heard so many stories about him from my dad.”
She looked back at the almost smiling man, “That doesn’t surprise me.” She looked over at the picture of the older couple again. The man didn’t look familiar, but it had all been a long time ago. She was sure he had changed a lot over the years.
The detective must have felt her pain because he gently touched her leg. The touch made her eyes instantly go there, “Was that your….”
“Brother.” She finished for him, staring at his hand. She looked back at the man as he moved his hand away. “His name’s Nicolas. Mostly went by Nick. He’s twenty-seven years old and worked at the plastic factory downtown… been there for ten years. He got divorced five years ago, no children. His ex wife’s maiden name’s Tiffany Williams. We haven’t seen or heard from her since they got divorced…." She blinked at him, "Don’t you want to write this down?”
“I’ve got a good memory,” he halfway grinned. “Have you done this much?”
“No…. Anything else?”
“You work at the diner or were you just filling in?”
“What does that matter? I wasn’t the one killed.”
“That doesn’t mean you weren’t a target too.”
True. She took a breath, “I’ve been there seven years.”
“I don’t remember seeing you before.”
“Maybe I wasn’t there when you came in. I don’t work twenty-four seven.”
“Fair enough,” he studied her. “How ‘bout a boyfriend?”
“No, and no kids either.”
“What about the neighbors?”
“Don’t really know many.”
“How long have you lived there?”
“Eight years,” she looked back at the pictures.
“And you don’t know anyone?”
“We keep to ourselves. We knew the couple across the street. That’s pretty much it.”
“Did you visit with them a lot?”
“We talked a couple times a week. Nick and I worked a lot, so we weren’t home very much.”
“Why were you going over there today?”
“There was a note on the door saying she needed to talk to me. I went to find out what.” She looked back at him.
“What’s your neighbor’s name?”
She closed her eyes for a moment, “Anita and David Foster.”
“Where had you been before home?”
“You seen me,” she looked at him again.
“That was the only place you went?”
“Yes.”
“You were setting outside; did your brother pick you up?”
“Shortly after you left.”
“Do you drive?”
“When I have to.”
“So he usually picks you up?”
“What does this have to do with him being murdered, Detective?”
“His schedule can be helpful.”
“You want his schedule?” She raised her eyebrows as their eyes met again. “Our shifts start at six. He takes me to work, then goes to his job. The shifts usually end at two and he picks me up. We go home, have dinner, watch T.V., and go to bed.”
“Are you always so cold?”
“Are you always so arrogant?”
There was a knock at the door; Ben turned waving them into the room before he stood, grabbing paper and a pen off the desk. He started writing as he spoke, “This is my partner, Tom Wilkerson, and our Captain, John Appleton.”
The partner was the man with him at the Diner. He smiled sweetly at her, his blue eyes sparkling, as he nodded. She noticed now he was thicker in the chest than the detective, but he wasn’t as tall.
The captain was short and a little plump, with hazel eyes and balding gray hair. He wore a dress jacket and slacks. She remembered him from when her father worked here. She had gotten to know the man quite well.
The captain smiled as she stood up, “Kyra Baldwin, I haven’t seen you for years. Where’s that protective big brother of yours?”
“Cap,” Ben interrupted, giving the older man a look.
He turned back to Kyra, taking her hands into his. “Oh, I’m so sorry, my dear. We’ll find whoever did this. I promise you. These two are one of the best teams I have.”
She wanted to thank him, but she couldn’t find her voice to do so. She reseated herself as the older man helped her and then turned back to the detectives.
“What information do we have, Ben? Any leads? I want to find whoever’s responsible for this.”
“I’ve written down some names,” Ben handed over the sheet of paper. “It’s not much, but it’s a start.” The three of them walked out of the room for a minute.
She looked away from the door and back at the pictures and everyone’s smiling faces. Her eyes stopped on the children and her eyes filled with tears. She hated being like this. She needed to be strong. No one was going to take care of her, except her.
“But you really should start driving the car, Ky,” Nicky glanced over at her as they drove home. “What if I have to stay at work late or go in early?”
“If it’s late, I wait, just like today,” she had smiled at him. “If it’s early I’ll drive.”
“I don’t like you setting down there waiting. You need to drive yourself. What if something happens to me?”
“Nothing’s going to happen to you, Nicky.” She looked over at her brother.
He smiled, “I just don’t want you to ever feel stuck, Sister.”
“I don’t feel stuck,” she looked out the window as he pulled the car into the driveway in front of the garage.
