by Muth, Becky
“What? No. Let me see.” Carla moved behind the desk.
Kurt walked around the other side of the desk where he could observe without getting in the way. He watched as Carla squatted down and tugged at the drawer. She pulled the one below it, but that one also resisted opening more than six inches. Scrunching up her face, the teaching assistant stuck one hand in the bottom drawer and used the other to give the one above a gentle tug.
“There’s something in this bottom drawer that… aha!” Carla gave a triumphant grin and pulled the obstruction free. Rising to her feet, she held a thick yellow envelope in her hands, wrinkles marking its surface.
Kurt looked up to see Peyton standing in the doorway. He studied her face, trying—and failing—to read her expression.
Carla murmured, drawing Kurt’s attention back to the desk. The woman stared at the contents of the envelope before dropping the package on the desk. She made the sign of the cross and murmured, “Oh, dear God, Owen, what have you done.”
“What is it? What’s in that envelope?” Peyton’s voice rose. Her posture went rigid. The dog at her side emitted a soft growl.
Carla looked around before replying in a hushed tone, “It is full of money.”
“Ladies, we need to call this in, especially considering the fact that Owen is missing, well…” Kurt trailed off.
Winters whistled low through his teeth. “Sarge is just going to love this.”
Kurt felt a chasm of dread forming in the pit of his stomach. Great. That’s all I need is for dad to accuse me of working during my forced R-and-R. But if I can't pass the detective's exam, showing him I can do the work is my only other option. A whine interrupted his thoughts and he looked from Gilda to Peyton. Fat tears ran down the woman’s cheeks.
“Come on. Let’s all go back into the classroom to wait for the detectives to return. If this turns into a crime scene, we’ll need to leave as much of it as untouched as possible.”
Chapter Twenty-One
An hour later, Peyton leaned against the wall near the door of the classroom, eavesdropping as best she could on the four officers who stood in the hall. Across the room, Carla used the landline to call her husband and let him know she would be leaving the college soon.
Peyton closed her eyes and replayed the officers’ questions in her mind. Was Owen involved in any illegal activity? Had Owen ever been known to use drugs? Did Owen make frequent trips out of town? Had Owen ever used an alias? Did Owen have any friends that ran outside of his usual social circles? She reiterated her past statements about Owen being the most straight-laced, boring person she knew.
The sound of Gilda’s tail thumping against the floor interrupted Peyton’s thoughts. She blinked to find Kurt standing in front of her.
“Excuse me, Peyton? I am going home now. Do you need anything before I go?” Carla, having ended her call, hefted her purse’s thick leather slap higher on her shoulder.
“I’m okay, Carla. Thank you.”
“Hey, Snowball,” Kurt called into the hallway.
The other man stuck his head through the open doorway. “Sup?”
“If you’re done with Jones and Lopez, can you please walk Carla to her car? I don’t think those guys are still lurking around, but why take chances, right?”
As Kurt spoke, Peyton took in how his words relieved Carla of the worry lines that ran across her forehead.
The older woman walked towards Winters but paused to pat Kurt’s back between his shoulders. “Thank you, Kurt. And will you see Peyton to her car?”
“Yes, ma’am. You can count on it,” Kurt assured the teaching assistant.
Carla winked. “Good. You take good care of our girl.”
“Yeah, they’re leaving now. I’ll be right back in to give you a ride home,” Winters confirmed.
“I can take you home.” The words tumbled from Peyton’s mouth before she had time to reconsider. “I mean, we have your family dinner tonight, right?”
“You still want to go after the day you’ve had?” Kurt stared at her.
Peyton shrugged. “Yeah. I don’t relish the idea of spending the night at home alone with Gilda. The distraction will be nice. If you still want me to go, that is.”
From where he waited in the doorway, Winters tucked his fists under his armpits and flapped his elbows. “Yeah, and besides, if you don’t take Peyton, then it’s ca-caw, ca-caw.”
