A Whole Latte Sass

by Marguerite Labbe

  He picked up the phone. Doing anything the first weekend in December?

  Trask began putting away the food and cleaning up. He could bring the Cornish game hens to Joe tomorrow. The old man would appreciate it. He’d pack up some of the sides, too, or he’d be eating them for days. The apple pie, though, he’d save. He did have a weakness for hot apple pie and cold ice cream. As he moved around the kitchen Sophie approached him with a squeaky toy in her mouth and dropped it at his feet. The look she gave him was so full of hope that Trask laughed.

  “Are you looking to prove how smart you are?” Trask asked, picking it up with an amused smile. “We’re going to have to show Felipe this game.” He grabbed a small handful of treats. “Sit. Stay.”

  Sophie plopped down, her bright eyes fixated on the toy. Trask was curious to try this game in a bigger place. Somewhere where she’d really have to look. A loft-style apartment didn’t give many options for hiding spots. He went around the bed where she couldn’t see what he was doing and slipped the squeaky toy under his chair pillow. When he went back to the kitchen, Sophie remained where she was, her body tense with anticipation. “Go get it.”

  She shot off in a blur of red-gold fur and bounded around the bed. Trask followed, enjoying watching the process. She sniffed around the bed, nosing behind the bed skirt, where Trask had hidden it in the past, before nudging over the wastepaper basket, another favorite hiding place. Then she rose up on her hind legs, and Trask laughed as she shoved her nose under the chair cushion. “Almost, Sophie. You’ve got this.”

  With a sharp bark, Sophie grabbed a hold of the pillow and yanked it off the chair before she retrieved the squeaky, her tail waving madly. “Good girl.” Trask crouched down, holding out half a treat, and then gave her a full-body rub. She seemed to enjoy the rubdown and the approval in Trask’s voice far more than the treats. She picked up the squeaky again and nudged it against Trask’s hand.

  She could play this for hours, even more than fetch. He’d have to find other games to work on her smarts, maybe find an obstacle course at a nearby dog park. He bet she would love that. “Okay, sit. Stay.”

  Trask put the toy on the bottom shelf of his pantry and left the door ajar, then putzed around another thirty seconds. He had no doubt she was listening hard to every move he made. “Go get it, girl.” There was a scramble of claws on the floor as Sophie raced toward him with a happy bark. Trask’s phone chimed, and he moved to the table to pick it up, watching Sophie’s waving tail.

  Nothing I can’t change around if I get to see you. I can study at your place as well as here. Man, don’t ever play Boggle with my family. I’m getting my ass kicked in three languages.

  “Good girl, Sophie,” Trask said as the puppy dropped her squeaky toy at his feet. He enjoyed a good game of Boggle, and he might be able to come up with a few words in Spanish, but he wouldn’t be able to compete with a trilingual family.

  Good luck. I’m going to be in Pittsburgh, buying up some stock. Was wondering if you wanted to hit the road with me.

  A few months ago, Trask would’ve gone alone and not even thought about inviting anyone. Now it seemed a little lonely. He’d have to find a hotel that accepted dogs, because there was no way he was leaving his girl behind. She was just a puppy, and bonding was important. He reached down and snagged the toy. “One more round and then we’ll go for a walk. We shouldn’t be holed up all night.”

  He left Sophie waiting with impatience as his phone dinged.

  You realize that is the ultimate test of our relationship?

  Trask couldn’t quite figure out that line of reasoning, but Felipe was often two steps ahead or sideways from him. How so?

  Trask knelt on the side of the bed and hid the squeaky toy between his knees. That ought to give her a moment’s pause. “Come on, Sophie. Find it.”

  A red-and-gold blur came toward him with a happy bark, and at eye level, he realized how much she’d grown. She dove right into her search and soon was pawing at him. Trask shifted with a laugh, the toy squeezed, letting out a plaintive squeak, and Sophie went nuts, barking at his knees and knocking him over. The toy forgotten, she licked him as Trask laughingly fended her off. They needed a new place. One where she could bark and not piss off his neighbors. Where she could run around outside, and if Trask had visitors he’d have room for them to hang out. He’d start looking once the holidays were over.

