“I’m just going to drop you off,
okay Short Stuff?”
“Why?”
“I got a call from Detective Collins
about the case. I need to go into the station and talk things over with him.”
“Oh. Okay. Um, Uncle Matt?”
“Yeah?”
“That stakeout last night, is that
what your job is like most of the time?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I sit, I
watch, I wait. I research stuff, though Jen handles a lot of that for me. I
talk to people and look for the clues. Most of the time nothing happens.”
“So the thing the other day was
unusual?”
I snuck a quick glance at her. She
stared straight ahead at the traffic, and her voice had gotten quiet. “Yeah.
Very unusual. Something might get dangerous for me every few months, but
usually it’s a lot of mundane work.”
“And you’re okay with that? You
don’t mind the danger?”
“Course I mind. I don’t want to die.
But, what can I do?”
“Get a different job?”
“I suppose. I wouldn’t be at risk
from the supernatural types, but it wouldn’t mean I was out of danger. We’re
always in danger, Cassie.”
“Yeah, I know.” She looked at a spot
on the floorboard.
I reached over and patted her
shoulder. “I know this really bothers you, but I’ve already made all the
promises I can.”
“I know! I just—I just keep thinking
about it is all. But I did feel better with the stakeout. It was kind of fun,
you know?”
“Well, if I can arrange another one
like it, I’ll bring you along. Don’t tell your grandparents.”
“I think we’ll just have to make
everything I do here something I don’t tell them,” she grinned.”
“Now you’re
learning,” I grinned back.