for Abigail, to judge her mental health after being away from home for six months.
He returned to his body and waited patiently.
The Wheatleys emerged from the police station another hour later. Mason calmly left his Jeep to approach them before they climbed in their car. Money collection was the last uncomfortable part of his job. He wished he could wait a few days and simply send a bill. But he wanted the parents to know him, see his face. Also, the longer he stayed away, the easier it was to forget to pay him his reward.
“Rachel?” he called as he crossed the street.
They stared at him as he approached.
“Hi. I'm Mason Thomas-”
Rachel embraced him before he could finish. He was stunned for a moment, his hands just floating in the air.
“I know who you are,” she said. “I Googled you after our phone call.”
He had a website he maintained, advertising his services. He didn't know people checked it out.
“Ah. Uh, okay.”
Mister Wheatley set Abigail on the ground so he could shake Mason's hand.
“The police told us they got a tip. I'm guessing that was you.”
Mason nodded. “Yes. Sorry I couldn't call you. Always have to call the police first.”
Mister Wheatley let out a huge laugh and gave Mason a hug as well. Abigail laughed at the awkward expression on her rescuer's face.
They exchanged small talk for a few more minutes before Rachel handed Mason a check. He didn't bother looking at it. He shook everyone's hand, including Abigail's, before returning to his Jeep.
Only after they drove away did he look at the check.
A few hours of work. About a month of guilt. A reunited family. And the full ten thousand dollars.
He took a deep breath and drove home.
Chapter 8
Mason stood in the kitchen making a few sandwiches. He leaned his head back to peer into the dining room. Seven-year-old Dani Lowdry sat at the table staring at her homework. He laughed as she moved her eraser furiously over her paper and started writing again.
“You okay in there, Dani?”
“I hate homework. Would you help me?”
“I'll try. I haven't done a lot of homework in my life.”
“Really? Did you do bad in school?”
He laughed. Lucy jumped on the table and sat opposite from her as he set down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They both laughed together when she dropped jelly on her homework.
Dani was the spitting image of her mother, with just a little of Brian's attitude tossed in for good measure. Lisa and Dani both had tan skin and beach blond hair, with blue eyes that looked like swimming pools.
“Can I watch a movie?” she asked. “Not the boring Discovery Channel.”
“Hey, what's wrong with the Discovery Channel?”
“Let's watch cartoons.”
“Finish your homework, then we'll put on something. I wouldn't mind a cartoon myself.”
She looked up from her homework. “Bad day?”
He smiled at her tone. “Actually, no, it was a good day.”
Mason would take a case like the Wheatleys any day of the week. No mind sliding to a dead body, or a teenager strung out on drugs, or domestic violence. The Wheatleys had a happy ending.
Not every case he worked on could say that.
“Did you find a girlfriend?”
The smile fell from his face. “What?”
“Daddy and Mommy are always saying you need a girlfriend.”
He laughed to himself. He hadn't dated anyone serious in three years. Half of the reason was opportunity. It wasn't like he had women beating down his door. The other half was self inflicted. He wanted to avoid the getting-to-know-you questions. What school did you go to? Do you have any family? What do you do for a living? Why are you afraid of storms?
He could do without that.
“Nope, didn't find one. That's my girlfriend, right there.”
He pointed at Lucy as she ran across the apartment.
“She's a ferret, Uncle Mason. You can't have a ferret for a girlfriend.”
He smiled and took a bite of his sandwich.
There was a knock at the door, then it opened a few inches. Mason turned
He returned to his body and waited patiently.
The Wheatleys emerged from the police station another hour later. Mason calmly left his Jeep to approach them before they climbed in their car. Money collection was the last uncomfortable part of his job. He wished he could wait a few days and simply send a bill. But he wanted the parents to know him, see his face. Also, the longer he stayed away, the easier it was to forget to pay him his reward.
“Rachel?” he called as he crossed the street.
They stared at him as he approached.
“Hi. I'm Mason Thomas-”
Rachel embraced him before he could finish. He was stunned for a moment, his hands just floating in the air.
“I know who you are,” she said. “I Googled you after our phone call.”
He had a website he maintained, advertising his services. He didn't know people checked it out.
“Ah. Uh, okay.”
Mister Wheatley set Abigail on the ground so he could shake Mason's hand.
“The police told us they got a tip. I'm guessing that was you.”
Mason nodded. “Yes. Sorry I couldn't call you. Always have to call the police first.”
Mister Wheatley let out a huge laugh and gave Mason a hug as well. Abigail laughed at the awkward expression on her rescuer's face.
They exchanged small talk for a few more minutes before Rachel handed Mason a check. He didn't bother looking at it. He shook everyone's hand, including Abigail's, before returning to his Jeep.
Only after they drove away did he look at the check.
A few hours of work. About a month of guilt. A reunited family. And the full ten thousand dollars.
He took a deep breath and drove home.
Chapter 8
Mason stood in the kitchen making a few sandwiches. He leaned his head back to peer into the dining room. Seven-year-old Dani Lowdry sat at the table staring at her homework. He laughed as she moved her eraser furiously over her paper and started writing again.
“You okay in there, Dani?”
“I hate homework. Would you help me?”
“I'll try. I haven't done a lot of homework in my life.”
“Really? Did you do bad in school?”
He laughed. Lucy jumped on the table and sat opposite from her as he set down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They both laughed together when she dropped jelly on her homework.
Dani was the spitting image of her mother, with just a little of Brian's attitude tossed in for good measure. Lisa and Dani both had tan skin and beach blond hair, with blue eyes that looked like swimming pools.
“Can I watch a movie?” she asked. “Not the boring Discovery Channel.”
“Hey, what's wrong with the Discovery Channel?”
“Let's watch cartoons.”
“Finish your homework, then we'll put on something. I wouldn't mind a cartoon myself.”
She looked up from her homework. “Bad day?”
He smiled at her tone. “Actually, no, it was a good day.”
Mason would take a case like the Wheatleys any day of the week. No mind sliding to a dead body, or a teenager strung out on drugs, or domestic violence. The Wheatleys had a happy ending.
Not every case he worked on could say that.
“Did you find a girlfriend?”
The smile fell from his face. “What?”
“Daddy and Mommy are always saying you need a girlfriend.”
He laughed to himself. He hadn't dated anyone serious in three years. Half of the reason was opportunity. It wasn't like he had women beating down his door. The other half was self inflicted. He wanted to avoid the getting-to-know-you questions. What school did you go to? Do you have any family? What do you do for a living? Why are you afraid of storms?
He could do without that.
“Nope, didn't find one. That's my girlfriend, right there.”
He pointed at Lucy as she ran across the apartment.
“She's a ferret, Uncle Mason. You can't have a ferret for a girlfriend.”
He smiled and took a bite of his sandwich.
There was a knock at the door, then it opened a few inches. Mason turned
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