Break Away

by Diane Benefiel

  He narrowed his eyes as the ping sounded inside his head. “Your hair was blue and you had a ring through your eyebrow.”

  “Yeah, that was me.” She did a fluttering thing with her hands that came across as self-deprecating. “I’m not much for fitting in.”

  “You weren’t the only kid who dyed their hair a weird color or pierced body parts.”

  “Those of us who did were rare enough to stand out.”

  Levi considered her. “You were also a brain. You may have been two years behind me, but you were still in my AP Bio class. You’d have been what, a freshman taking AP Bio?”

  She shrugged. “We also had the same trig class. Listen, tell your brother I’m fine and not to worry.” She turned back to her cottage, and Levi would’ve had to’ve been dead not to notice her rounded ass as she walked away. Or the limp.

  ***

  Sharp knocking sounded at the door. Levi debated dragging himself out of bed to tell whoever was there to go away. Instead he pulled a pillow over his head to muffle the sound. The knocking stopped and he drifted back to sleep. The next time he surfaced was to find sunlight streaming through the window and the bedroom stuffy. Since the window faced west, the late afternoon sun was doing its job, and he bet he’d slept through most of the day. He got up to pull down the blind, figured he wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep, and wandered into the kitchen.

  The cabin wasn’t much. Just the basics, but good enough for him, and more importantly, it meant he hadn’t had to move into his mother’s place. Rentals were scarce during the summer vacation season, which would be picking up in a few weeks. He frowned at the vase of fresh flowers sitting on the little dining table. Next to the flowers sat a bowl containing several bananas and a couple of apples. They hadn’t been there when he’d come in.

  Opening the fridge, he spent a minute to take in the bounty. Milk, OJ, eggs, cheese: all good. But the best was a glass dish of something that looked intriguingly like home-cooked lasagna. He grabbed the OJ, shook the carton, then opened it to drink straight from the container. He went searching for his phone, found it in the bedroom, and brought it with him back to the kitchen.

  He tapped a number from his favorites list, and with the phone tucked against his shoulder, pulled the lasagna from the fridge.

  “That my baby?”

  “I love you.”

  “Always the perfect thing to say when you call your mother.”

  “You brought me groceries and flowers.” He opened cupboard doors until he found the plates.

  “I did. I knocked, but when you didn’t answer, I figured you were sleeping so I let myself in. There’s French bread to go with the lasagna.”

  He found a spatula to scoop lasagna onto a plate, then put it in the microwave. “It looks amazing. Thanks, Mom.”

  “When are you coming over? Landon and I would like to see you.”

  He was still trying to get his head around the reality of his mom having a boyfriend. “Not today, but soon.”

  “Have you seen your neighbor, Zoey?”

  “I have. She’s got an oversize attitude, weeks-old injuries on her forehead and arm, and a limp. What’s the deal?”

  “She was in a nasty accident a week or so ago. She was crossing Main Street, at a crosswalk, mind you, and was hit by a car. The driver was speeding around the corner and didn’t stop. The blow was glancing, thank goodness, but she was badly bruised. She’s lucky she didn’t end up with broken bones or worse.”

  “Jesus. No one saw it?”

  “No. Your brother is fit to be tied.”

  “I bet. Brad likes his city all neat and orderly.”

  “Since he’s police chief that makes sense. He does his best to keep us all safe, Levi.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’m not criticizing.”

  “Good.” There was a long pause. “Rest up, come by anytime, but put Sunday on your calendar. Landon and I are having everyone over to my house and that includes you. Show up around noon. It will give you a chance to catch up with your family. We’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you too. I’ll be there. Bye, Mom.”

  Trish Gallagher had shown exceptional restraint during that conversation. Levi could all but feel her compulsion to ask him a million questions. Was he eating properly? Was he able to sleep, or was insomnia still kicking his ass? What were his plans now that he’d quit the force?

  She’d held back, for which he was immensely relieved.

