directly at the scar on his face. “What happened?” she asked.
“Iraq,” he said, releasing her hand.
“It sure left a mark,” she said.
“That’s not the only one.”
“What’s that?” she asked, pointing at some ink on his bicep that extended below the cuff of his short-sleeved uniform shirt. I wondered if the LASD still had their no-visible-tattoos policy.
Gonzales said, “That’s my Explosive Ordinance Disposal badge.”
“The scars weren’t enough of a reminder?” she asked, touching the tattoo. “Are those wings?”
“It’s a wreath,” he said. I think I saw him flexing a bit.
I gave them a few seconds in case either one of them wanted to engage in any more flirtatious banter. Neither did, so I said, “Is the house going to explode?”
Gonzales looked down at the dog as if to confirm his assessment and said, “I don’t think so, but if you’ll let us inside, we’ll make sure.”
He and the dog walked through the house, then the garage and Lauren’s place in back. After he’d cleared them all, I walked out to the SUV at the curb with him. “I’ll let Glenn know everything’s secure,” he said, opening the back door and letting the dog in.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” I knew what he was going to ask.
“What’s the deal with Terrones?” At least he pronounced her name right, all three syllables. He even got the Spanish inflection that I could never manage to.
“She’s a good cop.”
He nodded. “You think she might want to—”
“I’ll ask her,” I said.
“Thanks, man.”
He drove away and I went back inside and found Lauren in the kitchen. “I thought you had a girlfriend,” I said.
“I do.”
“Gonzales wanted me to give you his number. You want it?”
“Not really,” she said, surveying the open refrigerator in front of her. “But why don’t you text it to me so you won’t have to lie when he asks.”
Julia came over again. Honestly, I was embarrassed that we had to keep seeing each other at Jen’s house. I suggested we hold off for the night, but she wouldn’t hear of it. It felt like being in high school again—sitting on someone else’s couch with a girl and hoping not to get caught. At least I’d convinced Lauren that we’d be okay with her out back in her own place. She’d told me that it didn’t feel right hanging out at home while she was technically on the clock. Especially after Jen had texted her saying she’d be home late and that Lauren should keep an eye on me. Eventually I’d worn her down and convinced her to give Julia and me some privacy.
When I complained to Julia about feeling awkward, she said, “I think you’re overreacting.”
“I don’t think I am.” We were sitting on the couch again, but hadn’t turned the TV on.
“How’s your head feeling?”
“Still have a headache.”
“Any other symptoms? Have you felt dizzy at all or nauseous? Confused or sluggish?”
“No, I feel okay except for the headache. The doctor said I should expect that for a few days.”
“When do you go back to see him?”
“Not until the end of the week, unless I have a problem. Why?”
“You seem more irritable than usual.”
“They took my case away. I’m on desk duty for, shit, I don’t even know how long. So yeah, I’m irritable.”
“Are you angry at me?”
“No,” I said, surprised. “Does it sound like I am?”
“A little bit.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She slid closer to me and lifted my arm up so I’d put it around her, and she put her head on my shoulder. “Let’s watch season two. See how Mr. Bates and Anna are doing.”
I fumbled around with the two remotes until I got the show to start streaming on the big flat-screen across the room.
But even as the opening credits rolled, I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that irritability and behavior changes were two of the things the neurologist told me to be on the lookout for.
It was after ten when Jen came home. Julia had already gone, and I was in the kitchen looking for something stronger than cabernet and not finding anything. I heard voices outside and looked out the window to see her conferring with Lauren just inside the gate on the side of the house, their faces illuminated from below by the pathway lighting along the edge of the driveway.
Jen came inside and said, “Lauren says things are under control.”
“Yeah, it’s been quiet. Julia just went home a little while ago.”