“Dude, seriously? Go walk Carla to her car. I’ll catch up with you later.” Kurt used his uninjured hand to wave his partner away. When it was just the two of them in the room, he turned to Peyton. “I’m sorry about him. We’re pretty sure he was dropped on his head as a child.”
Peyton found herself giggling. The giggles turned to guffaws. She tried to catch her breath but snorted, the sound sending her into a new fit of giggles. A few minutes into her fit of laughter, she managed a series of deep breaths. “I’m sorry. At this point, it’s laugh or cry, and I’ve cried so much since Owen went missing, my brain defaulted to laughter.”
“Peyton, don’t apologize. You’ve been through a lot since we met.” Kurt reached out as if to hug her. She stepped back, and the result was that he gave her an awkward pat on the shoulder.
Peyton felt herself on the verge of a waterfall of tears and saw the understanding in Kurt’s expression. When he murmured, “Come here,” she leaned forward and sobbed into his shoulder. He wrapped his good arm around her waist and held her close, remaining silent as she let her emotions out.
Gilda leaned against the back of Peyton’s legs, the weight of her dog pushing her into the policeman’s friendly hug. After a bit of time passed, her tears subsided until she was cried out. A final sigh shook her body and she sniffled. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know. Getting emotional, I guess.” She started to pull away, but he gave her a tight, one-armed hug.
Kurt repeated, “Don’t you dare apologize. With everything you’ve had to deal with, I’d be worried if you didn’t show any emotion.”
Stepping out of his embrace, Peyton was careful not to step on her dog’s paws or tail. She looked around the room to spy a box of tissues on a table near the dry erase board and helped herself to one. After wiping the last of her tears away, she blew her nose, the loud noise filling the otherwise quiet room.
“Sorry. That wasn’t very ladylike of me. I was such a tomboy growing up, my mom would tell people that she had one-and-a-half sons.” Throwing the used tissue in the wastebasket, she picked up Gilda’s leash, which had slipped from her hand as she cried.
With a chuckle, Kurt replied, “You’re fine. And you’re sure about dinner?”
“Yeah. I need the distraction.”
“Okay, then. I look forward to it.”
Kurt’s smile sent a quiver through her heart and she thought, What the heck? He’s just a friend. Just a friend. I don’t have time for this right now. Finding Owen is my number one priority and I can't let anything get in the way of that.
They didn’t speak on the way out of the building. Peyton noticed the way Kurt stayed close enough that the backs of their hands brushed against each other. She would have thought that he was hitting on her if not for the way his eyes stayed focused on observing their surroundings.
When they reached the door, Kurt put his hand on her elbow and held her back. He studied their surroundings through the glass before pushing it open with his uninjured hand.
Walking straight to her car, Kurt stood at the door until Peyton fastened Gilda in the backseat and took her place behind the wheel. Only then did he slip into the passenger seat and closed his door.
“So, is there anything else I need to know about your family?” Peyton asked as they fastened their seatbelts.
“Yes. My mom is a little overprotective.”
“How overprotective?”
“After my doctor’s appointment today, she came over to my apartment and cooked chicken tenders and fries.”
Peyton smiled, tur
ning the key in the ignition. “That sounds more sweet than overprotective.”
“From scratch. She went to buy the ingredients, came to my apartment and cooked lunch for me and Snowball, and then cleaned my kitchen.”
“Wow. You’re kind of spoiled, huh?”
“Only by my mom.” Kurt’s voice held an edge.
Peyton gave him a side glance and noticed that he looked straight ahead, his jaw clenched.
“Do you and your dad not get along that well?”
“He wants me to be a detective. I’d be okay writing traffic tickets. This isn’t my passion. At the end of the day, it’s a paycheck. Helping you look for your brother is the first time I’ve ever held any interest in investigative work.”
"Do you think you'd want to try it as a job?"
"I can't pass the test," he admitted. "Every time I sit down to take it, I freeze up and forget everything I studied. I'm capable of doing the work. I just can't get the job. Pretty ironic, huh?"
“Oh,” was all Peyton could think to say.
