As I finish coming down the stairs, I salute Casey who smiles at me. I also notice that she carries a scar around her throat and that it has become visible through the collar of her shirt.
- Good afternoon, Brooke! - Casey says smiling as Ryder came towards me to hug me.
- Hey, Casey!
Ryder lifts me up, then sits me on one of the stools.
- Did you sleep well? Ryder asks, kissing my forehead.
He smiled hugging his neck.
- Like an angel!
- Oh, boy. - exclaims Casey. - You got his heart right.
I'll drop a laugh.
- You don't know how much! - says Ryder. - She stole every bit of it, and I don't intend to report it.
Casey looks at me, laughing out loud.
- This time it passes! - she says.
We'll hook up a conversation while Ryder prepares breakfast. Casey tells us about his work as a cop. My eyes light up when I see the omelets Ryder puts in front of me.
- Hungry? - he asks, putting the plate on the counter and handing me a fork.
I take the fork with a smile, like a child who gets a huge candy, and I attack the omelette.
- Dying! - I answer with my mouth full.
Like everything in a few forks, leaving Casey stunned. She looks the other way when Ryder gives me another plate with one more omelet. Laughter explaining that I loved Ryder's food and that to me eating was almost like a religion. We were distracted when the bell rang. Ryder kisses my forehead and goes to the door to answer.
- Hello! - says Ryan on the way in.
- Ryan, what are you doing here? - Ryder asks in a worried tone. - Something wrong with Mom?
- Mel's fine! - he answers, turning his pillows. - I can't find my extra helmet anywhere. Did I leave you here, by any chance?
Ryder frown, then make a face.
- Again, Uncle! - says Ryder with a debauched look. - You keep losing that helmet.
- I didn't lose him. - he says, shrugging his shoulders and laughing. - I just can't find him.
Ryder shakes his head from side to side. It was hard to recognize Ryan without his white doctor's clothes. He looked like a biker, one of those troublemakers, dressed in a pair of leather pants, a T-shirt and jacket. His medium brown hair was all messed up like he'd just gotten out of bed. Ryan was even taller than Ryder and his eyes were of a deep blue, hidden behind an elegant frame with grade lenses. Ryan takes off his jacket, showing tanned skin and part of a tattoo on his arm. He looked like a movie star.
- Ryan, I saw your helmet at Mel's house. - I mean, getting his attention.
- Hey, Brooke! - Ryan greets me smiling and approaches. - Are you sure?
- Yeah. - I say kissing his cheek. - I saw him Saturday night.
- I must have left it there when I stopped by to talk to Mel. - he says, making a frustrated face.
He frowned, then crossed his arms and faced Casey with an ironic look.
- Hello, suicide!
- It's Lieutenant Williams to you! - she says, then look down on Ryan. - Still forgetting things, Doctor?
Ryan laughs sarcastically and gets a little closer to Casey.
- Not everything, is it, Miss Willians?
- Detective! - she insists. - Detective Willians.
He's got a laugh.
- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - he says in ironic tone and scratching his chin. - Does the traffic department know you have a history of suicide?
I look at Casey who snorts. She was clearly angry, but she tried hard to ignore Ryan. She takes a deep breath when she looks at Ryder like she's considering something. I didn't understand anything, but Casey turned his eyes to the omelets and started eating again. As if he knew what action his uncle would take, Ryder shouts his name in a serious tone of warning.
- Ryan!
Ryan smiles coldly and, ignoring his nephew, he approaches Casey, speaking softly in his ear.
- Tell your boss that if he needs it, I can have his file. - he says whispering cold. - I'll be happy to show him the danger you pose to society.
Casey growls with fury and forks in the air towards his mouth. Ryder takes a step forward, as if anticipating Casey's reaction.
- Casey, no!
There was no time. One second Ryan was standing next to her, but the next he was leaning over the counter with one hand tied to his back by one of Casey's hands. With the other one, she held the gun firmly, keeping it pressed against Ryan's temple.
- Listen very carefully, you fucking bastard! - she says in a tone full of threat.