  “Wanna go for a walk?” Trask asked, picking up his phone to see Felipe’s response as Sophie carried her prize off to her doggie bed.

  You will be stuck with me in a car for hours. Lesser men have been known to be struck with terror at such a thought.

  Trask had to smile at that. Felipe’s chatter was a part of his charm. Trask liked to hear people talk. He ran a comic book and game shop. People came in and nattered at him for hours. He considered it vastly different from socializing. That required putting out as much as taking in. As long as Felipe wasn’t bothered by Trask’s quiet, Trask would enjoy the pleasant flow of his observations.

  Good thing I’m not a lesser man.

  Trask shoved on his boots and shrugged into his jacket. Sophie came running the moment she saw him put his hand on the harness, moving in dizzying circles around him. Yeah, it was past time for a walk.

  Ain’t that the truth. Felipe added a gif with wagging brows at the last text. Damn, Trask was missing out on seeing him.

  He should’ve considered meeting up with Felipe after dinner with his family. Even if Jason had shown up, he wouldn’t have been there all night. There would’ve been time for a drive up to Maryland and post-dinner private celebration. Hell, he still might do it. Give Felipe a surprise and put a smile on his face. Trask did love it when the imp smiled.

  A knock came at the door, just as he was prepared to open it. Trask paused to collect himself with mingled irritation and relief. So Jason did decide to show. Three hours late. Trask hoped to God he was sober.

  But it wasn’t Jason on the other side of the door. Trask stared at the cop with a sudden sinking in his gut. “Can I help you, officer?” Sophie sniffed at the cop’s shoes, and Trask caught her attention with a snap of his fingers. “Sit, Sophie.”

  “Are you Trask Briscoe?” The cop had a stern face, which fit just about every cop Trask had run into. Thankfully it was a rare occurrence since he’d gotten clean. It rattled Trask to have one on his doorstep now.

  “Yes, sir.” Trask leaned down to pet Sophie. “Friend, Sophie.”

  “I’m Officer Duras.” The cop spared a brief smile for Sophie, who watched him with a cocked head. “Nice dog. I’m trying to locate the next of kin for Jason Guy. You were one of the contacts listed for an emergency on his phone.”

  A slow, sad weight settled in Trask’s stomach. “Why don’t you come in? I can get you a cup of coffee if you’d like.”

  Surprise flickered in the cop’s eyes. “Thanks for the offer, but I have a cup waiting for me in the squad car.”

  Trask stepped back and let the cop in. Sophie whined and danced impatiently as he shut the door again. “I’ll take you for a walk soon,” Trask promised as he crouched down to unclip her leash and take comfort from her presence.

  “As far as I know, him and his family aren’t on speaking terms. They’re in Ohio somewhere, outside of Cincinnati.” Trask sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. “What happened?”

  “He OD’d.” The cop looked around the small apartment, and Trask was glad he had a chance to clean up before he came knocking. “He’s lucky. Someone found him passed out on a park bench and called an ambulance. He’s at Henrico. It’s touch and go right now.”

  That eased some of the sick churning in Trask’s stomach. Okay, there was still a chance, and maybe this would be the reality smack that dragged Jason back from the abyss. Until Trask heard something to change that, he would operate on the belief that Jason would pull through. “Let me see if I can find the name of his sister, in case the docs need to contact her, but I wouldn’t expect a welc
ome.”

  “You wouldn’t know where he scored the drugs he had on him, would you?” the cop asked as Trask searched through his texts with Jason.

  “Nope. I haven’t been in that scene in a long time.” Trask shot the cop a level look. “I’m not his dealer. He knows not to bring that shit around me.”

  “Do you know where he was planning on being tonight?” The skeptical look remained in the cop’s eyes. But Trask felt he didn’t have to convince him of anything. The chance of finding out where Jason got his stash was low. There were plenty of dark pockets in Richmond.

  “He was supposed to be here, having Thanksgiving dinner, but he never showed.” Trask shoved his hand in his pocket as he continued to scroll through his texts, but he was pretty sure he had nothing. Jason kept his mouth shut about his family almost as much as Trask did about his own. “Since you’ve seen his phone, I’m sure you’ve seen the pokes I sent him.”