  Levi found the bread, cut off a hunk, and since beer hadn’t been among the groceries in his fridge, he made do with a glass of milk. The microwave dinged, and in less than a minute he was sitting at the dining table eating the lasagna, which was excellent despite the vegetables Trish had slipped into the dish. Staring at the bouquet of bright flowers, he reviewed his life for the ten thousandth time. His career was in the toilet, he hadn’t had sex in four months, and the little stray dog that had adopted him had died two weeks ago. Now Levi harbored guilt wondering if feeding him potato chips had contributed to his demise. Sounded like a bad country western song.

  But despite all that, he felt better than he had since his giant fuck-up.

  Chapter Two

  With the engine idling, Levi sat in the driver’s seat staring at Lucy lying in the middle of the road. She was on her stomach in a patch of bright sunlight with her front legs stretched in front of her and her back legs splayed behind her, once again blocking his way. This time to an important step in his plan to get his shit together.

  Driving home, he’d had the forethought to drape the cleaned and pressed chinos and shirt still in their plastic from the laundry service across the boxes. That had left his primary challenge of the morning locating his good shoes and the appropriate socks. He’d even donned a tie, and god knew he hated ties. A sport coat was draped over the passenger seat. He hoped Brad appreciated the effort.

  His plan had been to hit his sister Maddy’s café for coffee and a muffin before heading to the station for his job interview. Which he’d have time for if not for the dog doing a bear rug imitation and blocking the damn driveway.

  He rolled down the window and leaned out. “Lucy, move it.”

  Lucy lifted her head, seemed to consider her options, then opened her mouth in a huge yawn.

  He didn’t have time for this.

  A quick look behind and under the seats didn’t turn up any bags of chips. He didn’t care what the hot earth-chick said, he’d use chips as a bribe if it got the fur mountain to move. He opened the glove box. Score. No chips, but something even better.

  Stepping out of the vehicle, he made sure the dog was watching when he peeled back the plastic. “Look what I have, big girl.” He held it up so the dog could see the yellow and red wrapper. “Ever had one of these? What we have here is a Slim Jim, also known as pure American processed meat brilliance.” He bit off a hunk, chewing slowly.

  That got her attention. Lucy lifted her head, gaze steady on the meat stick in his hand.

  He tore off a hunk and held it out, waving it about so the scent carried. Slowly, the dog rose to her feet, waterworks already started, a string of drool hanging from her jowls. Ears perked, she made her way over to him. He let her sniff the treat before tossing it. She caught it mid-air. “Swallowed it whole, good girl.” He glanced at the cottage. “Want more before we both get in trouble?”

  He took another bite before moving to the side of the driveway. Lucy followed and he fed her a piece of Slim Jim. By the time the screen door on the cottage slammed, he’d lured her far enough he could drive by.

  “We’re busted, Luce. Play it cool.”

  “What are you feeding my dog?”

  Earth-chick was still hot. Spirals of curly black hair stuck out in odd directions, a wide band in bright orange around her head controlling some of it. It should have looked messy, but instead she hit the mark at sexy. And while he’d like to think the rosy flush of her cheeks was because she liked him, he might be mistaken about that. He held up the
package in his hand. “Slim Jim. Lucy’s into it.” He bit off another piece. Not exactly what he’d wanted for breakfast, but it would do.

  The horror on Zoey’s face couldn’t be faked. Slim Jims must be another no-no for the bear dog.

  “You actually eat that?” She put a hand to her throat like she was trying not to gag. “Slim Jims aren’t food, they’re a processed product made of chemicals and god knows what. They’re not fit for dogs, let alone human consumption.”

  Levi took another bite. “Yet they taste so good.”

  “Have you looked at the ingredients? Do you even know what you’re eating?”

  “This one is bacon flavored, so I’m guessing bacon.”

  “Read the ingredients list. I bet there’s no bacon in it.”

  Levi shrugged, then held up the wrapper, squinting at the tiny print. “Ha, looky here. It says ‘beef,’ which is not bacon, but it’s meat.”

  “Keep reading.”

  “Okay. Next is ‘mechanically separated chicken.’ I wonder what that means.”

  “It’s chicken that’s been pulverized and forced through a screen to make a kind of chicken sludge.”