Ben was the only one who came back in. He sat back down beside her, “Do you know anyone else who might have wanted to hurt your brother or you?”
She shook her head as she wiped the fresh tears away.
“We got a safe place for you to go.”
“I'd rather just go home,” she whispered, clearing her head.
He was quiet for a minute, “Then we’ll put a couple of officers outside. We think you might still be in danger…. Is there a way I can get a hold of you?"
“554-6989, it’s my cell.”
He picked up a card from his desk. On the back, he wrote some numbers then he handed it to her. “This is the number and my extension here. On the back's my personal numbers. If you need anything, I want you to call me.”
She nodded taking the card into her hand. She looked up at him, “I’d rather not have anyone setting outside my home.”
“But if you’re in any kind of danger-”
She held up the card he had just given her, “I’ll call you if anything’s strange to me.”
“I would rather-”
“I’d rather not. I just want to go home. I don’t want to think about anyone setting outside watching me. I doubt anyone would come back tonight anyway.”
“I’ll have them set down the street then.”
She rolled her eyes. She knew it was protocol, and she wasn’t going to win. She was lucky they were only going to be down the street, and she was being allowed to go back to the house at all. She wondered why he was even agreeing to it.
He paused for a moment before asking the dreaded question, “Do you feel up to identifying his body?”
She didn’t, but she knew she would have to do it eventually. She nodded.
“I’ll take you down there.” He stood up, holding out his large hand to the girl.
Kyra slowly put her hand into his. She stood, Ben putting his other hand onto the small of her back. He led her out of the office and through the maze of desks to an elevator. It wasn't until then he stepped back from her and she found herself missing the warmth of his hand. The elevator came to a stop, making her stomach drop. His hand returned to her back instantly to steady her.
“Are you okay?” He looked down at her, his voice soft as the doors came open.
She looked up, realizing just how tall he was with him standing so close to her, her head barely even reaching his shoulders. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He kept his hand on her back, guiding her off the elevator and over to the white sheet that she knew her brother laid beneath. Tom had already made it there.
“Ready?” The short old man in the white coat asked, looking at her.
She could feel the warmth of Ben standing behind her as she nodded. The man lifted the sheet. Nicky laid there with his eyes closed. She watched his chest, waiting for it to rise and fall as he took a breath, but it didn’t move. Her eyes filled up with tears again.
“Is this your brother, Nicolas Scott Baldwin?” The man asked, but she could barely hear his voice.
“What if something happens to me?” Nicky’s voice rang through her head.
She closed her eyes, not able to look at her lifeless brother anymore. She turned around and right into Ben’s chest. She felt his arms come around her, pulling her to him, one hand resting on her back, the other on the back of her head.
“That’s him,” she whispered.
“We can go now,” Ben said into the top of her head.
He turned her in the opposite direction, his hand again on her back, leading her back to the elevator. Tom came along with them.
She stood in the corner of the elevator this time, to keep balance herself. She kept feeling the brown eyes watching her, but both the men were silent.
This time the doors open to the parking garage. Ben guided her out of the elevator, Tom staying there. He led her over to his GTO, opening the passenger door for her. Then he got into the driver’s side.
He handed her a manila envelope, “That’s everything your brother had on him.”
She slowly took it from his hand with her shaking one, “Thank you.”
He started the car, putting it in gear and pulling out. “Where can I take you to?”
“Home.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“It’s my home. It’s where I want to be.” She looked out the window.
“So what’s for dinner?” Nicky asked as they walked to the porch.
“Is that all you think about?” She smiled up at him.
“I can’t help it.” He smiled as he stepped up onto the porch. “What’s this?” He pulled the note off the door, reading it. “Anita says she needs to talk to you.”
“She can wait,” Kyra stepped onto the porch, but he stopped her.
“She’s never left a note before. Maybe it’s important.”
“She would call,” she looked up into the green eyes.
“At least go see if it can wait, Ky, be a good neighbor.”
“Fine,” she rolled her eyes as she walked back off the porch.
They pulled up in the front of her house, and Ben spoke, “Are you sure about this? I really shouldn’t be letting you.”
She looked over at him. His eyes were soft. “I’ll just stay tonight. I need to gather some stuff before I can go somewhere else,” she looked back out the window at her house. The front porch light was on, making it where she could see hints of the bullet marks in the siding, and the yellow police tape on the porch. There were windows broken and holes in the siding, the flowers she had worked so hard on were toppled over from all the people that had been there.
She looked over at her brother’s car sitting in the driveway, glad it didn’t look like much damage had been done to it. It would need a new back window. She would have to call the shop, have them come and take it to be fixed.
