I had a lot to think about, so rather than drive the direct route home; I took the long way through town to give my thoughts time to marinate.

The last few days had depleted my energy reserves. My chest grew tight, and everything seemed heavy right then. Maybe it was seasonal affect disorder or the getting dumped by my fake boyfriend thing. Either way, these screw-ups were going to make me the town's biggest failure if I didn't get it together.

Broadrick left me... again. Sure, it was only for a night, but I'd gotten used to having him around. Now he just expected me to go back to how it was before he got here. How? I had to cook myself dinner since I didn't get to eat at Kelvin's and Broadrick made noodles better than I did.

The cases were piling up, and I hadn't solved a single one of them. The only thing with the potential to provide me with money was watching Spencer, and that cat terrified me. I'd almost lost him like seven billion times. I sucked as a cat watcher too. Did I do anything right?

And now, as the cherry on top of my turd day, I'd just had a fake boyfriend dump me. In the most humiliating way.

A headache started as I turned onto my street. My eyes tingled in irritation as the pressure built behind them. Since I'd taken the long way home rather than take me four minutes, the drive lasted an entire seven.

The windows at my place were dark as I parked Rachel and headed inside-another reminder that Broadrick was not in there with something good to eat and a television show already primed up. Also, when did I apparently get old? My idea of a fun night used to be hanging out with friends and causing trouble in Clearwater. Now all I wanted was a quiet night with some binge-worthy television.

If I was this bad now, what would I be like at forty? The possibilities were too hard to think about as I trudged up the steps to my front porch and entered through my living room. NB met me at the door.

"Hey, buddy," I said as the brown and white Jack Russell mix jumped at my legs. At least one man didn't leave me.

I opened the back door for the dog when he scratched at it, and a piece of yellow caught my eye on the fridge.

There's a turkey sandwich in the fridge in case you get hungry.

Trish made it, and she didn't seem suspicious.

-B

I smiled as I read his note. On the second shelf, right in the middle, he'd left a white Styrofoam container. Inside was a turkey club, and I tugged it free along with an order of mac and cheese from the diner. Look at that, Kelvin, I'd get to eat my carbs after all. Broadrick didn't care if my ass got fat.

If I had more pettiness in me, I'd take a picture and send it to Kelvin, but I didn't want to talk to him anytime soon. Not until another dead body showed up at his work. And even then I was strongly considering befriending the older, grumpy version of him. Howard couldn't be that bad. Maybe he liked cupcakes.

I popped the mac and cheese container in the microwave and watched as it rotated and heated. The plastic dish they used for single services circled and my gaze stayed on it until the cheese melted and burst.

"Perfect."

NB scratched at the back door and I let him in as I leaned against a counter and dug my fork into the cheesy mess. He ran a circle around my feet and then sat down on my big toe, looking up at me like I had the world in my hands.

"You would not like mac and cheese." He probably would since the dog ate anything, but I wasn't in a sharing mood.

He whimpered as I took a bite of the turkey sandwich. "Fine, you can have some of this."

I tore off a chunk off the sandwich and let him eat it from my fingers. We stood in the kitchen together. Me eating my dinner and often giving him chunks of the sandwich, which he either swallowed in one gulp or let fall to the floor to pick up and spread around, leaving crumbs everywhere.

Standing there with NB, I couldn't get Broadrick's parting words out of my mind. "Remember that the person we don't suspect is often the best suspect," or something like that. I couldn't remember the exact way he said it, but I remembered it was cryptic as shit.

Was he talking about my case or just giving me generic advice?

NB pawed at my leg, hitting me in the knee so my leg jerked. "Okay, okay. Sorry. Geesh."

I tossed him another piece of sandwich and tapped my fingers on the counter after I finished the mac and cheese. A piece had fallen to the ground at my feet, but NB only pushed it around with his nose. Someone was going to have to mop and since neither NB nor Spencer had opposable thumbs, I guess it had to be me.

Unless I waited for Broadrick to get back.

Then I'd quiz him on what he meant while the mopping distracted him. Perfect plan.

Did Broadrick know more than he was letting on? And about my murder case, the cops and their shady business, snowbird, or something that hadn't blindsided me yet?

I shook my head and gave NB the last of the sandwich. I didn't really have enough awake brain cells to figure it out on a Wednesday night.

"Spencer!" I called once while I shut off the kitchen light. I'd never be able to fall asleep if I didn't first make sure the cat was still stuck in the house and alive.

A meow came from somewhere in the living room. I considered it good enough. NB froze at the sound, and I had to give him a head pat before he picked up the pace again.

It was barely past sunset, but my eyelids drooped and sleep called. I still hadn't fully recovered from my cold, and the cat had woken me up at least once most nights since I'd rescued him from Frankie's place. Normally I'd veg out on the couch with Broadrick, but my pillow's call was too strong to ignore.

I did a quick scrub of my toothbrush over my teeth and removed my leggings, letting them fall to the floor by the bed. The dress was practically a long nightgown, so I crawled under the covers, still wearing it. That lasted for about two seconds before I had to crawl out of bed and change into something less scratchy.

"Sorry," I said to NB when I kicked him getting back in.

I pulled the pillow Broadrick used closer to me and settled my face against it to sniff his cologne.

**

Sometime later the bed dipped, bringing me slightly out of a deep slumber.

Lips hit the top of my head. "Shhh, go back to sleep."

Broadrick's deep male voice lulled me into a peaceful place. I snuggled in next to him and his scratchy shirt rubbed against my cheek when my head hit his chest.

"You smell nice," I mumbled to myself.

His chest rose and fell in a rumbled laugh. Maybe not so much to myself. He quieted after pulling the covers around himself and stealing some of my heat for the coldness in the room. We slept, wrapped in each other's arms, with NB between our legs and his head resting on my knee, making it impossible to move without disrupting him. Time passed in bliss.

My phone chirped, and I moved closer to Broadrick, my face getting sweaty where I had it pressed against him. It chirped again a few minutes later, just as I'd been about to sleep again.

"You better get it," Broadrick said.

I moaned in response.

Broadrick squeezed my shoulder. "Someone could be dead."

Those words had me popping open an eye with the thought and a jolt of excitement. "They better be."

I grabbed my phone from the side of the bed where I plugged it in before letting sleep take me. A new text message waited on the notifications, and I clicked on it.

The words weren't completely unexpected but still drew a chuckle of disbelief from me.

"What?" Broadrick asked.