“Great. Just great.”
“Now the paper will print the letter with this Axeman’s addendum.”
“Of course. Thanks, Axel.”
He ended the call. Katie came back down the stairs. “Jeremy is going to meet us, and he’ll bring us my boxes. He wants to go to a place he loves. It’s called Coffee Science, and it’s on Broad Avenue.”
“I know it.”
“He needs an hour or so.”
“Okay. If you don’t mind, we’ll stop by my office quickly.”
“You’re working other cases?”
“No, but I want to make sure my assistant isn’t being harassed by an old client. Besides, we have an hour to kill.”
“I’ll just check with Monty, let him know I won’t be in the carriage at all today.” She smiled. “Thank God for Monty! He’s so understanding. I might be in danger of losing my job, otherwise.”
“I’m assuming a lot of employers might see their people fleeing the city,” Dan said. “I’ll be out front if you want to lock up.” He started toward the door and then swung around. “Wait a minute! I brewed coffee!”
He went back to pour a cup of coffee. She was staring at him, and for the first time that morning, she gave him a smile. “Hey, I’m standing right here, you know.”
“Sorry! How rude!” He poured her a cup, too. She found cream in the refrigerator and added a touch to hers, then offered it to him.
He shook his head and said, “No, thanks.”
“Cools it down, you know,” she told him.
“Ice cube does the same. And I hate weak coffee.”
“That’s our city’s finest, dark and robust. No weak coffee here,” she promised him.
They both sipped the coffee, leaning against the kitchen counter together.
“I don’t want to be a cliché—” he said.
“Then, don’t be.”
“You’re good?” he asked her. “With me?”
She looked away, the color growing darker in her cheeks. “Of course,” she said, adding, “And look, it was what it was. No commitment.”
“No commitment... So, you don’t want me saying anything like About last night...”
“Lord, no. All right, this coffee was delicious. I’m just running through the gate to Monty’s.”
“Wait!” he told her.
He drained the last of the coffee from his cup. It was everything she promised. Dark, strong, robust.
“I’ll get out the door first. You lock up.”
He headed out of the house. The dogs found him as he made his way toward the gate. He heard Katie locking her door as he tried to share some quick attention between the three big dogs until they saw Katie and rushed to her.
He walked out, carefully closing the gate and getting into his car. A minute later, she came running through the gate, telling the dogs to stay, carefully closing the gate as she left.
She wouldn’t look at him as she got into the car. He wasn’t sure whether to try or talk about what had happened between them or not. She’d said no commitment.
But he wondered if she had meant that because of him or herself.
“Katie...” he began, before turning the key in the ignition.
“Please don’t,” she whispered. “I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”
“Why?”
“Because... I mean, people just don’t do things like that.”
He didn’t mean to laugh; it was just spontaneous. She glared at him.
“Katie, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! But, yes, people do things like that. Rather frequently.”
“I don’t,” she whispered.
“Then, I’m really honored. And it was one of my best nights ever, Katie. Yes, I understand. No, I don’t expect anything from you. But in a time and place that seems to be pure hell, you made the world seem right and livable for me again. You are incredible. I won’t ask you for any commitments. Just know I think you’re wonderful in so many ways. And I’m...grateful for and amazed by last night.”
He didn’t wait for her reply but twisted the key in the ignition.
He drove down to Rampart and over to the CBD, finagling to find parking on the street. Katie followed him up to his office.
Marleah was behind her desk in the reception area busy at work on her computer. She looked up and smiled a greeting when he entered, standing when she saw that Katie was behind him.
“Well, hello. I didn’t expect to see you, Dan. The Axeman case...is it over? Did you catch him?” she asked hopefully.
“No, Marleah, I’m sorry. I just thought I’d stop by and finish up with the Wendy Lawrence paperwork. Did she come by the office?” he asked.
“No. And I left the paperwork and pictures on your desk, and I have it all digitally in the computer.” She waited.
Dan turned to Katie. “Katie Delaney, Marleah Darwin, the most amazing office assistant, secretary...receptionist and all to be found on the face of the earth.”
Marleah flushed, reaching over to shake Katie’s hand. “My main claim to fame and extraordinary powers is that I can sometimes fathom his mind,” she said. “Katie, a pleasure to meet you.”
Katie smiled, obviously liking the woman immediately. She turned to him curiously. He wondered if she’d expected him to have a twentysomething secretary with Mardi Gras breasts.
“I’ll just clean that all up,” Dan said, indicating his office.
“Please, tell me that you won’t work for that woman again!” Marleah begged as he and Katie headed into his office. “She called again after you left her a message.”
Dan stopped and turned back to her.
“You could have called me. I’d have gotten back to her.”
“No need. She just wanted you to know that while you may be the best in the city, she’d make sure that she smeared you everywhere for refusing to find her husband cheating.”
Dan shook his head and shrugged. “Not to worry, Marleah.”
He went behind his desk. Katie sat in one of the chairs in front of it, a dry smile of amusement on her face.
“So you were chasing cheating husbands?” she asked.
“He actually wasn’t cheating. She refused to accept it. Her husband has money. Not from his work. He’s a high school teacher. Family money. She only gets a part of it in a divorce if he cheats on her.
