Read Online 3 Can You Picture This? by Jerilyn Dufresne - Free Book Online

was…‌well, the night was pretty darn fantastic.
    I awoke with both a smile and a dog butt on my face. George had already gotten up, and I heard him whistling in the shower. Clancy had to go out, but I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again. I called to George, saying, “Can you hurry and take Clancy outside?”
    “Yep,” he yelled back. And it was just a moment before he came back into the bedroom and landed on the bed to give me a hug.
    He jumped up and said, “C’mon, Clancy, let’s go outside.”
    She reacted predictably, leaping off the bed and running around George until they finally walked out of the bedroom. I stretched luxuriously, content with my life. Well, except for the part where I couldn’t work and couldn’t go home. Couldn’t see my kids either. I guessed I wasn’t as content as I’d thought.
    “I betcha I’ll get to go home today,” I said aloud. Then, not troubled by anything for the moment, I got up and showered, and even sang while I did so. Today was going to be a glorious day.
    Or so I thought.

TWELVE
    I t wasn’t long before breakfast was finished and cleaned up. “Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned off a table so much. Lots of times things sit there until I get around to it.”
    “I noticed,” George said.
    With the mood I was in, I couldn’t even get sarcastic with him, much less mad.
    “I need to know how Richie is. It’s stupid, but I feel partially responsible.”
    “I’m glad you realize that it’s stupid. You did nothing to hurt him. And I’ll check on Richie in a little while.”
    “Do you think I can go home today?” I asked him, changing the subject.
    “We’ll see. I’m going to check with the station.”
    He called and spoke to his captain, who told him they had no reason to think the suicide was the murderer, but no reason to think he wasn’t. In other words they didn’t know much of anything yet. George asked when the autopsy would be conducted and was told it would probably be today.
    When he hung up, George added, “At least that might tell us whether he was a suicide or a homicide.”
    I had no idea that they thought it might not be suicide. I felt a shiver that was part fear and part excitement. “Wow. That would make a big difference in everything, wouldn’t it? What makes you think it might not be suicide? And can I still go home today?” I stopped when George held up his hand.
    “You and your daughter with the questions…. Anyway, the answers are yes, it looked too perfect, and I don’t know.” Then he said, “Do you really want to leave here?”
    It was my turn to say, “I don’t know.” I added, “I don’t want to leave you, that’s for sure, but I’d love to be in my cozy little carriage house with my kids there…‌and you, of course.” I hugged him to let him know that I wasn’t trying to escape him, or his lovely home.
    I could see he was having an internal dialogue, trying to decide if it was safe for me to go to work and to stay at my own place. Finally he said, “I don’t want you to leave, but that’s just selfish. I’ve enjoyed having you and Clancy here the last few nights. But somehow it just feels like you’d be safe going home. And to work too.”
    I kissed him. Kissed him seriously and thoroughly.
    “Before I go, maybe we can get Clancy to watch the Animal Planet one more time,” he said, his eyes flashing. I looked at George and grinned back.
    After all, who knew when we’d be able to have some private time again? We’d both be busy with work, plus I’d have the kids, and I’d neglected the rest of my family since I had fallen in love with George.
    Clancy hadn’t watched so much TV since I’d gotten her. Now here she was, eight years old, and I was getting her addicted to the boob tube. But it was worth it.
    Later we had another cup of coffee while watching a show with Clancy on the migratory patterns of the Canada goose. She seemed enthralled. I leaned over Clancy so I could talk