  “Actually, I haven’t gone through his texts.” The cop shot him an easy smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Waiting for the warrant to come through, which should be soon. We just hit you up because of the emergency contact.”

  Trask scrubbed a hand over his face and sat down, suddenly weary. “You can look into me all you want to tie up loose ends. You’ll see that my record has been clean for a long time. I suspect I’m there as his contact because I’m trying to offer him a hand. He’s dug himself into a pit, and his old sponsor doesn’t seem to be around. He’s nibbled, but not bitten.”

  Officer Duras studied him a moment, reassessing. “You can’t save them all.”

  True. Very true, and Trask tried not to let those drag him down. He couldn’t make anyone’s decisions for them, just as no one had been able to do it for him. Still… “Doesn’t mean you stop offering that hand.”

  He shook his head as he reached the end of the texts. “I’m sorry. It doesn’t look like he told me anything more than what I’ve given you already.”

  “Thanks for your time.” The cop nodded and settled his cap back on his head. “I hope your friend pulls through.”

  “Me too.” Trask walked him to the door, Sophie dancing at his feet, her leash in her mouth. If he didn’t take her now, she’d start shredding the bit of leather. “Happy Thanksgiving. Try not to let all those midnight shoppers drive you crazy.”

  Trask clipped Sophie’s leash on and led her out. The walk would help clear his head, give him time to think, as well as make Sophie happy. He thought of Felipe with regret. It looked like he’d have to wait until their trip before he saw the imp again. He’d be spending his evening checking on Jason at the hospital and seeing what local rehabs had beds available. He couldn’t make Jason go, but he could let him know what his options were.

  He passed by a row of homes with the lights on, glowing cozily out into the street as Sophie tugged him along, sniffing at everything. He needed to work with her on heeling next before she got any bigger. She was smart enough to pick up on it quickly.

  He dragged out the walk with reluctant steps. He did not want to spend the evening at the hospital. But he also knew the feeling of waking up alone in one and knowing no one cared enough to stop in. And if Jason didn’t pull through, well, no one should die alone either. The man might never know Trask was there, but Trask would.

  His thoughts flitted back to Felipe sitting with his family, playing Boggle. Trask wondered if Felipe tried to watch his language when he was with them or if was still unapologetically himself. And wished the thought didn’t make him feel so damned alone.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  TRASK HAD to be tired of listening to Felipe talk. He hadn’t stopped from the moment Trask picked him up that morning until after they hit the Pennsylvania border. There was lots of catching up to do, at least on Felipe’s side. The only words Felipe heard from the man’s lips were “Good morning” and his coffee order as they hit up the Green Mermaid before heading up the road. That might be an exaggeration, but not by much.

  He even brooded every time they stopped to let Sophie out for a little stroll at various rest stops. Felipe would be sure he was being tuned out if it wasn’t for the occasional glances Trask would send his way as Felipe recounted their Thanksgiving and where he stood on his projects, both for school and for the cosplaying, or the even rarer grunts of acknowledgment. Trask made silence a fucking art form.

  Felipe clamped his lips together, studying Trask’s profile as they merged onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Trask drove casually, gripping the steering wheel with one hand, his elbow propped up by the window. Sunlight gleamed on the silver in his hair, revealed the furrow etched in his brow. Occasionally he’d switch hands to reach between them and scratch Sophie’s head or take Felipe’s hand for a couple miles.

  After a few minutes of continual quiet, Trask glanced at him with a curious look. “Think you’ll finish that school project before the due date?”

  He was still listening, not just letting the words flow by. Felipe should be used to it. Lady listened to him all the time and never talked back, but Felipe knew she listened. Trask was similar.

  “I refuse to accept anything less.” Grinning now, Felipe stretched out his legs, impatient for the trip to be over. “I’ve invested too much time to fall short now. I’ll turn it in next week, and it will make all the other projects beg for attention. Then I can look toward graduation.”