The place didn’t feel like home anymore, “I’ll be fine.” She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.
She reached down, opening the door when Ben’s hand landed softly on her arm. She turned to look at him. “If anything happens, or you need anything, call me.”
“I will, plus I got officers just down the road.”
He only looked at her, “Can I walk you in?”
“If you really want to,” she got out, took a deep breath, and headed for the door, Ben right behind her. She quickly opened the door, so she wouldn’t see the chalk marking on the porch where her brother had been. She flipped on the light, with Ben coming in right behind her.
The house looked pretty much like it did every time she came in it. Everything was in its place. The plant at the bottom of the stairs, the sofa lining the wall with the staircase behind it, the two chairs beside the sofa, and the coffee table in the center. By the door was the entertainment center holding the television, stereo, and all the electronic devices. Plants and pictures were sitting neatly on the top of the center, and pictures of them and their parents hung straight on the walls. From the doorway, you could see into the kitchen: the cabinets lining the wall and the edge of the four person table. She loved her little home, but it felt empty. There were only a few bullet holes and some glass on the floor by where the windows should be.
“Do you want a drink or anything?” Kyra walked the rest of the way into the house, sitting the envelope on the coffee table.
“No, thank you.” Ben stood in the doorway. “Do you mind if I check everything out?”
“Go ahead.” She went into the kitchen. This wouldn’t be too bad. It was kind of like Nicky was at work. Only he wouldn’t come home this time. She opened the fridge and pulled out a Pepsi.
“You’re my favorite sister.”
“I’m your only sister.”
“Everything looks ok,” Ben stood in the doorway, making her jump. She almost dropped her drink.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” She looked at him.
“I’m good…,” he looked back her. “Are you sure you’ll be ok?”
“Yah,” she looked down. “It’s kinda like he’s at work or something.”
“Do you have some place else you could go?”
“I’ll be fine, Detective,” she moved around him, going back to the living room. She seated herself on the couch.
“You can call me Ben.”
She just looked at him.
“And you can trust me,” he stepped towards her.
“I don’t do that very easy.”
“Obviously,” he looked down at the beautiful woman.
“Did you get hurt?” She glanced at the bloodstain, wanting to change the subject.
“It’s no big deal.”
“Did it happen today?”
He studied her eyes for a moment, “Earlier…. Do you promise you’ll call?”
Her smile was crooked, “I’ll sleep with your number under my head.”
“You don’t have to do all that…. Just call me.”
“I will…. Promise,” she watched as he left her to be alone. Tears filled her eyes as she reached down, picking up the envelope. Written on the outside of it was her brother’s name. It was still so hard for her to believe he was really gone.
She opened it, carefully dumping the items onto the tabletop. Picking up his wallet, she flipped it open. There was a twenty-dollar bill, and a bunch of pictures. Some of them were of her, or the both of them together, and a few of their parents.
Their father’s ring hooked around a chain caught her eye. She picked it up, looking at the matching one on her right ring finger. They had been her parents’ wedding bands. She had worn her mother’s since the day Nicky had given it to her, the only she’d ever worn. Her dad’s, Nicky had put on a chain, wearing it around his neck. She undid the clasp, hooking around her own neck.
“You don’t need a job, Ky.” Everything played through her head. “I make enough money to take care of all of us. Plus we have Mom and Dad’s money.”
“I don’t want to use their money; I want to do it myself.” She had been so stubborn.
“All you need to worry about is finishing school and going to college.”
“I don’t want to go to college, Nicky.”
“What about joining the force, Ky? You’ve wanted to be a cop since you were little.”
“I don’t anymore.”
“Why, because of Mom and Dad?”
“Because cops are stupid and they don’t know anything. I don’t want to be like them! I hate cops!”
Nicky was quiet for a moment as he looked at her, and his wife walked through the door. “Fine, Ky. I’ll make you a deal.”
“What?” She looked at him.
“Get your driver’s license and you can get a job.”
She smiled, jumping up and hugging her brother, “Thank you! I love you!”
“I love you, too,” he smiled down at her. “Now go do your homework.”
Loose change and his pocketknife were the only items left in the envelope. Nicky had never carried too much on him. She looked down at the open wallet; his picture from his driver’s license looked back at her. It was how she wanted to remember him, smiling and happy. Instantly the memory of that day popped into her head. She had gone with him, and had made faces at him from behind the camera.
She closed the wallet, putting it and the knife into her purse. She picked it up, carrying it upstairs to her room.
She was ready for this day to end.