Every Breath You Take
Page 30
Chapter 21
The sun wasn't even up when Pepper tapped softly on the door of Wallace's house, two coffees in hand. After the stakeout, he'd dropped Wallace and gone straight home. Both of them had left their own vehicles at the police station.
"Tee, come on in," a bleary-eyed Michelle said as she answered the door, her robe tied over the protruding swell of her baby-bump. She waddled back towards the kitchen, Pepper followed in her wake. "Rupert will be right out, he's just getting dressed."
"Uncle Tee, Uncle Tee!" A high-pitched squeal greeted him as he entered the kitchen, a 4-year old ball of energy leapt up from a chair at the kitchen table and raced towards him. Pepper barely had time to set the coffees down on the counter before the little girl jumped into his arms.
"Hey Squeak," he said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed like she never wanted to let go. She quickly pulled back, brushing back a lock of her wispy brown hair as she smiled up at him. Pepper looked down at the little girl, looking adorable in a pink onesie with pictures of black and white kittens all over it.
"Uncle Tee, here, fist bump," the little girl said, holding up her tiny fist, her little knuckles looking like a row of miniature marshmallows.
"I've heard you learned how to do that," Pepper said, bumping his fist gently against hers.
"Simon showed me."
"Speaking of which, where is your big brother?"
"He's still sleeping, thank goodness," Michelle said. "It seems like one at a time is almost more than I can handle these days. Melissa, let Uncle Tee go and finish your breakfast."
As the little firecracker slid down and raced back to the table, Pepper gestured towards the two coffees he'd brought in. "I would have normally brought you a coffee, but Rupe tells me caffeine is a no-go these days."
"Yes, my herbal tea is about as wild as I get right now," she replied, saluting with her mug as Pepper took a sip of his coffee.
"Uncle Tee, I'm eating Fruit Loops," Melissa said, shovelling a spoonful of the colourful rings into her mouth.
"Fruit Loops?" Pepper said, looking at Michelle.
"I know, I know," Michelle said. "It's funny how things change from kid to kid. With the first one, it was only oatmeal with milk or real orange juice for breakfast. Now the second one gets Fruit Loops and a drink box. I don't know what this one's gonna get." She nodded to her big belly. "Maybe this one'll have coffee and a cigarette for breakfast, who knows?"
"Hey buddy, thanks for the coffee," Wallace said as he strode across the room and picked up his cup. "Okay, we'd better go. Bye, hon." He kissed Michelle and gave Melissa a hug before heading towards the front door.
"Wait a minute," Michelle said, her firm voice making both of them stop dead in their tracks. She was looking down and then raised her eyes to her husband's. "Where did you get those shoes?"
Pepper followed her gaze and spotted Wallace's new shoes, the ones he'd gone all school girl ga-ga over.
"I, uh, I needed some new shoes, and I liked these," Wallace said hurriedly, hustling into his jacket.
"Those look pretty expensive. Where did you get the money from?"
"I took it out of the kid's college fund-don't worry about it." Wallace raced across the room and kissed her again. "Bye, love you." And he was out the door in seconds, Pepper drafting in the jet stream behind him.
"Bye Michelle," Pepper said, raising his coffee as he made his way towards the front door.
"Honestly, it's just like having another kid," Michelle said, giving Pepper a rueful smile as she slowly shook her head from side to side.
"I know exactly what you mean. Take care," Pepper said, closing the door behind him. Twenty minutes later, they were back at the station.