  “So basically all the good stuff.” He glanced at Zoey. “Hey, you feeling okay? You look a little green.”

  “That’s because I’m going to throw up.”

  “Slim Jims are not for those with delicate digestion. I bet you’re vegan.”

  “You’d lose. I love eggs and cheese, and will occasionally eat meat, depending on how it’s raised and sourced. But mostly, I eat a plant-based diet.”

  He swallowed the last of the Slim Jim. “You’re missing out on the benefits of a preservative-based diet.”

  “A sacrifice, I’m sure.” He thought he caught a smirk to go with the eye roll. Progress. She gave the dog a stern look and pointed to the cottage. “Lucy, time out.”

  “She going to doggie jail again? It’s not her fault she consumed the processed product made of chemicals and god knows what. I corrupted her.”

  “Yes, you did. She should resist your many temptations.” Her gaze flew to his and he gave her a wide smile. “I didn’t mean that how it sounds.”

  “Too bad.”

  “Anyway, Lucy is on time-out for blocking the driveway again. For some reason she likes this particular patch of sunlight.”

  “Who wouldn’t?” He caught sight of the bruise on Zoey’s forehead again and felt the humor slip away. “Heard you got hit by a car. How’s the recovery going?”

  “I’m alive with no broken bones. I’m good.”

  Since she did indeed look good, he nodded. “Now that bear dog has freed up the driveway, I need to get on.”

  He hopped into the Suburban and used the rearview mirror to watch her watching him as he drove away.

  ***

  Levi stepped through the office door marked “Chief of Police, Bradley Gallagher.” The man rising from the other side of the wide desk brought a familiar jumble of emotions to the fore. Admiration, pride, sometimes the feeling of never quite measuring up, but over everything else, love. His brother had always seemed smarter, stronger, and competently in charge. Levi was trying to get past the lifelong habit of feeling overshadowed.

  He found himself engulfed in a hug. After a couple of slaps on the back, Brad stepped back, sharp green eyes giving him that familiar all-seeing assessment. “Glad you’re back.”

  “Me too. It was the right move.”

  “You settled in at the cabin?”

  “No. I still need to unpack the car. Mom came by with a bunch of groceries. That helped.”

  “Let her baby you a bit. She’s glad you’re back. Now that all her chicks are living in the same general area, she can hardly stand it. She’s doing her best to hold back and not smother you.” He motioned Levi to the padded chair in front of his desk. Brad turned to the coffeemaker on a table against the wall. He indicated the full pot with a raised brow.

  Levi sat, nodding at the offer. “I’ll stop by and see her later.”

  “Good.” Brad handed Levi a steaming mug before taking his seat behind the desk.

  “You look happy.” Levi tapped his temple, then pointed. “A few gray hairs in there, brother. Other than that, I’d say being a family man and chief of police sits well on you.”

  “Three kids. Who the hell thought I’d have three kids? I don’t know how our parents managed four.”

  “You need advice on birth control?”

  “Shut up. I love my kids. The house is crazy sometimes, but Emmaline is like the calm in the middle of a whirlwind. She centers me.”

  “You hit the jackpot with her.”

  “I did.” He gave Levi a level look. “You thinking to settle down?”

  “I’ve got to get my life together before I can even begin thinking about it. And since I haven’t been in a serious relationship in over a year, it’s not looking likely.” He sipped his coffee. Strong and dark the way he liked it.

  “Over a year? That’s plain sad.” Brad shook his head. “Brace yourself because you’re Mom’s current project. She’s already asked Emmaline and Maddy if they have friends they could introduce to you.”

  Levi closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Oh god. Shoot me now.”

  “Thought you might like a heads-up.”

  “Yeah, thanks.”

  Brad sipped his coffee. “Have you thought about our offer?”

  “I have. The job appeals, but I don’t want it because we’re family.”

  “That’s not why you’re being offered the job. You’re a decorated detective from a big city. If anything, you’re overqualified. But to keep everything aboveboard, we had an independent panel review the applications with the names omitted to prevent any concerns over nepotism. Bottom line? You’re the best candidate. You have the most experience, and it didn’t hurt that you’ve earned commendations for your service.”