  Felipe planned on skipping the whole ceremony. There were other celebrations in December that he preferred. Just give him the paper he’d earned and he was out of there.

  Trask made a noncommittal sound and turned his attention back to the road, but when Felipe didn’t resume his one-sided conversation, Trask gave him a baffled look. “Don’t tell me you’ve run out of things to say.”

  Felipe laughed at the incredulity in his voice. “Hell no, but this is usually the point where Morris begs for me to pull out my headphones to give his ears a break. I know I’ve hit his endpoint when he sighs and goes ‘For the love of God, Felipe.’” Felipe lowered his voice to emulate Morris’s deep tones, and Trask chuckled.

  “I think my ears have another hour or so in them,” Trask assured him.

  “That’s good to know, but I’m in the mood to hear your voice.” And maybe he could tease out what Trask was brooding about. He recognized those signs. Even if he didn’t, Sophie’s behavior would’ve clued him in on it. Every time they stopped, she looked to love all over Trask before he reassured her and she went back to gnawing on her toys.

  “So what new and amazing things has my girl been up to? Jaydon sent me a picture yesterday of the remains of Waldo’s dog bed. They had a hell of a time finding him too. After he realized he might be in trouble, he managed to wedge himself under Jaydon’s bed.”

  Felipe was rewarded with the slow smile that crossed Trask’s face as he chuckled softly again. “I’m sure he wasn’t in trouble with Jaydon. Kid was probably thrilled to have an excuse to sneak Waldo into his bed. Sophie stays in her bed most of the time unless the fire alarm goes off. Then I can’t get her off of me when we get back up to our place.”

  “Does it go off often?” Felipe asked as he rubbed Sophie’s ears. He didn’t want her traumatized.

  “Once every week or so.” Trask shrugged. “Kids on the floor above me think it’s a hoot. I think it’ll be a while before it happens again. Their mama figured out it was them and was laying into them hard the last time.”

  “Oh man. My ma would’ve….” Felipe shuddered. “I don’t even want to think about it. It would’ve been dire.”

  Trask frowned fiercely. “She lay hands on you?”

  Felipe shot him a startled look. “No, not in the way you think. I’ve earned a swat or two from her or one of my grandmothers more than once, that’s for sure. But she never beat me. She’s tiny but intimidating. Let’s just say it would’ve been a long-assed time before I ever had the energy or inclination to think up mischief like that again, and if I did, I definitely would’ve thought twice about going
through with it. She would never let it rest.”

  Felipe worried his lip. It made him wonder, though, if Trask had to live through that, his mom hitting him. Trask glanced over and took Felipe’s hand. “Stop fussing. I knew when my old lady was in a mood, and I got out of her line of fire. I’d hole up at a friend’s or my grandmother’s place. My parents would go at it until the cops came by or they passed out and it was safe to come back.”

  “I don’t like people who take swings at those who are more vulnerable than them, and I definitely have evil thoughts about those who take what’s supposed to be a haven and make it a place to be feared. No kid deserves that.” Felipe wished he could meet Trask’s parents. They’d never forget him as long as they lived. Bastards.

  “Seriously, don’t worry about it.” Trask squeezed his hand gently and drew Felipe out of his thoughts for dire revenge. “Sophie learned a new game. I make her sit while I hide her favorite squeaky toy. She finds it every time and wants to play again.”

  Felipe grinned at Sophie, who lifted her head at the sound of her name. “I knew you were the smartest one of the bunch.”

  “She’s pretty proud of herself. She’s managed to gnaw on a few things she shouldn’t have, but for the most part, I’m able to distract her.” Trask looked down at her, his whole face lighting up. “She seems to have a preference for shoes, the older and more disgusting the better.”

  Dogs. Felipe shook his head. Sometimes they were so weird. “How was your Thanksgiving? Did you find a tofu turkey?”

  Trask hesitated, and Felipe narrowed his eyes. Score. Something about the holiday was bugging Trask. “You told me you were having a guest for Thanksgiving.”

  Trask shrugged again and pulled his hand back with a wary glance. “I was. Got some Cornish game hens for him, too, but he never showed.”