“By using the department computers on my dad’s days off, I have found a couple of solid leads about your brother. I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want to get your hopes up if they turn out to be nothing.”
“So, we’ll find him?”
“I’d be surprised if we didn’t. Keep in mind that I’m still on the department payroll while I’m off duty.”
“Which means?”
“Anything I find, I have to hand over to Jones and Lopez since this is their case. Because it’s an open investigation, I can’t tell you anything that isn’t public knowledge.”
“And that’s how much of what you’ve found?”
“Almost everything, but I didn’t want you to think I was sitting home binge-watching cop shows or playing solitaire.”
“Of course I didn’t think that,” Peyton admonished out loud. What she thought, however, was, That is exactly what I pictured you doing.
Peyton pulled her car in front of Kurt’s apartment and let the engine idle. “What time should I drop by to pick you up? I’m assuming you aren’t able to drive with that thing on your arm, still?”
“I can drive if I have to,” Kurt said, his chin jutting out.
Peyton stuck out her tongue and made a face. She laughed at his expression. “Luckily, you don’t have to. Now, what time?”
“How about five-thirty? It’s a twenty-minute drive and I think mom set dinner for six-ish. That could mean anywhere between six and six forty-five depending on when my oldest sister arrives.”
“Is she usually late?”
“She has three kids. It’s anyone’s guess when she'll arrive but, yeah, she's typically late.”
“Do I have to dress up?”
“What you’re wearing now is fine, actually.”
“Okay, then. Five-thirty it is. I’ll be sure to leave Gilda home.”
“What? No! You should bring her.”
“Really?” Peyton felt her nose wrinkle. “Your family won’t mind?”
“She gets along well with other dogs, right? She can hang out in the backyard with Davey and Goliath.”
“I assume those are dogs?”
“Yeah, sorry. Those are my parents’ dogs. They’re super friendly.” Kurt smiled and exited the car. After closing the door, he knocked on the window. Peyton pressed the button on her door panel to lower the glass. He stooped to smile one more time. “Thanks for this, Peyton. It means a lot.”
“Sure, no problem.” She waved and waited for him to step away from the car before raising the glass and driving home.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Wow, look at you,” Kurt complimented Peyton as he clicked his seatbelt into place. If I’d have known she was dressing up, I’d have worn a button-down shirt instead of this t-shirt. But if I’d have worn a button-down, I’d have all five sisters taunting me about bringing a girl home on a date. And it’s not a date. The sound of Peyton’s voice pulled Kurt from his thoughts.
“You don’t think I’m overdressed?” she was asking.
Kurt took in the denim skirt that fell to just above her knees and the bright pink blouse that complemented her sun-streaked blonde hair and tanned skin. A pair of canvas sneakers the same shade of pink as her shirt covered her feet.
“Not at all. You clean up really well.” He saw her react to his compliment with a small smile, her cheeks turning pink, and a feeling of satisfaction swelled within him. What’s going on? She cries on my shoulder and now I’m like Bambi in the spring forest, fawning over her because she's a pretty female. Haha. Bambi. Fawning. She’d love that pun. I can NOT tell her that pun.
“You okay over there? You look deep in thought.”
“Oh, yeah. Just, um, excited about seeing my sister.” He glanced in the backseat to see Gilda wearing a denim bandana. Pink stitching displayed the dog’s name over a golden paw print in the shape of a heart. “And hello Gilda. You’re looking quite beautiful tonight.”
“She got a bath. We both did. Well, not together. You know.” Peyton laughed, the sound higher pitched than normal.
“Are you okay?”
Peyton nodded, keeping both hands on her wheel and her gaze straight ahead. “I have to admit, I’m a little nervous.”
“Don’t be. You’ll find that my family is pretty laid back.” Kurt paused, then added, “Well, except for my dad, but he’s only uptight around me. You’ll be fine.”
Kurt played navigator, directing Peyton when and where to turn. Twenty minutes later, as he predicted, they reached the entrance to the subdivision where his parents lived.
“Wow. Did you grow up here?”