  Brad wasn’t telling Levi anything he wasn’t already aware of. He’d done a Skype interview with the panel, and had been up front about the incident that led to him quitting the Oakland PD. An incident that, if he’d handled it better, wouldn’t have ended with his partner being shot, or a kid being killed. All the panel had been concerned about was that IA had deemed his use of force a “good shoot.”

  He’d been called with the job offer the day after the interview.

  Moving back home had been step one of the getting-his-shit-together plan, accepting the job offer was step two. “Then I accept.”

  Brad grinned and stuck out his hand to shake Levi’s. “When can you start? The city annexed the area west of the lake. We’re stretched thin right now. You’ll come in at the rank of captain, one of three we will have on the force, the others being Monica Valdez and Jack Morgan. With a baby girl and a ten-year-old at home, Jack will be happy if you take some of the load.”

  “Jack and Dory have a baby?” Brad nodded. “Huh. I have a lot of catching up to do. Okay then. I can start tomorrow.”

  “Good. Be here at seven, morning roll call is seven thirty.” Brad leaned back in his chair. “You run into your neighbor, Zoey Hardesty?”

  “Almost ran into that beast she calls a dog. Literally. It has a habit of taking naps in the middle of the road.”

  “Lucy. Cool dog. What did you think of Zoey?”

  “In what sense? She’s got the hot earth-chick vibe going, and is uptight about junk food, but otherwise seems okay.”

  “You know she was the victim of a hit-and-run.”

  “Yeah. She’s got a couple of bruises and walks with a limp. How long ago was it?”

  “Ten days.” Brad set his coffee mug on the desk, the lines of his forehead settling into a frown. “She was crossing Main Street and going to the old Odd Fellows hall. It’s being used as a yoga studio now. It was early evening, twilight. The streetlamps were on and they light that intersection well enough. She was using the crosswalk and was wearing a bright pink sweatshirt.”

  “You’re saying the drive
r should have seen her.” Levi knew the intersection a few dozen yards from his sister’s café. “What did Zoey say? Did she see the vehicle coming? Give you a description?”

  “She said it was an SUV or a truck with a shell over the bed, she wasn’t clear which. Said the color was navy or black, and that it came around the corner fast, not giving her time to get out of the way.”

  “Did she notice anything about the driver? Passengers? Identifying marks on the vehicle?”

  “No to all of that. She hasn’t been what we’d consider cooperative.”

  “Why the hell not?”

  “Not sure. That’s what you’re going to find out. Use your detective skills, brother. The case is now yours.”

  ***

  Levi stepped out his door and stood on the stoop for a minute, absorbing the last warmth of the day. He’d stopped at Maddy’s café and had the lucky fortune of finding not only his mom there but both his sisters. Hard to believe that in addition to Brad, Maddy and Jenny were married with kids too. Maddy was only a year older than him, but farther down the road in the getting-her-life-together department. Their impromptu lunch filled a hole Levi hadn’t even been aware had been dug into his heart. That’s what this move home meant—being able to be a daily part of the lives of the people most important to him.

  Snow on the high slopes of the mountains to the west gleamed as the sun began its descent behind the peaks. Closer around the cabin, aspens wore the bright green of their late spring colors. He filled his lungs with the pine-scented air he always associated with home. Summer, his favorite time of the year, was weeks away, but the warm days were already signaling its arrival.

  He opened the back of the Suburban he’d borrowed from a coworker to haul his stuff home. He’d have to return it on the weekend and retrieve the motorcycle he’d left in the friend’s garage. He thought of what Zoey said about the Suburban. Big, black with dark tinted windows, he guessed it kind of looked like a hearse.

  He took in the haphazard mess in the back of the truck. Why the hell hadn’t he packed with a little more finesse? Oh yeah. He’d wanted to get out of Oakland so bad he’d all but thrown his shit in the Suburban and took off like the wind. Since the cabin was furnished, he’d been able to get rid of most of his possessions, only keeping clothes, books, and some electronics. A pathetic showing for thirty-three years of life.