Charlie and Bella’s barking and pawing woke me up. Even a little disgruntled, I couldn’t help but smile at the antics of my older Sheltie and the young lab mix. The smell of coffee helped, too.
A glance at the clock and I groaned. I overslept. Again. The weekend and languishing a bit in bed over. Work beckoned, at least three days a week at my continuing temporary job at Millicent College. That and the joys of getting one teenager up and ready for high school.
Grumbling to myself, I checked Maddie’s room on my way to the kitchen. She didn’t answer the knock on her door, so I opened it and shooed the dogs inside. She screeched and I chuckled. Definitely not a morning person. Her typical teen concern for her appearance slowed her down even more whenever she had to leave the house.
“Come on, Maddie. You need to get a move on.”
In the kitchen, Brett intent on his tablet. Although we were no longer newlyweds, nothing was better than waking up to this man, with his hazel eyes, dark curly hair, contagious smile, and dimples. A six-foot teddy bear unless on the job as a State Police detective or in protective mode.
He quickly shifted the screen on the tablet and smiled.
“Work already? Anything interesting?”
“Not really.”
Maddie stumbled into the kitchen. At fifteen, she portrayed a feminine version of her father, with long, dark hair and hazel eyes. With her last growth spurt, she was almost as tall as me. To her dismay, that made her taller than most of the boys in her grade, including her friend, Alex.
“Maddie, stand up straight. You look great. Got all your homework?” Brett handed her a glass of orange juice as he spoke and kissed her forehead.
“Thanks.” A quick glance at her watch and she emptied the glass. “Gotta run.” She grabbed her coat and raced out the door, her backpack slung over her shoulder.
Brett shook his head and smiled. “She’s grown up so fast.”
“For sure, and that learner’s permit is burning a hole in her wallet. In no time, she’ll be driving.”
His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. “I’m not ready for that. Or boys who drive.”
The ring tone of his phone halted his realizations. Work. I bustled around the kitchen and made myself a bagel. I waved one at him and he shook his head as he stashed his phone and grabbed his tablet.
“Fabry. We need to go to North Shore. Something’s come up and we need to check it out.” He leaned over, kissed me, and stole a bite of my bagel. “Later.”
I nodded. Detective James Fabry was his partner when something bigger than the ordinary assignments locally came up. That “something” often translated to a dead body or major drug bust or similar. Assigned to Division III in Appomattox, Brett and Fabry often caught the situations outside of the immediate area. Like Brett, Fabry had been with the State Police for many years, though he was the older and more cynical of the two.
Brett’s assignment to the murder of one of my colleagues in Cold Creek was how we had met. I smiled as I recalled my time in Cold Creek, meeting Brett, and our friends. Cold Creek wasn’t that far away from Clover Hill where we lived now. Kim Pennzel was my close friend from Cold Creek. We’d worked together for almost six years and stayed in touch when I’d married Brett and moved to Clover Hill. A few years younger than me, we shared backgrounds – both psychologists, both divorced. Kim always had a lot more energy than me and sometimes acted on impulse. We talked a lot and often she and Marty would come to Clover Hill or we would go there.
Charlie’s nose nudged me out of my dreams. Brett had already fed both dogs and I let them out. The temperature had dropped, not unexpected for a fall day. A quick glance at the thermometer of our weather station assured me it was chilly, but not yet cold. I poured myself another cup of coffee, settled the dogs in, and, as usual, was the last to leave the house.
Like Maddie, with everything I needed in my backpack. A quick stop at the Starbucks® drive through and I was on my way. The ride through the hills from Clover Hill to the college was beautiful, the leaves on the trees beginning to turn. In the winter, the drive got a little tricky with possible black ice, especially on the two bridges. For now, I enjoyed the kaleidoscope of color and sunlight.
Millicent College was a small liberal arts college like Cold Creek College. Originally it was a women’s college, hence the name. That changed in the 70s though and no one at the college remembered that earlier time at all. Least not that I had met. This was my second year as a Visiting Assistant Professor and it suited me.
Unlike my position at Cold Creek College, my only responsibility was to teach assigned classes and attend a meeting or two. Like semi-retirement, though I still had a few years before I reached fifty. This schedule fit my new life style with plenty of time for Brett and Maddie, as well as to volunteer at the local dog rescue, Clover Hill Pets & Paws.
I arrived early for a change, walking in with Dr. Addison, the Psychology Department Head. About my age, he had reddish blonde hair and a moustache, set off with blue eyes. His wool trench coat in deference to the weather reminded me of old westerns and made me smile.
“Good morning, Dr. Hendley. You seem in a good mood this brisk morning.”
“I am. How are you this morning?”
“Good. Busy. Meetings and paperwork. Semester seems to be going well. Enrollment is up and the trustees are happy.” He hesitated and added, “Hopefully, the faculty and staff are as well.”
I smiled as we reached the hall with his suite of offices. He nodded and disappeared, and I ducked into the large lounge area and refilled my coffee from the Keurig machine. Coffee in hand, I stopped at my office to drop things off and then was in teaching mode.
I smiled at colleagues and students as I made my way back to my friend, Keurig, after class. As usual, the lounge was bustling with activity and noise, students, staff, and faculty alike. It was lunch time and the fast food venues had long lines. I got in line and watched the big screen as I waited.
Mostly national news, but then the running announcements on the bottom indicated “Breaking News: State Police make discovery in North Shore, VA.” And then sports news. Frustrating. I checked my phone and no message from Brett. It was a given he and Fabry were involved in whatever was discovered and my curiosity peaked..
Excerpt from Old Friends and New, Another Murder. Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved.