“Nope. After I moved out, my dad coerced my mom into downsizing. He said he didn’t want any of his kids moving back in with him.”
“These houses are massive.”
“Right? Keep driving. You’ve got another half a mile to go down this road.” Kurt chuckled. As Peyton drove, he watched her facial expression register surprise as the size of the homes grew smaller. He pointed out a bungalow situated on a corner lot at the end of the street. “My parents live right down here. The yellow house with the green shutters.”
“Yeah. That house is a little tiny for five kids.” Peyton grinned.
“It’s my parents’ way of compromising. It’s small enough that nobody can move back in, but still large enough to accommodate everyone for family gatherings. As you can see, the driveway has almost as much square footage as the house.” He directed Peyton to park her car behind a gold minivan. “That’s my sister with the kids. I can’t believe she’s here early.”
They exited the car, Peyton retrieving Gilda. When she walked around the car, Kurt saw that she also held a small gift bag and a bouquet of flowers.
“What’s that?”
Peyton’s smile turned sheepish. “Something for your parents. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, of course. Thank you, Peyton. I’m sure they’ll love it. Can I take Gilda’s leash for you?”
“Okay, if you want.”
Taking the leash with his uninjured hand, Kurt gestured for Peyton to walk ahead and he followed, the golden retriever trotting at his side. At the door, when Peyton hesitated, he encouraged her to go in without knocking. Once inside, he directed, “Go on through here. Mom’s probably in the kitchen.”
Kurt followed Peyton through the house. When they entered the kitchen, his mother stood over the stove, stirring a brown sauce in a silver pan. Kurt cleared his throat and she turned, her face lighting up.
“Hey, mom. This is Peyton and her dog Gilda. Peyton, this is my mom, Amber Collins.”
“Hello, Mrs. Collins.” Peyton held out the bouquet. “These are for you.”
Kurt’s mother took the bundle of colorful flowers and inhaled their fragrance. “These are lovely, dear, thank you. And please, call me Amber. Mrs. Collins is my mother-in-law, and trust me when I say that I’d rather not be confused with that woman.”
The screen door opened enou
gh for Kurt’s father to step through, its wooden frame slamming behind him. “What woman?”
“Dad? I’d like you to meet Peyton McIntyre and her dog Gilda. Peyton, this is my dad. We all call him Sarge.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Collins. Thank you for having me in your home. This is for you.”
Kurt saw the slight tremble in Peyton’s hand, surprised that she would be nervous.
His father looked in the bag and grinned before pulling out a fifth of bourbon. “Why, it’s my favorite. This is very generous of you, Peyton. Thank you, and the pleasure is ours. If you’ll pardon me, I’m going to put this in my office.”
“Kurt, how is your wrist feeling?” Mrs. Collins asked after she put the flowers in a vase.
“It’s feeling a lot better. Thanks again for your help earlier.”
His mother skirted the kitchen island to inspect his wrist. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she gently pulled him down until she could reach to kiss his forehead.
“Mom, I’m okay. I swear it.”
“Judging by the state of your arm, I wouldn’t say you’re okay, but you’re not running a fever. Why don’t you go introduce your friend to your sisters? They’re in the backyard.” Mrs. Collins released him and returned to the stove where she peered at the contents in the oven.
“All of them?”
“Mhmm, along with your Aunt Heather and Uncle Jeremy. Everything in here is done, so I sent them out to the yard to enjoy themselves. Davey and Goliath are out there, too, if Gilda would like to go out and play.”
Peyton took the leash from Kurt and, now that it was free, he placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her outside.
Once in the backyard, Kurt pointed to a couple on the far end of the patio. “That’s my Aunt Heather, my mom’s sister, who is with her husband Jeremy over there at the smoker.”
Before he could introduce his sisters, they swarmed in on his guest.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kurt held up one hand. “Ladies, I know you’re eager to meet my friend Peyton, but you have to promise not to overwhelm her. Please introduce yourselves one at a time. It would help if you could limit it to your name and one thing about yourself.”